MATCH REPORT
Merstham 2 v 1 Faversham Town
Ryman League Division One South
by Thomas Reeves
“We keep conceding late in games, so I think it is something that we need to address as a team”. This was the opinion of Faversham manager Ray Turner; after he had seen his side concede 2 late goals on their way to defeat. This was always going to be a closely fought contest with just a single point separating these sides in the Ryman League Division 1 South table and it looked like the teams would share the spoils from this fixture once Fabio Saravia had equalized for Merstham 10 minutes from time. However, the home side got a stoppage time winner thanks to a low drive from substitute Omar Folkes.
The first half was predominantly a battle of the midfields. The Lilywhites just edged this battle due to the fact that they had opted to play an unusual 3-5-2 formation with Mobajli Dawado and Sam Gore asked to play on either wing. This meant that the away side were able to create the better chances during the first period. Although, the crowd did have to wait until the half hour mark for the first clear cut chance of the game. A perfectly weighted through ball from David Botterill falling at the feet of Adrian Stone. His strike was tipped around the post by David Wilkinson in the home side’s goal. From the resulting corner, Botterill was again the provider, crossing for Ashley Brown, but he headed over from close range.
Merstham hit back after these 2 chances in quick succession for the visitors and almost took the lead themselves on 33 minutes. Liam Wright’s driven effort from just outside the penalty area flying past the outstretched Rob French in Faversham’s goal. Fortunately for French Wright’s drive went just wide. The Lilywhites had another good opportunity to open the scoring on 39 minutes. Debutant Nicky Humphrey headed over from a Simon Brown corner though and the game remained goalless at half time.
The home side started the second half well and should have taken the lead on the 47th minute. Roscoe D’sane running the length of the pitch before playing through Harry Ottaway, who attempted to chip French. However, Ottaway saw his chipped effort hit the crossbar and the away side were able to clear the danger. Merstham were made to pay for this miss on 54 minutes as Faversham took the lead in fortuitous circumstances. A deflected cross from Aaron Quain going straight through to Wilkinson. But, the cross somehow slipped through the Merstham keeper’s grasp and the ball nestled in the back of his goal.
Merstham began to push forward in search of an equalizing goal and thought the pressure they had put on the visitor’s defence had paid off on the 78th minute. Sam Tucknott breaking inside from the right wing before going down under pressure from Gore, but Tucknott was ruled to have gone down too easily by Referee Mr Rea as Gore eased the winger out of possession. However, soon after this appeal, Merstham’s pressure did pay-off as they fashioned an equaliser in the 82nd minute. Saravia expertly curling a close range free kick into the top corner leaving French with no chance.
After this goal, the momentum swung Merstham’s way, as Faversham tried to hold on for a point. With the final minutes ticking away it appeared that they had been successful, until in stoppage time the Lilywhite’s defence only half cleared a corner and the ball fell out to Folkes, who shot past French from 20 yards before being bundled over by his elated team mates. Merstham held on for the final seconds to claim the points. Turner felt that his side’s performance had warranted a point. After the match he claimed “I thought we were alright today and we controlled lots of periods of the game, so a point each would have been fair I think”.
Faversham Town:
Rob French
Ashley Brown
Sam Gore
Tom Hickman (c)
Nicky Humphrey
Matt Bourne
Mobajli Dawodu
Simon Brown
Adrian Stone
Aaron Quain (off 81mins)
David Botterill
Tom Axford
Lloyd Harrington
Keanne Lee
Nicky Moir (on 81 mins)
Joe Ainsley
