Faversham Town 4-0 Bedfont - I want to create FA Cup memories here after a very professional performance from the boys, says Faversham Town manager Steven Watt

Faversham Town 4 – 0 Bedfont
Location	Salters Lane, Faversham, Kent ME13 8ND
Kickoff	25/08/2026 19:45

FAVERSHAM TOWN  4-0  BEDFONT
The Emirates FA Cup Preliminary Round Replay
Tuesday 25 August 2026
Stephen McCartney reports from Salters Lane

FAVERSHAM TOWN manager Steven Watt says he wants to create some FA Cup memories for his new club after comfortably progressing through to the First Qualifying Round after beating lower League side Bedfont at the second attempt.

The Lilywhites were held to a goal-less draw by their ninth-tier Combined Counties League Premier Division North opponents at the weekend – but a first-half hat-trick from central midfielder Kane Haysman, 30, ensured there was to be no repeat at Salters Lane.

Another former Margate player, striker Ibrahim Olutade, slotted in a fourth three minutes after the interval, as Faversham can now look forward to welcoming Ryan Maxwell’s Welling United in the next round.

Faversham Town officials will be in touch with the Isthmian League Premier Division side to ask them to switch the date of the tie to Friday 4 September, because the town hosts the popular Hop Festival across that weekend.  The Lilywhites did the same when Hastings United were FA Cup opponents at the same stage last year.

Jointly-managed by James Key and Charlie Lawrence, Bedfont were looking to surprise their second Kent side, having knocked Frankie Sawyer’s Chislehurst Glebe out in the Extra Preliminary Round with a 4-0 home win.

Bedfont arrived in Faversham sitting in eighth-place in their League, having picked up six points from their opening three games, while Faversham Town were in the top-six in the eighth-tier Isthmian League South East Division, having picked up four points from their opening two games.

Bedfont almost stunned their hosts with a chance after only 59 seconds.

Holding midfielder Patrick Kavanagh played the ball up to striker Andre Smith, who fed two-goal left-winger Cyril Ocansey, who drilled a low right-footed drive towards the bottom far corner from 16-yards, which was comfortably held by keeper Tom Hadler, diving low to his left.

“They were just a difficult side to beat.  They’ve got a great togetherness and organised and work very hard for each other. You could see that they had a great team spirit and it’s very much about needing to break that spirit down and score at the right times,” said Watt.

“We got the first one at a really good time at the start and even that third goal right before half-time was also an important time to score, so I think the timings of the goals was important and the performance on a whole, just shows what we are capable of doing.”

Reflecting on Ocansey’s big moment, Watt replied: “They started well. Look, teams are going to create chances against you. You’re not going to go through a 90 minute game without a team having a chance.

“If they get that, it becomes a difficult evening but they didn’t take one of those chances and then us getting that goal straight away just kind of settles everyone down.”

A big boot up field by visiting goalkeeper George Armstrong sailed over Faversham’s left-sided centre-half Harry Hudson but Andre Smith’s hooked right-footed volley from a tight angle was cracked across Hadler and over the top of the far post (3:34).

The three words of “slow Faversham start” were etched into the notepad. What do I know? Faversham swiftly went up the other end and took the lead with their first attempt with five minutes and 3 seconds on the clock.

Impressive right-winger Nathan Wood played right-back Josh Hare on the outside and he delivered a high-quality deep cross into the penalty area and Haysman ghosted in at the back post and clinically placed his right-footed shot across Armstrong and the ball nestled inside the bottom far corner.

“Look, it’s why we brought Kane into the football club because the amount of goals he scores from centre midfield is incredible,” explained Watt.

“He’s had a great return for his Margate days (scoring 17 goals last season) and that’s why we brought him to the football club and that’s what he does.”

Bedfont missed a glorious chance to restore parity, however, with 10 minutes and 51 seconds on the clock.

