Southend United 4 Folkestone Invicta 1 match report: Joe Pigott scores against his former club in FA Cup fourth qualifying round defeat

Folkestone suffered their first defeat of the season as they bowed out of the FA Cup on Saturday.

Invicta never really got a sniff at their National League hosts as they were blown away by three goals in a 17-minute spell midway through the first half at Roots Hall.

Folkestone manager Jay Saunders made five changes from the side that won at AFC Dunstable in the FA Trophy last weekend, while there were also five changes for the home side.

Within the first two minutes, Southend forward Andrew Dallas delivered a ball across the face of goal but no-one was on hand to apply the finishing touch.

Slavi Spasov’s 14th-minute header was comfortably saved by Folkestone keeper Ted Collins before the visitors had ambitious penalty appeals for a foul on Donell Thomas rightly ignored.

Southend took the lead on 20 minutes when Leon Parillon led Finley Marjoram on a merry dance on the edge of the box before crossing for Spasov to have a simple tap-in.

Defender Ben Goodliffe’s looping header at the far post doubled their advantage on 27 minutes and Collins then denied Dallas at his near post.

It was one-way traffic as Southend were able to advance too easily into wide areas and they added a third on 37 minutes when Harry Boyes’ free-kick was headed in by Spasov.

Invicta needed a spark after the break and the lively Thomas tried to provide it, twice causing early problems down the right.

Then Josh Strouts got gifted possession and tried to set up Marjoram, who was unable to provide the finish.

Southend still wanted more goals, though. Jack Bridge headed over when he should have scored and then Collins produced an excellent double stop to deny Bridge and the newly arrived substitute Tom Hopper.

Folkestone got a goal back with 17 minutes left when Pigott scored against his former club, a stunning finish into the roof of the net after the hosts failed to clear a right-wing corner. Pigott received a generous ovation from the home fans when his name was read out as the goalscorer.

But any hopes of a grandstand finish ended with seven minutes left when substitute Josh Walker’s shot was deflected beyond Collins.

Folkestone substitute Jake Hutchinson then forced a good save by keeper Nick Hayes and then headed wide the resulting corner from Jack Jebb’s cross.

Folkestone had already beaten Sevenoaks along with National League South sides Maidstone and Horsham to get this far.

It was only the fourth time since 2007 that Invicta have reached the fourth qualifying round although you have to go back to the 2005 trip to Chester (lost 2-1) for Folkestone’s last appearance in the first round.

Saunders is well-versed with the first round, but he won’t be involved this year. He guided Maidstone to that stage four years in a row and got that far with Tonbridge last season before a home exit to Harborough.

Southend: Hayes, Ralph, Goodliffe (Gubbins 65mins), Bridge (Austin 88mins), Dallas (Walker 65mins), Taylor, Spasov (Hopper 65mins), Parillon, Morton (Miley 74mins), Coker, Boyes. Subs not used: Ndi, Appiah-Forson.

Folkestone: Collins, Mason, Smith, Odeniran, Lokko, Rance (Jebb 83mins), Thomas, Pigott (Dolan 90mins), Strouts (Hutchinson 69mins), Marjoram (McKenzie 69mins), Gurung (Berry 63mins). Subs not used: Ogunseri, Yusuff.

Referee: Wayne Cartmel.

Attendance: 3,507 (405 away).