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click here 20th August 2005 Faversham Town 2 Cray Valley (PM) 2 GRAHAM TAYLOR will be forever remembered as the man who became a turnip after a bashing from the Swedes. He was the England boss who put the gaffe in gaffer with a series of foul-mouthed outbursts on a TV documentary that filmed the devastating loss to Holland in a 1993 World Cup qualifier. An earlier defeat to Norway led to his infamous "Do I not like that" rant becoming a national catchphrase. Taylor redeemed himself by returning to club management where he enjoyed considerable success. More importantly to Faversham Town supporters, he proved himself a genuine fan of grass roots football by donating signed memorabilia that was auctioned in aid of the Salters Lane Restoration Fund. Not that you will find too many people making cheap jokes at the expense of Graham Taylor at the Town. Not after Saturday at least. For a namesake of the Watford legend made a similar journey from villain to hero with two goals to force a draw with champions Cray Valley (PM). Indeed, Taylor's double on debut more than made up for the goal he scored AGAINST Town playing for Ramsgate in a pre-season friendly on 30 July. Town looked to be heading for their second successive defeat in the British Energy Kent County League Premier Division at Salters Lane on Saturday. In fairness, they had more than matched the South Londoners only to be undone by the return of the defensive frailties that dogged their opening day defeat to Milton Athletic.
Two goals from Matt Knuckey may well have been against the run of play but Town were still staring at another disappointing loss. Yet this was a Faversham Town worthy of the shirt, with better shape, spirit and determination and with real purpose going forward. Unlike that meek opener, Town actually looked like a team and with Taylor providing a genuine cutting edge up front, all was not lost. Ironically, Faversham were at their most vulnerable when they went forward as Knuckey's opener proved just after the hour. Sustained Town pressure came to an end when they were caught offside. No big deal you may think, but it became a very big deal indeed when Cray goalkeeper Stuart Back fired a 40-yard rocket down the right flank to launch a counter. The danger intensified when the ball was played into the lively Knuckey and he dropped his shoulder, made space for a shot and let fly with a right-foot drive that beat goalkeeper Tim Holmes and flew into the left corner. The goal knocked the stuffing out of the home side and Knuckey capitalised with a rather fortunate second on 70 minutes. Again, the goal came from a Town attack that broke down and this time Holmes did well to parry Knuckey's shot. But the Valley hitman followed up to somehow loop the ball over the stricken keeper and into the net.
By this time, Town boss Terry Cordice had thrown on Lee Whitehead and he made a big difference, providing much needed width down the right, And with skipper Julian Beal and Dave Hockley in complete control of midfield, Town pushed for a reprieve. Lady luck had deserted Town for Valley's second but she was back on side as Town made it 2-1 eight minutes from time. Beal hit a shot from 25 yards which was deflected into Taylor's path and he threw his new team-mates a lifeline by squeezing a shot past Back. The home side pressed for the equaliser and Taylor had a good header saved by Back after a superb Whitehead ball in from the right. There was only one side in it and Taylor scored his and Town's second from an almost identical move two minutes later. This time, substitute Dean Wallington was the provider with a great cross from the right and Taylor climbed high to angle a header beyond Back and into the left corner of the net, Cray Valley's Dean Flood then compounded his side's misery when he was sent off for foul and abusive language right at the death. It mattered little as Town claimed their first point as a re-born club. Do I not like that? On the contrary, Town and a crowd of 205 liked it very much. TOWN'S TOP MAN: Graham Taylor. Cracking debut Marks (out of 10): Tim Holmes 7, Mark Smith 6, Adam Collis 6, James Holder 6, Kris Browning 6, Darren Mills 6, Dave Hockley 7, Julian Beal 8, Stuart Smith 6, John Goodwin 7, Graham Taylor 9. Subs: Lee Whitehead (for Collis, 50) 8. Gary Stock (for S Smith, 65) 7. Dean Wallington (for Goodwin, 65) 7.
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