Hythe came from behind to seal a stunning 2-1 derby win against Folkestone on Sunday afternoon.

Ian Draycott's penalty midway through the first half gave Invicta a lead they hadn't deserved, with Hythe guilty of three glaring misses in the early stages.

However Frankie Sawyer levelled 20 minutes into the second-half after a run and shot and Invicta's task grew harder when Josh Vincent saw red for a second yellow with 13 minutes remaining.

Hythe piled on the pressure in the latter stages and five minutes from time Alfie May tapped in the winner to banish the memory of several earlier misses and send the majority of the largest Kent crowd of the week - 1,527 - wild.

Folkestone had seen their lead at the top of Ryman League Division 1 South cut to nine points ahead of the kick-off - which was delayed by crowd congestion - due to Worthing's 5-0 lunchtime win against Peacehaven.

Hythe were looking to return to winning ways on manager Clive Cook's birthday and handed a debut to new striker Jack Harris, once of Maidstone and Faversham, after his release by Hastings.

Harris latched onto a ball over the top inside four minutes but after bearing down on Tim Roberts' goal he slotted across the face from six yards.

Seconds later May got on another speculative pass with Roberts rooted to his line but his 12-yard prod clipped the outside of the post.

Harris saw another chance deflected wide on seven minutes and Frankie Sawyer - the third of their three-pronged attack - lashed over the angle of post and bar from 20 yards on 15 minutes after Harris had won a flick-on as Invicta struggled to get out of their own half.

Josh Vincent was booked for a cynical block on the lively May inside 20 minutes but moments later his side were ahead. Nat Blanks pounced on a loose clearance and drove into the Cannons box where he went down under a clumsy challenge from Ryan Johnson.

Ian Draycott coolly sent Joe Mant the wrong way from the spot to put the visitors ahead.

Mant denied Draycott a second with a block with his legs after a ricochet in the box soon after while second later Roberts stopped a low May drive from 25 yards and then pounced on the rebound with Sawyer lurking.

May rounded Roberts but saw his shot blocked on the line by Vincent with the home fans baying for a penalty for handball but the referee unmoved and Craig Cloke swung a left-footed drive straight at Roberts after the keeper had punched clear a free-kick just before the break.

After half-time Carl Rook was booked after a tussle from a set-piece before Sawyer stung Roberts' palms from an angle.

Roberts denied May after he was played clean through once again following ref Leigh Crowhurst inadvertently back-heeling a Folkestone pass on 55 minutes.

Harris flicked into the path of Sawyer just after the hour but Roberts held the tame shot however the keeper should have done better to prevent the equaliser on 66 minutes when Sawyer was freed down the left, drove into the area, cut inside onto his right foot and fired a low shot which crept under the keeper.

With the Cannons firing on all cylinders Darren Marsden was booked against his former club for an apparent dive (pictured) as he tried to round last-man Roberts in the box soon after while May blazed wide again after good work from Sawyer.

Vincent saw red 13 minutes from time after a tired and late challenge on Dave Cook on midway.

Hythe piled on the pressure and five minutes from time a long ball into the box saw Roberts hesitate, Sawyer beat him to the bouncing ball on the right of the area, hooking to the middle for May to tap into an empty net from six yards to send the crowd wild and Hythe up to 13th, seven points outside the play-offs.

Hythe: Mant, Stevenson, Burchell, Johnson, Cloke, Reeves, Cook, Harris, Sawyer (Thompson 90mins), May, Marsden (Wilson 84mins). Subs not used: Sprosen, Hood, Thomas.

Folkestone: Roberts, Vincent, Blanks, Newman, Chappell, Everitt, Starkey, Heard, Draycott, Rook (Wright 75mins), Miller (Smith 83mins). Subs not used: Dolan, Nzuzi, Sparks.

Attendance: 1,527.