Faversham Town 4-2 Corinthian-Casuals - It was a really comfortable afternoon for us, I think it was too comfortable, admits promotion-chasing Faversham Town boss Steven Watt

Faversham Town 4 – 2 Corinthian-Casuals
Location	Salters Lane, Faversham, Kent ME13 8ND
Kickoff	08/08/2026 15:00

FAVERSHAM TOWN  4-2  CORINTHIAN-CASUALS
The Emirates FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round
Saturday 8 August 2026
Stephen McCartney reports from Salters Lane

FAVERSHAM TOWN’S promotion-chasing manager Steven Watt says he experienced mixed feelings over his side’s comfortable FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round victory over winless Corinthian-Casuals.

Warren Burton – an ex Dulwich Hamlet team-mate with former Lilywhite assistant manager Alex O’Brien during their playing days – saw his side lose back-to-back Combined Counties League Premier Division South games to Fleet Town (0-1) and Tooting & Mitcham United (0-2) and they were put to the sword during a dominant Faversham Town opening 25 or so minutes at Salters Lane.

Attacking midfielder, Ethan Smith, debutant striker Ibrahim Olutade, 28, and winger Nathan Wood all scored inside the opening 22 minutes as Faversham Town threatened to open the floodgates.

But the Lilywhites declared at four, once debutant centre-half Jack Steventon scored eight minutes into the second half.

Corinthian-Casuals showed more heart and desire after that and captain centre-half Clayton Afonso scored twice from set-pieces to make the scoreline more respectable for the DIRECT Tolworth-based outfit.

Faversham Town now travel to Bedfont in the Preliminary Round in two weeks’ time after their 4-0 home win over Frankie Sawyer’s Chislehurst Glebe today.

“Mixed, mixed (feelings), you always want to progress like we did but if anything I thought the game got too comfortable,” admitted Aberdeen-born Watt, 42.

“We took our foot of the gas second half and that was unacceptable from a few players out there and they’ve just been told that.  We’ve got certain standards at this club and you’ve got to maintain that.

“I think you saw that in the first half, look, on another day it could’ve been six or seven-nil up at half-time if we had taken some really easy chances but again we get the fourth and it’s like ‘ok’ and then we just start switching off and think we can play at our own tempo, which isn’t acceptable.

“Positives? Yes, there’s loads of positives out there. We’re through to the next round but there’s a few things out there that some players need to brush up on.”

Corinthian-Casuals goalkeeper David Wloch pulled off four impressive saves during a one-sided first-half to prevent the Lilywhites racking up their record FA Cup victory, as visiting centre-half Marcus Travers and left-back Tobi Falodi were torn apart.

When asked whether it was too easy for his side during a one-sided first half, Watt admitted: “I think it was to be honest, I think it was.  I think that was the case, it was very easy.

“It looked at times, every time we went forward we looked like we were going to score and I just think the boys started playing second gear in the second half and then just started to make silly mistakes and then allowed them to put balls in our box.

“They scored two scrappy goals. The second goal that they’ve scored is a foul. Faggie’s been pushed off the ball.”

Despite this being a game of FOOTball, Faversham Town left-back Bradley Simms celebrated his birthday by playing in a FA Cup tie and THROWING the ball into the Corinthian-Casuals penalty area on TEN occasions.

Corinthian-Casuals central midfielder turned right-sided centre-half Lee Quincey THREW the ball into the Faversham Town penalty area on THIRTEEN occasions as both sides over relied on SianBall.

“Look, you’re going to have that, which is fine, admitted Watt, when asked about the away side's long-throw approach.

“They’re just a big, physical side and a bit direct, which I thought we dealt with all afternoon really, until we went 4-0 up really, people started taking liberties.

“We stopped doing what was right. We didn’t make the right choices but look on another day you’re 6-0 up at half-time and it is what it is. But as I’ve said, we’re though to the next round and that’s all that matters.”

Simms’ looped in his first long throw from within the left-channel and Steventon rose with visiting keeper Wloch and flicked his looping header over the crossbar from the edge of the six-yard box, a sign of things to come after only 177 seconds.

Faversham Town were dangerous in attack and Olutade’s left-footed deck pass played in Wood through on goal and his right-footed dinked shot forced a big save out of the advancing Wloch (3:33), who made a comfortable save at the second attempt at his near-post to prevent Jack Evans from scoring with a left-footed angled drive just 12 seconds later.

