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NEWS >>>>>>
15th September 2006 By JAMES BROWN That was the
brutally honest verdict of Lilywhites chief Terry Cordice after Sam
Prett's first-half goal separated the local rivals in an Not that Cordice
was about to take anything away from a home team that were "100
percent" better than their nightmare 4-0 FA Vase defeat to
Eastbourne Borough four days earlier. Highly-rated
Whitstable were the better side in the first half of this Premier
Division clash watched by a record But Faversham
rallied after the break to prove once again that they can more than
hold their own in senior football following their promotion from the
Kent County League. The Oystermen
leapfrogged Town at the top of the table with their fourth
successive league win and are sure to be there or thereabouts at the
business end of the campaign. Indeed, Marc
Seager's side remain unbeaten, racking up six clean sheets in seven
games and Town boss Cordice took great pride from how the Lilywhites
competed with their high-flying neighbours. He remains on the
look-out for fresh talent, however, and revealed: "We always
knew that Whitstable would be one of the key sides but I have to be
pleased with the lads. "They turned
it round from "However,
there's one or two of our lads that didn't do enough for me tonight
and those are the positions that we are looking at. "Sure, it has
gone better than expected. We are building a side but we still think
we are lacking maybe two or three players. I definitely need another
forward who can score us goals and have a little bit about them. "It's been
difficult our forwards and they have worked hard. We could do with
one or two of the midfield lads chipping in with a few goals like
last season." Cordice, who is
still hoping Town can persuade Ramsgate striker Graham Taylor to
sign on at He said: "OK,
Whitstable had the last 20 minutes of the first half, but I thought
we dominated the second half. "We told them
at half-time that we could get something out of this game and they
went out and played ever so well. "James Holder,
Dane Luchford, Andy Martin have all had chances as we pushed them
back. "I understand
their keeper has saved them four of five times this season and he
certainly did well again tonight - they were holding on there at the
end." Cordice said Dave
Hockley had accepted full responsibility for handing Whitstable the
only goal of the game but stressed the midfielder was not the only
one to blame. Hockley gifted
possession to Prett 25 yards from goal and he let fly with a
well-struck shot that spun viciously beyond the despairing dive
of goalkeeper Tim Holmes. Cordice said:
"No one gave Dave Hockley a shout. He is a great passer of the
ball Hockers, and he proved that again tonight except he passed it
straight to their guy and he's scored! "He held his
hand up afterwards and ultimately it was his fault, but he should've
had a shout from one of the other lads. He thought he was under
pressure when he actually had a bit of time. He just needed a
shout." The big game
started on time despite the heavy storms that had the nearby A2
under two feet of water in places and both sides deserve great
credit for producing a decent spectacle. Marlon Button came
within a whisker of breaking the deadlock inside the first 10
minutes when referee Phil Knight somehow came to the conclusion that
Steve Aslett had fouled Marcos Perona 25 yards from goal. And Button almost
rubbed salt in the wounds with a fierce right-foot shot that
smashed against the upright with Town goalkeeper Tim Holmes beaten. Earlier, Kris
Parker almost crafted an opening with a header over advancing
goalkeeper Kevin Fewell only to be crowded out and then Andy
Martin's overhead kick flew just over the top. Holmes made a
fantastic save at the feet of Prett in the 25th minute but the
Whitstable forward was celebrating just 60 seconds later. Hockley looked to
have broken up a dangerous attack when he intercepted a through ball
but he hurried his clearance and passed straight to Prett. And he wasted no
time in hammering a fierce drive from 25 yards with his right foot
that skidded under the dive of Holmes. Just after the half
hour and Whitstable threatened again, this time Holmes producing a
good save at his near post after Wayne "Junior" Farrell
was twice given the slip by Button. Sweeper Gary Stock
and Aslett both complained of stomach complaints at the half-time
interval, forcing Cordice to make early changes. Stock was withdrawn
straight away to be replaced by Mark Smith and Aslett last only
another five minutes before he made way for Dane Luchford. Both did their bit
to raise the tempo and Town had two claims for a penalty in the same
move waved away by Knight as Martin ploughed a path to goal. Former Whitstable
striker Martin was then on the end of the home side's best chance of
the match with Luchford breaking clear of the back line. The opportunity
looked to have come and gone when the 21-year-old was forced wide
after failing to pull the trigger with his left foot from 20
yards. But he turned
sweetly in the corner and played a super ball into Martin on the
charge whose shot produced a fantastic save from Fewell. Town were enjoying
their best spell of the game and Farrell slid a great ball into the
box that went unconverted before Luchford failed to control a
through ball that would have put him one on one with Fewell. Prett fired a
warning shot with a right-foot effort that flew just wide as Town
pressed for the equaliser and the home side threatened when Wes
Hammond's clearance sent Luchford scampering away down the right
only to cross into an empty penalty area. Jason Mills
delivered a pin-point cross into the middle and James Holder - who
played up front for the last 15 minutes - headed just inches over as
the home side went for broke. It was to be their
last chance of an exciting local derby that Whitstable just about
shaded over the 90 minutes. But make no
mistake, Town are back in business and will be a match for any side
they meet this season. Town's Top Man: Wes
Hammond - Rock at the back who is improving with every game. Tim Holmes 6, Wayne
Farrell 5, Jason Mills 6, Wes Hammond 7, James Holder 7, Gary Stock
7, Julian Beal 7, Steve Aslett 5, Andy Martin 7, Dave Hockley 5,
Kris Parker 6. Substitutes: Mark Smith (for Stock, 45 minutes)
7, Dane Luchford (for Aslett, 50) 7, Richard Gamble (for Hockley,
76) 6.
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