Sunday, November 16, 2008 20:51
Ramsgate Reserves 2-2 Faversham Town Reserves
By Joseph Downes
Faversham Town Reserves extended their unbeaten run to five games in all competitions, with a battling draw away at Ramsgate.
On a gloomy afternoon by the sea, it was the home side that made the perfect start. Just five minutes in Faversham gave away a free-kick on the edge of the penalty area. Home skipper Jimmy Booth saw his right foot effort beat the despairing dive of Town ‘keeper Rob Hudson, hit the inside of the right post and creep over the line.
Buoyed by that early breakthrough, the Rams pushed on looking for a second. Hudson was called into action twice more before the quarter hour to deny the home side with fine saves from point-blank range. A Faversham equaliser looked unlikely at this stage, and it was to the amazement of the crowd when it arrived on 14 minutes. The impressive Kris Richardson stole in down the left and whipped in a beautiful cross which found the head of striker Sam Parter, who simply could not miss when unmarked from six yards out.
Having got a foot-hold in the game- but not on the heavy surface- Faversham pushed on with renewed confidence. Nick Smith’s 22 nd minute corner found the head of Captain Wes Hammond at the back post, but his header was cleared off the line. Fourteen minutes later Faversham’s pressure paid dividends. Striker Chris Oyebanjo went on a mazy run only to be felled, for what everyone inside the ground thought was a penalty. However, the referee decided that the foul had been committed on the very edge of the area. It didn’t matter though as Smith supplied another superb set-piece delivery and Oyebanjo completed the turnaround with a lovely glancing header at the near post.
Faversham now looked to kill the game off before half-time and almost did so with three minutes remaining. Oyebanjo sprung the offside trap, only to be hauled down by the Ramsgate ‘keeper, for what everyone again thought was a penalty. Again the referee, having issued a yellow card for the challenge, decided the initial contact was outside the box. This time the free kick was sent over the crossbar.
Chances were few and far between in a frustrating second half. However, Ramsgate began to dominate, threatening Hudson’s goal on a few occasions early on in the half. They finally claimed a deserved leveller with a quarter of the game to go. Faversham lost possession deep in the Ramsgate half and following a swift break by the home side, midfielder Eliot Galbraith found the left corner with a rasping drive from 20 yards. After Faversham’s Ben Yves was booked for dissent, Town had the best chance to win it with just a minute left. Neat build up play down the left led to a cross, but somehow Oyebanjo failed to tap the ball into the unguarded net, and with that the referee blew the final whistle.
Manager John Goodwin seemed content with a point. ‘I know we sustained a lot of pressure in the second half, but I can’t really remember Rob having to make a save…to be fair we could have gone in three or four up at half-time…Chris Oyebanjo was a real threat and showed his excellent pace today.’ Assistant manager Bobby Mason added, ‘when you come to places like this you’ve got to dig in and show some character and that’s exactly what we did in the second half.’
Faversham Town Star Man; Chris Oyebanjo- Well taken goal and great pace. Offered a constant threat.
Faversham Town Reserves; Hudson (7), Gardner (6), Brabon (6), Hammond (6), Harris (6), Cornhill (7), Yves (6), Smith (7), Richardson (7), Parter (7), Oyebanjo (8)
Subs; Wall (for Richardson 63 mins, 6), Watkins (for Smith 73 mins, 5), Bines (for Parter 80 mins, 5)