“Woody should score, one-v-one. On another day, you’ve got to give the keeper credit there, it was a good save,” said Watt, who knows his side’s best football was when they kept the ball on the deck and terrorised their visitors with some great deck football.

Simms threw the ball short to right-back Josh Hare and the debutant floated a deep cross towards two unmarked centre-halves in Lex Allan and Steventon and Allan guided his downward header across the keeper and just past the far post.

Wloch pulled off his second excellent save with only 12:01 on the clock, following Simms’ third long throw.

The looping throw was flicked on by Allan at the near-post and Olutade, with his back to goal, cracked an overhead kick towards the top right-hand corner from the edge of the six-yard box only for Wloch to stick up his left-hand to turn the ball over his crossbar, with a brilliant reaction save.

When asked what Olutade brings to the party, Watt replied, “He gives you endless work-rate, always a goal threat as you saw. He’s unfortunate not to have another couple more goals himself today. I think you could see today what Ibs is going to give us up there, just a real threat whenever we attack.”

A dominant Faversham Twon were knocking, knocking, banging on the door and smashed it into pieces, taking the lead with 14 minutes and 4 seconds on the clock.

Corinthian-Casuals’ holding midfielder Connor Everitt fouled big-target-man Eniyelayefa Amgbaduba and Evans drilled the free-kick into the four-man wall.

Simms recycled the ball more up than into the penalty area and Tommie Fagg drilled a low right-footed drive through a crowd of players from outside the box and Wloch got down low to his right and pushed the ball away with a strong right-hand only for Smith to pounce on the loose ball and place his right-footed shot into the centre of the goal with the visiting defenders nowhere to be seen.

“Good from Ethan, always on his toes, always looking for that second ball. It was a good striker’s finish from a ten,” said Watt.

Like London red buses, another one soon followed, as Faversham Town doubled their lead just 157 seconds later, courtesy of a mistake from Wloch.

The goalkeeper was pressed on the corner of his penalty area by a hungry Olutade – who scored 23 goals for Margate in this division last season – who cut in and controlled the ball before smashing the ball over the line of an empty goal from beside the left-hand post, rattling the woodwork in the process, as Wloch and Everitt opened the gate in embarrassing fashion.

“It’s that endless work-rate, he gives you up there. He’ll chase everything, lost causes down, which he does there and ends up getting himself a goal for the reward he deserved,” added Watt.

Evans was pulling the strings in the middle of the park and continues his reputation of being a Rolls Royce footballer and his sublime right-footed deck pass released Angbaduba, who easily skipped past Afonso, before slipping the ball through for Wood, who easily skipped past a poor Falodi like he was not there as well as keeper Wloch before slotting his left-footed shot into the centre of the empty goal, as Faversham Town stormed into a three-goal lead with 21 minutes and 57 seconds on the clock.

“We had loads of joy down that right-hand side today. I thought we targeted that side and got a lot of joy,” said Watt.

“I’m glad Woody got his goal because he obviously missed one earlier, so it’s always good to go round and caps his performance off with a goal.

“That opening 20 minutes, three-nil flattered them, I think. It could’ve been five and six!”

Faversham Town were on course at this point in the game of delivering a double-figure humiliation for their ninth-tier opponents, who will not come up against such quality in the Combined Counties League Premier Division South this season.

Quincy challenged his team-mates to ‘come on, don’t feel sorry for yourselves’ but they were outclassed by an outstanding Faversham Town side in the opening 25 minutes.

A long ball was knocked down by Amgbaduba and Olutade played the ball in behind a non-existent Corinthian-Casuals defence but Smith lacked composure and rifled his left-footed shot against the top of the near-post for a glaring miss (32:49).

The tempo started to drop off as both sides struggled to play at a high tempo in temperatures of 26-27 degree scorching heat.

Simms’ launched his sixth long throw into the Corinthian-Casuals penalty area and Amgbaduba’s towering near-post flicked header was destined for the top right-hand corner, only for Wloch to stuck up a strong left-hand to push the ball over his crossbar (40:42).

“It’s a weapon, it’s a great throw. It’s something that we have in our arsenal. I think most teams do have now,” said Watt, when asked about Simms’ throwing ability.

“It’s something we’ve tweaked with in pre-season and caused a bit of problems today and on another day, we score two or three off that long throw.  It’s going to be a big thing for us throughout this season.”

