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26th May 2006

By ROGER BENNETT

Faversham Town Reserves 2 Red Arrow 1

GOALS from John Goodwin and Bradley Maguire kept Faversham Town
Reserves on course for the Premier Division title on Wednesday last
week.

Town needed victory in this Canterbury and District League clash to
keep alive their chances of silverware in the re-born club's first
season.

But Red Arrow showed this was lame no end-of-season affair by letting
fly with several shots on target during
a keenly-contested match at Salters Lane.

Fortunately for the Reserves, manager Brett Harrison, again forced to
play in goal in the absence of the injured Matt Boyce,
restricted Arrow to just one goal with a succession of saves.

True, some were a bit on the lucky side, but he faired well and even
managed to flick a high cross around his far post on one occasion. A
better conclusion to the last time he had attempted this manoeuvre when
he scored an own goal.

Earlier, Gary Roberts delivered the perfect cross for first-teamer
Bradley Maguire to send a bullet header past Gavin Smyth on 21
minutes.

Back came Red Arrow in the second half with Graham Birchett firing
home on 52 minutes leaving Town with a mountain to climb.

But Town conjured the perfect response when Gary Roberts threaded a
useful
ball through to John Goodwin on 66 minutes,

Agonisingly, the ball bobbled for what seemed an eternity as the
first-team striker took aim but his patience was rewarded when his shot
crashed into the net.

The Reserves had regained the lead at a crucial point but the
referee's patience wore thin in the closing stages and three bookings
for each team followed before Gary Roberts was sent off for shouting at
a linesman.

Town's 10 men held on grimly, however, and the three points were
secured leaving Harrison just one win from glory.

He said: "After a nervous 90 minutes, our football finally
did the talking. I think the referee's performance left a lot to be
desired."

Town's Top Man: Darren Brett - a good solid performance in defence.
I wish he would play like this more often

Town: Brett Harrison 8, Jason Mills 7, Adam Whitehead 8, Andy
Langridge 8, Darren Brett 8, Darren Mills 7, Chris Pinks 7, Ray
Turner 7, Gary Roberts 7, John Goodwin 7, Bradley Maguire 8.
Substitutes: Ben Holbrook (for Darren Mills, 56 minutes) 7, Jay
Golding (for Whitehead, 59) 7.

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