Sunday, October 26, 2008 22:00
Welling Reserves 0-1 Faversham Town Reserves
By Joseph Downes
Faversham Reserves held on to claim a valuable three points on the road at Welling, continuing their impressive run of form.
On a chilly autumn afternoon it was Faversham who made the better start, Craig Preston providing plenty of width down the left and supplying some good early crosses. On six minutes Town’s early dominance was rewarded. Striker Chris Oyebanjo sprung the offside trap, only to be brought down by home ‘keeper Joseph Brooker, who left the referee with little choice but to point to the spot.
The responsibility fell on the shoulders of midfielder Nick Smith, but his tame effort was saved by Brooker, atoning for his error. However, that wasn’t the end of the drama as Smith hit the rebound against the crossbar, not once but twice! Finally Welling were able to scramble the ball clear for a corner, from which another goalmouth scramble ensued, but still Town could not break the deadlock.
Thankfully, Town’s players weren’t deterred by those few minutes of madness, and continued to throw everything at the home side’s goal. Good build up from Smith on 18 minutes led to a shot by Preston from 20 yards that went narrowly wide of the right hand upright. Just two minutes later, Preston turned provider for the busy Sam Parter, who’s drive from 18 yards flashed just wide of Brooker’s right hand post once again.
It wasn’t until the 23 rd minute when Welling threatened Rob Hudson’s goal at the other end; striker Robert Jacobs’ effort flying across goal and behind for a goal kick. However, this only offered brief respite for the home defence as Faversham’s search for the illusive opener went on. Parter again narrowly missing from 15 yards out.
It was on the half hour when the home side finally woke up. A neat passing move led to a one- two between Jacobs and strike partner James Morgan, his effort beat the despairing Hudson but not the post, as the woodwork was called into action for the third time in the match. Incredibly from the resultant Faversham clearance, the energetic Oyebanjo once again beat the offside trap only to see his wonderful effort hit the crossbar!
Town then proceeded to hit the side netting twice in as many minutes through Preston and defender Chris Eather, who had another fine game at right-back.
Just as Faversham manager John Goodwin was contemplating how his side weren’t going to go in at half-time ahead, the breakthrough finally came. On 43 minutes, Oyebanjo found space down the right, and, with time to look up, picked out fellow striker Mike Mckenna, who guided the ball home from 12 yards, to give Town a deserved lead.
No sooner had the celebrations finished however, when the influential Preston was involved in a nasty collision with two other players, resulting in a long stoppage in play, and leaving Preston with an injured knee. He was replaced in stoppage time by Hugo Gaskin, who helped Town see out the half.
The injury to Preston, combined with an ever strengthening wind, made the second half less eventful than the first, the loudest roar coming from the engines at Brands Hatch just a few miles away. Without creating many clear cut chances, Welling slowly began to enjoy sustained periods of possession and territory. However, Town ‘keeper Hudson showed he was in no mood to be beaten, with some fine handling and one or two good saves low down to his left.
It wasn’t until the last ten minutes when Welling, just like the wind, picked up and grew stronger. Lewis Reed and Ayden Richards both tested Hudson who was equal to the task. Some stout defending by Town’s central defensive pairing of Wes Hammond and Brad Doyle, continued to frustrate the home attack, both putting their bodies on the line with good blocks to preserve Faversham’s slender advantage.
As Welling committed more men forward, gaps began to appear in the home side’s defence, Mckenna wasting a chance to put the game to bed when he shot straight at Brooker from just outside the box. And in the third minute of stoppage time Faversham were nearly made to pay for not taking their chances.
A cross from the right found its way through a crowd of bodies to the back post and the unmarked Ciaran Mulvihill, who rasping effort left the crossbar shaking. With that the referee blew his whistle for full-time, Faversham holding on to claim a deserved win, but it was fitting the woodwork should have the final say.
Manager John Goodwin could barely contain his delight in his post-match analysis; “I’m over the moon, that was a great performance, a really well deserved win… I thought we were outstanding in the first half and could have been five or six up at half-time. I know they came on strong right at the end but I can’t really remember Rob Hudson having to make a save. Their manager said the better side won out there and I think he’s absolutely right, we were fantastic.
I can’t single out one player for special praise I just thought they were all excellent.” On Craig Preston’s injury Goodwin said, “I’m disappointed about Craig Preston because he’s been great for us, I just hope he’s okay.”
Faversham Town Reserves; Hudson 8, Eather 7, Harris 7, Smith 6, Hammond 7, Doyle 6, Miles 6 (70 mins, Gardner 5), Parter 7 (81 mins Cansick 5), Mckenna 7, Oyebanjo 8, Preston 6 (45 mins Gaskin 6)