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