Central midfielder Alfie Harburn and right-winger Sekani McCalmon linked up well down the right and Kavanagh sprayed a fine left-footed cross over the top of Faversham’s right-sided centre-half Jack Steventon but Bedfont’s three-goal attacking midfielder Nathaniel Mensah ghosted in and swept his left-footed volley past the near-post from three-yards out.

“It’s a chance, teams are going to create chances and we’ve got to try to limit them the best we can but luckily enough he didn’t take it,” added Watt, who’s side beat Combined Counties League Premier Division South outfit Corinthian-Casuals 4-2 here in the Extra Preliminary Round.

Captain Tommie Fagg, meanwhile, impressed for Faversham, making them tick by pulling the strings in midfield and this didn’t go unnoticed by Watt during the post-match interview.

“I thought he was outstanding tonight. I really though he showed his maturity, he showed how to lead a team and if you did all that work that can go un-noticed in games, I thought he conducted the game from start to finish excellently.”

The Lilywhites were playing a direct style of hitting their big front two as quickly as possible and Eniyelayefe Amgbaduba easily shrugged past Bedfont’s left-sided centre-half Harry Tubb before feeding his strike partner Olutade, whose right-footed rasping drive nicked Samad Kazi and Armstrong comfortably plucked the ball out of the air with two hands raised above his head.

A floated free-kick from Bedfont right-back James Payne was met by Andre Smith’s free-bullet header, which he directed across Hadler and past the far post when well-placed inside Faversham’s penalty area, with 20:35 on the clock.

A drilled long ball over the top by Faversham’s right-back Josh Hare released Amgbaduba, who outmuscled Bedfont’s left-sided centre-half Kazi before charging towards goalkeeper Armstrong, who swiftly got down low to his right to use his fingertips to ensure the ball trickled behind for one of seven Faversham corners (21:45).

“Great save from the keeper, he got down his right. He’s composed himself, he got it under control, gone across the keeper and you’ve got to take your hat off, I thought it was a fantastic save from the keeper,” said Watt.

“I thought Eniye and Ibs in that first half, for as long as they were both on the pitch, were fantastic tonight and caused all kinds of problems and just a bit gutted for Eniye he didn’t get his goal because I thought he deserved it.”

Harry Hudson pinged a left-footed diagonal from the half-way line and Wood’s sublime first touch on the right-hand side of the penalty area saw him easily go past Bedfont’s left-back Jack Cuthbertson, before putting in a cross.  The ball was laid off by Olutade to Ethan Smith, whose cracked a right-footed rasping drive over the crossbar from the edge of the penalty area.

Faversham Town doubled their lead with 30 minutes and 45 seconds on the clock.

Hudson played the ball out to Wood, who shifted the ball past Cuthbertson before dinking in a cross towards the back post.  Olutade’s header crashed off the underside of the crossbar and Haysman pounced to sweep his right-footed shot into the bottom far corner.

“Woody done the right-side with combinations with Josh Hare was devastating at times. I think you saw that tonight. We said at half-time we thought the strikers could’ve had two or three each in the first half but it was one of them.

“We just told them to relax, the goal will come and he got his goal later but Kane’s doing what he does. He just sniffs, he’s always in the right place at the right time and it’s a good finish.”

Faversham left-back Jack Parter travelled over the half-way line and continued his run before passing to Olutade, who had a couple of bites of the cherry as his right-footed chip just cleared the Bedfont crossbar.

Faversham Town produced a well-worked move when Parter played the ball down the line to Haysman, who put over a cross from within the left-channel towards the back post where Amgbaduba sent his towering header just over the top of the right-hand post.

Haysman scored his hat-trick with 44 minutes and 9 seconds on the clock, following a move down the right.

Fagg rolled the ball back to Hare, who whipped in a quality drilled cross with his right-foot towards the back post, which was on the plate for Haysman, who buried his free header across the keeper and into the top far corner.

