Sunday, January 25, 2009 22:04
Lordswood 1 Faversham Town 2
By Alan Trent
Lilywhite's Manager Justin Luchford was forced into several team changes for this Bulmers Cider Kent Premier League fixture with skipper Lee Shearer injured and Dane Luchford and Roy Guiver both unavailable.
Former Gillingham Youth Team player Liam Wybraniec came into the defence for his first start with former Chatham player Dave Botterill also making his full debut for the Salters Lane outfit.
Town started the match brightly with Sean Hetterley making several telling runs down the right wing, his crosses causing problems for the home defence and forcing the keeper into punching clear on several occasions.
Iit was a cross from the other wing, however, which led to Town getting the first goal on 14 minutes - a neat pass out of defence from Kris Richardson found Steve O'Brien on the left wing who beat his marker before delivering a near post cross which Damian Abel flicked home unmarked past Arnott in the Lordswood goal.
Despite having beatenhigh flying Holmesdale last week this seemed to knock the confidence of the home side and it came as no surprise when Town doubled the lead on 31 minutes.
O'brien was fouled on the edge of the area and for a few seconds it appeared that referee Mr Rawlings was playing the advantage as O'Brien's pass had released Hetterley, but he blew his whistle to bring play back for a free kick. O'Brien himself took the kick which flew into the top right hand corner with the keeper well beaten.
Town dominated the rest of the half and the defence were seldom troubled by a Lordswood side who had lost striker Dan Jeffery with suspected knee ligament damage early in the game after catching his studs in the muddy pitch.
It was a much more competitive Lordswood side which emerged for the second half after stern words from former Town coach Kevin Metcalf.
Although they hardly produced a shot worthy of the name they started taking the game to Town and fully deserved their goal just after the hour as full back Mark Rothery blasted home a free kick in an almost carbon copy of O'Brien's first half strike.
This goal restored the Lordswood confidence and, as they continued to press for an equaliser, Town had Ashley Brown to thank for clearing a goal-bound shot off the line.
In the gathering gloom of a cold Medway Towns' winter afternoon, not helped by the failure of the Lordswood floodlights, the Lilywhites held on for the three points which lifts them to third in the Kent League Premier Division.
Town's Star Man: Tom Hickman - another great performance from the Town Number 4
Faversham Town: Kevin Readings (5); Dave Botterill (6); Steve O'Brien (7); Tom Hickman (8); Liam Wybraniec (6); Ashley Brown (6); Kris Richardson (5); Damian Abel (6); Sean Hetterley (7); Shane Hamshare (6); Dave Soutan (5)
Substitutes: Chris Oyebanjo (for Abel 70 mins) (5); Jamie Sparks (for Botterill 77 mins) (5); Unused: Carl Hodgson; Byron Walker; Wes Hammond.