Sunday, November 23, 2008 23:35
Faversham Town Reserves 2-1 VCD Athletic
By Joseph Downes
John Goodwin’s reserve side stretched their unbeaten run to six in all competitions with a dramatic win over struggling VCD Athletic at Salters Lane.
On a bright but chilly afternoon, it was the home side that made the better start. Sam Parter tested visiting ‘keeper Jon Wawrcenski in the very first minute, with a low shot that forced a smart save. Parter turned provider six minutes later, finding Matt Cornhill in the box, but his header was saved by Wawrcenski. In the very next minute Parter’s strike partner Stefan Wall got in down the left, cut inside and hit a right footed shot that was well stopped once again by Wawrcenski. Faversham continued to dominate the early stages, playing some neat passing football, with Cornhill on the left, and David Miles on the right, offering good width and balance to the side.
Home ‘keeper Rob Hudson wasn’t called into action until just after the quarter hour, when midfielder Graham Bignall tested him from range. Town defenders Leon Brabon and Ryan Gardner, were next to try their hands in front of goal, both sending headers over from Nick Smith free kicks. On the half hour Faversham thought they’d finally broken the deadlock when Miles got onto a through ball, rounded Wawrcenski and tapped into the empty net. However the linesman had his flag up for offside, despite the fact that the pass appeared to flick off the head of a VCD defender on the way through. Miles tested the ‘keeper again four minutes later with a shot from the right edge of the area, on his weaker left foot, but Wawrcenski got down well to save at his near post.
With the wind behind them in the second half, VCD applied some early pressure. Striker Warren Carver ran clear on 49 minutes beat Hudson’s dive but saw the ball roll just past the post. And they were made to pay for that miss when the impressive Parter charged down a clearance and slotted home coolly from the edge of the penalty area to make it one nil. However the lead lasted just eight minutes. Carver again broke away, this time down the right, before rounding Hudson and finding the empty net to equalise.
The equaliser spurred the visitors on and it was they who looked most likely to grab a late winner. The closest they came was 11 minutes from time. Substitute Jimmy Lenton stole in down the left and his mishit cross nearly looped over Hudson, who somehow managed to turn it onto the post. Then, with just two minutes of stoppage time remaining, Town grabbed their dramatic winner. Substitute Danny Smith saw his effort cleared of the line by former Town defender and current VCD captain Andy Langridge. However his clearance fell straight to Parter who found the bottom right corner of Wawrcenski’s goal from 25 yards, to grab all three points for the home side.
Manager John Goodwin was delighted afterwards, ‘that was a vital three points… we weren’t at our best today and VCD can consider themselves unlucky… it’s nice to win when you don’t play your best and that was the case today… the wind made the second half a struggle but I thought the boys were excellent… the three subs who came on really made a difference, and credit to Sam Parter who was different class today.’
Faversham Town Reserves; Hudson (7), Gardner (6), Brabon (7), Hammond (7), Harris (6), Miles (7), Gould (6), Smith (7), Cornhill (8), Wall (7), Parter (9)
Subs; Pennell (for Wall 58’, 6) Watkins (for Gould 64’, 6) Smith (for Miles 71’, 7)
Town Star Man: Sam Parter: Earned manager’s praise after fine display, capped by two well taken goals.