“Great football. Josh Hare’s delivery is second to none at any level and if you’re rolling the ball back to him, you know it’s going to be quality and Kane’s anticipating where it’s going to land, be in that right area and yes, a hell of a header,” said Watt.

“We should’ve scored two or three more just from Josh Hare’s deliveries.  That’s where we look to get Josh in that area as much as we possibly can because we know what his deliveries can do.  We should’ve got a couple more from his deliveries tonight.

“We wanted more of the same, simple as that really. Just more of the same, which is what I think we got.

“We didn’t get the return of goals in the second half that we deserved but it was just keep the pressure on, looking for that fourth, take the fourth early and hopefully get the fifth and sixth that was wanted but it wasn’t to be. But we got the fourth in the second half but really pleased with how we came out second half.”

Bedfont made a tactical switch at the interval, as Kavanagh switched to right-back and Payne moved into holding midfielder and it worked after Faversham Town swiftly scored their fourth goal of the night just 128 second in.

Parter travelled over the half-way line and into the final third before slipping a sublime through ball into Olutade’s path and he clinically placed his left-footed shot past Armstrong into the bottom near corner for his second goal for the club.

“Really pleased for him to get his goal. I spoke to them both (my front two) at half-time and told them to ‘keep in doing what they were doing and the goals will come’ and really pleased for Ibs to get his goal tonight,” said Watt.

“I thought Jack Parter was fantastic down that left-hand side tonight, I really did. Tenacious, set the tempo, set the tone for the team and obviously got his assist as well, so a good all-round goal.”

Payne almost repeated the trick when his sublime through ball split open Faversham’s two centre-halves to play in Andre Smith but the Bedfont captain went to pieces and sent his right-footed chip over the crossbar when he only had Hadler to beat with 4:41 on the clock.

Wood cut in from the right wing but dragged his left-footed angled drive across Armstrong and past the far post (11:10), as Cuthbertson was pushed higher up the pitch after the interval.

“He could’ve maybe done better than that but we had opportunities.  It’s pleasing the amount of chances that we created because the quality that we’ve got in the team, if you create those chances, more often or not, you’re going to take them,” added Watt.

Halfway through the second half, Bedfont substitute striker Jake Beck-Nardoni cracked a speculative right-footed drive from 45-yards, which bounced harmlessly wide of the right-hand post.

Lex Allen came on for Faversham for the final 18 minutes as Watt switched to a back-three (Allen (right), Steventon (central) and Hudson (left), and Joshua Ayayi caused Bedfont’s defenders problems at the other end of the pitch.

Matthew Newman (central midfielder) and fellow subs Ajayi and Lennon Diamond linked up before Ajayi drilled a right-footed shot from a tight angle, which Armstrong tipped around his near-post (41:58) towards the end.

“We should’ve had more (goals). We created some great opportunities and whether it was an extra touch or a deflection, we just couldn’t find the finishing touch to get the fifth and sixth, which we would’ve liked,” said Watt.

“I just really enjoyed the control in the game. We were in full control really and any time we went forward we looked like we were going to create chances and that’s what I want my teams to be.  I want my teams to be dangerous going forward and create opportunities, which I think we did all night long.

“Josh Ajayi just took an extra touch. I spoke to him there, I think if he had taken it earlier, he probably would’ve scored. I can’t see from my angle.

“But I thought he came on and showed great attitude, great work ethic and he created a lot of opportunities for us.”

Bedfont kept plugging away, however, and they created a couple of late chances, as Faversham Town extended their unbeaten run to five (well, nine, if you include Frannie Collin’s four games in charge at the end of last season).

Dunnell King and Andre Smith linked up down the middle before Beck-Nardoni drilled a long-range shot harmlessly wide of the left-hand post before central midfielder sub Luke Maguire forced Hadler into making a comfortable low save to his right with the last kick of the game.

“Apart from the first 10 minutes when they had a couple of opportunities they should’ve done better with, I think all night everything was comfortable. It was just one of those nights. I don’t think it was ever in doubt really. Once we got that first goal that we’d go on and win it comfortably, so a very professional performance from the boys.

