Sunday, September 28, 2008 21:54
Deal Town 0 Faversham Town 3
By Tony Gray
More match photos available by following the "Photo Gallery" link above
Two goals from Dave Soutan and a third from Damian Abel were enough to secure the Lilywhite's first points away from home in this Kent Premier League fixture at Deal's 'Charles Sports Ground'.
With Kevin Readings still sidelined Carl Hodgson retained the No.1 shirt whilst Roy Guiver returned to the starting eleven in, what promised to be, an attacking line-up.
ON TARGET......Dave Soutan (10) turns to celebrate the first of his two goals
It was the home side that were out of the blocks first with Mark Pollard's well struck shot beating Hodgson only to be denied by the cross bar after five minutes.
Soutan went close for the Lilywhites on ten minutes after placing a powerful header inches wide of Paul Rogers' upright.
With both sides intent on pushing forward the dynamics of the game were altered on 17 minutes as the home side found them reduced to 10 men - Town's Dane Luchford conceded a free-kick on the edge of the Town box bringing down Danny Smith, not content with a free-kick Smith appeared keen on personal revenge as he struck out at Luchford giving referee Peck no alternative other than showing a straight red card.
Despite being a man short Deal continued to push forward and were unlucky not to take the lead, Dave Bathgate rattling Hodgson's crossbar for the second time of the afternoon.
The visitors broke the deadlock on 38 minutes, a long ball in Josh Maasbach found Abel unmarked on the edge of the area and as Rogers charged out Abel deftly chipped the ball over the keeper and into an empty net.
After the break Deal threw caution to the wind as they pushed hard for the equaliser pinning the Faversham side back in their own half for the opening minutes of the second period although at no time was Hodgson put under pressure.
The lead was doubled on 58 minutes and the game effectively put beyond the reach of the home side, a cross from Luchford was fired low into the Deal area and met by Soutan who directed the ball into the bottom left of Rogers' goal.
Town continued to pile pressure on the Deal defence and should have increased their lead as chances fell to Steve O'Brien and Roy Guiver on more than one occasion.
WILLING AND ABEL.....Town's Damian Abel who opened the scoring
The Lilywhite's third goal of the afternoon came on 69 minutes with Soutan rising high in the area to head home another Luchford cross past a static Rogers.
Late changes saw Jimmy Strouts come on to replace Shane Hamshare whilst O'Brien and Luchford made way for Kris Richardson and Chris Eather respectively.
Further chances fell to Guiver and Soutan went close to getting his hat-trick denied only by some fine goal keeping from Rogers.
SOUTS' SECOND.....A diving Soutan looks on as he nets his second of the match
Overall a solid display by a the Lilywhites against a weak and disjointed 10 man Deal side providing managers Justin Luchford and Jimmy Strouts with their first away points of the season.
Town's next match sees them travel to the coast once more as they make the short trip down the Thanet Way to face Norton Sports at Herne Bay's Winch's Field - kick-off at 15:00.
Town's Star Man: Dave Soutan - solid individual performance, won everything in the air and two goals as well.
Faversham Town: Carl Hodgson (7); Josh Maasbach (7); Ashley Brown (7); Dane Luchford (8); Steve Lloyd (7); Lee Shearer (7); Shane Hamshare (7); Damian Abel (8); Roy Guiver (7); Dave Soutan (8); Steve O'Brien (7).
Substitutes: Jimmy Strouts (for Hamshare 70 minutes) (7); Kris Richardson (for O'Brien 77 minutes) (7); Chris Eather (for Luchford 82 minutes) (7).
Unused substitutes; Joe Dart; Wes Hammond.