15th October 2005

Faversham Town 3 Lydd Town 1 

JOHN GOODWIN accepted the praise that came with a first man-of-the-match display and admitted he had been Cable-tied. 

Striker Goodwin scored Town's last goal before the club went belly up in 2003 and completed a fairytale return with the first goal in their pre-season opener against Sittingbourne in July. Yet no one can be sure of their place in the Town line-up these days and the emergence of the Cable brothers Ricky and Ross at Salters Lane this season has certainly raised the stakes in attack. 

So Goodwin was pleased to meet challenge head on at the weekend, providing a timely reminder of his ability with a goal after just 40 SECONDS. The hitman's second of the season made for a pleasant change and the hitherto slow-starting Town went on to dominate a game they never looked like losing. 

John Goodwin shooting for goal

Goodwin, 29, revealed: "I'm pleased to have done well today and it's just as well with the Cable boys about! "I don't think I've played badly the last few games but it is nice to score. Ricky and Ross have been good signings. I'm just pleased to be playing well too." In fairness, Goodwin has never been under any pressure - boss Terry Cordice has not moved from his corner all season. 

Cordice said: "On another day, John Goodwin might have had a hat-trick but their keeper had a blinder. John played well today but to be fair, he's done well in all the games this season. "He gets through a helluva lot of work for the team, holds the ball up well and takes more than his fair share of knocks. John has been great for us this season." 

Town skipper Julian Beal was also full of praise for his friend and team-mate. He said: "John does a tremendous amount of work for the team. He may not be a flair player which is what everyone wants to see but his determination and effort in holding up the play, bringing others into the game, have been excellent." 

Ricky Cable scored his third goal of the season to send Town into the break with a 2-0 lead. Kevin Bennett pulled a goal back early in the second half but Beal restored the two-goal cushion near the close. Cordice said: "It was a comfortable win. In the first-half alone we should have had three or four. I don't remember them having a proper shot. "We scored the first two goals inside half an hour and a third soon after would have opened the floodgates. We would have got a hatful. "It wasn't to be and we told the lads at half-time that the next goal was crucial. 

Despite that, Lydd then got their goal through a defensive mix-up which was disappointing. "We were slow to react and didn't clear the danger and their lad has made the most of the chance. "For about 20 to 25 minutes of the second half I was disappointed with the way we played. "It was stalemate for a long time. We seemed to be a complacent and maybe thinking of next week's game against Norton. Maybe they were saving themselves I don't know but I wasn't very happy about it. 

"Lydd tried to rough us up a bit towards the end but we responded with the third goal which was good. In all honesty, 3-1 flattered them - we could and should have had five or six." Goodwin was wheeling away from goal in delight before most people in a crowd of 202 had taken their seats. The striker netted with a glancing header at the near post after a short corner routine to give Town a first-half lead for only the second time this season. 

Town should really have hammered home their advantage in the first 20 minutes but Lydd keeper Steve Hickmott pulled off a string of saves, the pick of which kept out Goodwin's powerful right-foot drive. Ricky Cable did make it 2-0 on 26 minutes when he burst through the defence before slotting home with a cool finish. Then he almost added a third with a brilliant turn and shot from 25 yards that Hickmott did well to keep out. 

Lydd new boy Bennett could hardly believe his luck when a throw from Gary Hemens, intended for keeper Tim Holmes, gave him a chance to shoot. He wasted the chance but did not make the same mistake twice, pulling a goal back five minutes into the second half following another blunder. This time, Town's defensive frailties returned with James Holder appearing to kick thin air instead of the ball. It allowed brave Bennett to slide in on Holmes and he bundled the ball home, even though he injured himself in the process. 

Three minutes later and Goodwin sent in a great ball from the right that picked out Ross Cable. He let fly with a drive that Hickmott parried to Jason Mills but the defender's left-foot effort went wide. 

One of the game's major talking points came on 55 minutes when Ross Cable latched on to a flick from a Lydd Town defender and beat Hickmott with a quality finish with the outside of his right foot. But the play was called back for an offside that referee Ian Regan awarded after consulting with a linesman. The man in black later revealed that the offside flag was for a ball forward earlier in the move. 

Ross Cable then had a chip saved by Hickmott before Goodwin showed great determination to win back the ball on 72 minutes. He played a neat one two with Ross Cable but his shot was not equal to the approach play and the ball flew over the top. Ricky Cable then sent in a curling shot that was just wide before Goodwin set up the third, eight minutes from time. Beal had moved from central midfield to right back following the introduction of substitute Adam Hewitson and the captain proved his versatility with a strong run into the box. Goodwin's ball in bounced high but Beal just managed to get a toe underneath to lob Hickmott and find the net. 

TOWN'S TOP MAN: John Goodwin. His best performance of the season 

Ratings: Tim Holmes 7, Kris Browning 6, Jason Mills 7, Gary Hemens 7, James Holder 6, Gary Stock 7, Julian Beal 7, Ross Cable 7, John Goodwin 8, Dave Hockley 7, Ricky Cable 7. Substitutes: Adam Hewitson (for Kris Browning, 62mins) 6, Adam Collis (for Mills, 72) 6, Dean Wallington (for Goodwin, 83) 6.

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