Folkestone Invicta 2 Dulwich Hamlet 2 match report: First fixture on new 3G pitch brings drama at Cheriton Road as Invicta denied at death after Joe Pigott’s brace and Liam Smith’s red

A last-gasp goal denied Folkestone victory in the first match on their new 3G pitch against Dulwich Hamlet on Saturday.

Trailing to Hamlet captain Nyren Clunis’ first-half effort, Invicta faced an uphill battle as they had defender Liam Smith dismissed, minutes after the visitors had missed a penalty.

Two-goal Joe Pigott appeared to have secured Folkestone an unlikely Isthmian Premier win but defender Joseph Adewunmi came up with a 95th-minute goal as it ended in an eventful 2-2 draw.

Jay Saunders’ side had come close to a first goal on their Cheriton Road comeback inside eight minutes after a 180-day wait, having already played ‘at home’ at Margate (twice), Ashford and Chatham this term.

Pigott was first to a loose ball and, with Hamlet keeper Toby Bull rooted to the spot, saw his lob clip the crossbar.

Six minutes later, home defender Joel Odeniran was called into action to head behind dangerous wideman Luke Wanadio’s powerful shot.

Bull then thwarted Donell Thomas after the recalled Folkestone forward Jake Hutchinson had done well, threading a big clearance from goalkeeper Ted Collins into Thomas’ path.

Shortly before the half-hour mark, Dulwich striker Danny Mills and 23-year-old Hutchinson failed to hit the target with respective headers at either end.

But Mark Dacey’s men struck first on 37 minutes.

Hamlet’s Clunis got his third goal in six games as he blasted beyond Collins to find the far corner from Wanadio’s quickly-taken corner to ensure the Londoners held a half-time advantage.

Folkestone made a half-time substitution, which saw Ike Orji come on for Montel McKenzie for his debut. Ben Mason also moved across to left wing-back.

Four minutes after the restart, midfielder Mikey Berry fired over for the hosts from range.

Goalkeeper Collins, 22, had to be alert to palm away visiting player Wanadio’s drive from a quickly-taken free-kick in the 53rd minute.

Mason should have got the home team level, only to - somehow - head over debutant Orji’s dangerous right-wing delivery at the back post.

Folkestone were given a major reprieve on 64 minutes.

Referee Richard Joss awarded a spot-kick with Wanadio under pressure from a combination of Orji and Smith, the latter booked for his furious protests. But ex-Sevenoaks winger Sol Baugh blazed over from 12 yards.

Just two minutes later, however, former Sittingbourne player Smith left referee Mr Joss with little choice but to award him a second yellow as Wanadio again went down.

That sparked a frantic pace to the game’s latter stages and only some super Collins stops kept the home team in it.

Pigott got the hosts’ equaliser with 10 minutes to go when he reached substitute Jack Jebb’s defence-splitting 45-yard pass and made no mistake.

With only three minutes left, keeper Bull’s superb fingertip save denied Ronnie Dolan a goal-of-the-season contender while, at the other end, Collins thwarted substitute Bode Anidugbe.

But Dolan turned provider for 31-year-old Pigott just 90 seconds later, feeding the frontman with a hopeful ball forward.

Pigott kept his cool to dink over Bull to spark scenes that Folkestone’s home fans had waited so long for.

But in the final minute of five of injury time, a corner was swung in and Collins couldn’t keep out a header by Adewunmi, despite getting his hand to the ball, to get Hamlet - still winless in six matches in all competitions - a hard-fought point.

Home manager Saunders made three changes from the starting line-up that suffered last weekend’s 4-1 FA Cup exit at National League Southend.

Hutchinson came in for Josh Strouts while McKenzie and 19-year-old Berry replaced the departed Finley Marjoram and Bivesh Gurung - the latter leaving for neighbours Dover Athletic.

Recently-recruited defender Orji started his first fixture for the hosts on the substitutes’ bench.

Hamlet’s team included midfielder Amadou Kassarate, with Folkestone last season, and ex-Invicta man Wanadio. He was the visitors’ seven-goal top scorer before the league encounter on his 32nd birthday.

Folkestone - who remain unbeaten in the league - host Lewes on Tuesday.

Folkestone Invicta: Collins, Mason, McKenzie (Orji 46mins), Smith, Odeniran, Lokko, Berry (Jebb 60mins), Rance, Hutchinson (Strouts 70mins), Thomas (Dolan 84mins), Pigott. Sub not used: Simmons.

Dulwich Hamlet: Bull, M.Chambers, Clunis, Kassarate (Talla 88mins), Mills (Cook 73mins), Wanadio, Payne, T.Chambers, Baugh (Jeffrey 73mins), Adewunmi, Bonnett-Johnson (Anidugbe 79mins). Sub not used: Okonkwo.

Referee: Richard Joss.

Attendance: 1,379.