|
NEWS >>>>>>
6th November 2006 By JAMES BROWN Faversham Town 1 Sevenoaks Town 1 TERRY CORDICE knew his side needed only a point to make it through to the quarter-finals of the Premier Division Cup at Salters Lane on Saturday. And the Lilywhites delivered thanks to stand-in skipper Mark Smith's second goal of the season although this was not a performance that will live long in the memory. Boss Cordice later explained that his players were in the "comfort zone" and it was hard to disagree. Town rarely looked troubled but failed to reproduce the form that saw them win 3-0 at Greatness Park seven days earlier. Sevenoaks racked up six corners in the first half and nine in total while Faversham had to wait until 15 minutes from time to win their first. Reshuffled Town - showing four changes to the starting line-up - fielded 36-year-old Paul Copley in the heart of defence and he mopped up pretty much every high ball into the box in the absence of injured centre backs James Holder (shoulder) and Wes Hammond (foot). But Copley and the much-improved Richard Gamble were caught cold at the start of the second half when James Dalton was gifted time and space to head home Michael Cook's excellent left-wing cross. Faversham showed strength and purpose in last week's high-tempo encounter at Sevenoaks, but that sense of urgency was conspicuous by its absence in the return. The introduction of 16-year-old striker Adam Oxberry for the last 20 minutes gave Town fresh impetus and he came within a whisker of scoring on his first-team debut. Town, who went into the game on top of Group C with three successive wins, join Whitstable Town and Beckenham as the first three sides into the last eight of the competition. The Lilywhites could easily have been three goals to the good inside 35 minutes without ever dominating proceedings. Sevenoaks competed well and probably had more possession but Town looked threatening on the counter and scored from their first attack of any consequence on 14 minutes. Bradley Maguire's throw sent Steve Aslett into the bottom left-hand corner but a decent turn gave him the space to cross to the near post where Smith scored with the outside of his right foot. Aslett tormented the Sevenoaks defence on another foray forward on 26 minutes after being released by Graham Taylor's cute header on the halfway line. Midfielder Aslett made ground down the right and swung in a great cross to the penalty spot where Taylor, who had made a great run, looked certain to score. But the former Ramsgate and Deal Town striker, whose main strength is his aerial ability, somehow contrived to head over the top of Lee Friend's cross bar. Town's best move of the first half saw Aslett, Adam Hewitson and Smith play some beautiful one-touch football to gift Andy Martin a great opportunity on the edge of the area but his right-foot shot fizzed wide. Sevenoaks - who lie eighth in the Premier Division - had already forced a couple of corners by the time Smith opened the scoring, the second of which enabled Paul Springett to let fly with a shot that flew wide after his initial effort was blocked. Town keeper Tony Diment - deputising for hand injury victim Tim Holmes - produced a fingertip save to keep out Dalton's free-kick just two minutes later. Sevenoaks had another free-kick five minutes from the break but this time Diment had an easier task saving a Nick Reeves effort. Dalton hauled Sevenoaks level two minutes into the second period as Town's defence went AWOL with the visitors throwing three players into attack. The tactic unsettled the home side and Dalton missed a great chance to make it 2-1 when he rounded Diment only to shoot back across goal and wide of the right post with the goal gaping. Good work from substitute Kris Parker, sent on in the wake of Aaron Scanlon's yellow card early in the second half, gave Taylor a good chance at the near post but he blasted over. Town really must find more width if they are to play to Taylor's strengths and they almost found a second goal from their first corner on 75 minutes, the striker heading over from Aslett's flag kick. Young Oxberry chased every ball after coming on for the final phase and he was unlucky not to mark his debut with a goal. Copley - who won the Kent League at Greenwich Borough when he was just 16 - released Taylor wide left and he beat two defenders to move into the box before picking out Oxberry whose near post shot under pressure spun inches wide of the far post. Sevenoaks sub Tony Atkins produced a parrying save from Diment soon after and then Cook headed wide after another corner for the visitors. Oxberry, who was born the year Faversham Town last won the Kent League, looks more than capable of making an impact at senior level and his late cameo will go a long way to convincing Cordice that the stars of tomorrow could well come from within. The youngster obviously thinks so. The following day he went out and scored his second hat-trick of the season for the youth team. Town's Top Man: Steve Aslett - another solid display Tony Diment 6, Mark Smith 7, Bradley Maguire 6, Richard Gamble 6, Paul Copley 6, Julian Beal 7, Aaron Scanlon 6, Steve Aslett 7, Graham Taylor 6, Andy Martin 6, Adam Hewitson 6. Substitutes: Kris Parker (for Scanlon, 61) 6, Adam Oxberry (for Martin, 70) 7, Lee Whitehead (for Hewitson, 78) 6. Not used: Dan Gurr, Michael Seager.
|
Fixtures / Match Reports Check out the details of upcoming fixtures and previous match reports. League
Tables Player
Stats
|
 |
