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8th October 2006

Faversham Town 0 – 1 Herne Bay

By Tony Gray

With Tim Holmes and Tony Diment both nursing injuries Mark Higson became Faversham Town’s fourth keeper of the season as he made his debut in this Kent Senior Trophy fixture in front of a Salters Lane crowd of 212.

When these two teams met in Town’s opening fixture of the season they produced a five-goal thriller, sadly this match was nowhere near as entertaining as that August evening at Winch’s Field.  Both sides struggled to create chances in a match where the referee’s whistle blew consistently throughout, preventing any chance of a flowing game.

Herne Bay started the brighter of the two sides and should have taken an early lead after 25 minutes when striker Dave Soutan received the ball unmarked on the right side of the penalty area, his resulting shot only managing to find the side netting.

The visitors broke the deadlock on the half hour, a free-kick delivered into the six-yard box where Dave Ward’s attempted volley was deflected into the path of centre forward Richard Dimmock who chested the ball into the net.

A badly timed Julian Beal challenge on Ronnie O’Connor five minutes later saw tempers flare with players from both sides becoming involved in a mini brawl which saw both Beal and O’Connor cautioned for challenge and retaliation respectively.

Town striker Graham Taylor was lucky not to follow Bealy into the book following a retaliatory shove into the chest of the Bay defender who wrestled him to the floor.

The second half followed the same pattern as the first, chances for either side were few and far between.

Kris Parker replaced Mark Smith on 70 minutes to add an attacking option, the change almost paid dividends as Parker twice went close, a speculative shot clipped the post shortly before a Junior Farrell cross found him unmarked in front of goal but unable to control his shot.

Bay keeper Jack Delo pulled off a fine save to deny Andy Martin from close range and when the ball fell to James Holder inside the visitor’s penalty area an equaliser looked a certainty but the Town Skipper saw his shot soar high over the bar.

Town Manager Terry Cordice made further changes replacing Wayne “Junior” Farrell with Dave Hockley and Michael Seager making way for Richard Gamble.

The dying minutes saw the home side continue to threaten the Bay goal with Graham Taylor inches away from connecting with a cross from the left.

Herne Bay will travel to West Wickham for the next round of the competition.

Town’s Top Man: Julian Beal – battled consistently throughout.

Mark Higson 6, Wayne Farrell 6, Michael Seager 6, Wes Hammond 6, James Holder 6, Gary Stock 6, Julian Beal 7, Mark Smith 6, Steve Aslett 6, Andy Martin 6, Graham Taylor 6. Substitutes: Kris Parker (for Smith, 70) 6, Dave Hockley (for Farrell 80) 6, Richard Gamble (for Seager, 84) 6.  

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