“It’s back-to-back clean-sheets as well. It’s something that we’ve spoken about. We’ve been a bit disappointed with the goals we’ve been conceding and it’s good to get clean-sheets and it’s good to get back-to-back ones as well.”

Faversham Town face a tougher test when Maxwell brings his Welling United side to Salters Lane in the next round.

The Wings were flirting with relegation throughout last season – their shirt numbers were nearing three figures but Maxwell ensured the Park View Road outfit maintained their seventh-tier status.

“Tough game but a great game. We want to pay these teams above us. We want to play good sides and that’s certain what Max has got there. It’s going to be a good, exciting tie I’m sure and we’re all ready for it,” added Watt.

But before that Kent derby, Watt takes his side to Flackwell Heath on Saturday to contest a FA Trophy First Qualifying Round tie.

Seventh-placed in the eighth-tier Southern League Central Division, Flackwell Heath have won all three of their games so far this season, one in the League (2-0 at home to Hertford Town), which was sandwiched by two FA Cup wins over Aylesbury United (3-2) and Hallen (3-0).

“I think they’ve won every game that they’ve played this year, so they’re going to be a good side and we’ll go up there and we’ll give all the respect and try to progress through that tie,” added Watt.

“We’ll start looking at them this week now and still fully concentrating on that before Sheppey here on Monday.

“Look, we won’t look at that or think about that until Saturday. We need to win that (game at Flackwell Heath), progress that and then we can focus our attention on the Monday.”

The Lilywhites sit in seventh-place in the Isthmian League South East Division table and the 22 teams have either played one, two or three League games as the start of the campaign has been filled with Cup ties for most.

“It will be good to play a League game,” admitted Watt, who was without central midfielder Jack Evans, who has had a jaw operation, while Bradley Simms is expected to be out for a couple of weeks with a knee injury.

“Tashi-Jay Kwayie was out warming up. KC (Kieran Campbell) was out warming up, so we’ll asses them as the week goes on and see how they are.

“It’s a good start, a good start, that’s all we can ask for, five unbeaten, win every game, we try to win every game we can and we’ll continue to do that.”

When asked what The FA Cup means to him personally, Watt recalled: “A fond place in me because that’s where I made my debut for Chelsea in the Third Round, so it’s a great competition and I’ve also had great memories throughout my playing career as well in non-league and progressing into First Round and Second Round Proper, so it’s something I want to try to create here, is memories, that’s what you want to do at a football club, if it’s promotions, if it’s Cup runs, whatever that may be and that’s what we’ll look to do here.”

Faversham Town: Tom Hadler, Josh Hare (Lex Allan 72), Jack Parter, Tommie Fagg, Jack Steventon, Harry Hudson, Ethan Smith (Matthew Newman 76), Kane Haysman (Lennon Diamond 61), Ibrahim Olutade, Eniyelayefa Amgbaduba (Joshua Ajayi 54), Nathan Wood (Ralph Fox 81).
Sub: Henry Newcombe

Goals: Kane Haysman 6, 31, 45, Ibrahim Olutade 48

Booked: Matthew Newman 84

Bedfont: George Armstrong, James Payne, Jack Cuthbertson, Patrick Kavanagh, Harry Tubb, Samad Kazi (Jake Heighes 76), Cyril Ocansey (Luke Maguire 71), Alfie Harburn (Dunnell King 63), Andre Smith, Nathaniel Mensah (Jake Beck-Nardoni 63), Sekani McCalmon (Jack Beech 75).

Booked: Andre Smith 66

Attendance: 325
Referee: Mr Chay Saggers
Assistants: Mr Steven Tunnicliffe & Mr Harry Smedley

Match Duration:
First Half: 46:01
Second Half: 48:06

Long throws into the opposing penalty area: 8
Jack Steventon (Faversham Town) 8