But Faversham Town’s debutant goalkeeper Tom Hadler was a spectator during a one-sided first half as the Lilywhites had to settle for a three-goal lead at the interval.

“I wasn’t best pleased with the last 10-15 minutes of the first half, so we spoke about being better and being more affective with the ball and making sure we go out and get that fourth goal, which we did,” said Watt.

“Then, we get the fourth and then we sat back again and switched off again and started doing silly things, so that was the more disappointing thing than anything else.

“Working so hard to get so comfortably in front and think we can just take our foot completely off the gas and relax.”

The Lilywhites came out with all guns blazing for a brief period and Hare found space in the final third to deliver a cross where Evans found space on the edge of the penalty area to guide his header towards the bottom far corner, only for Wloch to dive low to his right and use a strong right hand to prevent the ball nestling into the bottom far corner after 50 seconds.

When asked about bringing former Chatham Town and Billericay Town midfield playmaker Evans to the club, Watt replied, “Yes, Jack’s a really good player. He’s disappointed with the first goal.  He gave away a ball in the middle of the park easily, which I’m disappointed with but overall he’s a fantastic player and he’s going to be so big for this football club this season.

“You could see that with his quality on the ball and how he picks out his passes and conducts that midfield, so it’s a massive asset and going to be huge for us this season.”

Faversham Town declared as soon as they notched goal number four, with seven minutes and 26 seconds on the clock following a set-piece.

Evans floated a right-footed free-kick towards a crowd of players lurking on the edge of the penalty area.  Olutade’s downward header clipped the base of the far post and the ball was controlled by Steventon who steered his left-footed shot into the bottom near corner.

“It’s like set-pieces is a big thing in football and it’s the one thing we work a lot on,” revealed Watt.

“It’s always being alive for that second phase.  You might not score direct but it’s being alive in that second phase and it’s nice to see bodies in and around the ball, where we can react, which Stevo did and got that fourth goal.”

Watt was disappointed in the manner that Corinthian-Casuals scored their first goal of the new season, with nine minutes and 57 seconds on the clock.

Casuals were now playing with three at the back, with Quincey (right), Afonso (centre) and Falodi (left), performing much better.

Quincey launched his EIGHTH long throw into the Faversham penalty area and the ball came out to Afonso, who from within a crowd of players cracked an emphatic right-footed drive screaming past the diving Hadler into the top left-hand corner from 18-yards.

Watt said: “Again, disappointing, when you allow teams to throw balls in boxes. We well know you’re going to get opportunities. If we don’t win that first or second contact, which we didn’t but the more disappointing thing was the pass that we played before it when we had really good possession in the middle of the pitch and then needlessly gave it away, which allowed them to break and get a throw-in, so that’s the more disappointing thing about it.

“Obviously, I’ll look at the throw but not winning the first and second contact isn’t great either.”

Everitt’s through ball was latched onto by attacking midfielder Zackeruius Ejeta, who lacked composure and drilled his right-footed shot over the crossbar, but Corinthian-Casuals were now performing much better ever since ineffective right-winger Angel Zapata was hooked at the interval due to a groin strain and striker Frazier Osunkoya was guilty of not pressing Allan whatsoever and allowing the Faversham centre-half time to travel with the ball towards the half-way line during the first half.

Simms ignored launching a long throw into the penalty area in the 70^th minute and opted to throw it short to Wood, who floated a deep cross towards the back post where the unmarked Steventon steered his diving header sailing across the keeper and over the far post.

Hadler, a summer arrival from Ramsgate, was forced into making his first save of the game (25:47), diving low to his right and holding a low right-footed drive from substitute George Hockey, after Osunkoya knocked down a long ball down on the edge of the Faversham penalty area.

When asked about his side’s performance over the course of the final half-hour, Watt admitted, “Just a bit nothing really. We looked dangerous going forward, got in good areas, didn’t pick up right passes but again, look it was a really comfortable afternoon for us. I think it was too comfortable, which we lost our edge if you like. We had to get ourselves four-nil up.”

Quincey’s 12^th long throw was met by Tom Bland’s looping header from the edge of the penalty area, which was caught by Hadler in his midriff, as Corinthian-Casuals’ awful direct approach was seemingly giving Faversham Town’s players concussion and blows to their heads (in a Boxing sense).

Scott Day played the ball in from the right and Bland’s left-footed drive was held by Hadler as he dived low to his right (31:48) as Corinthian-Casuals finally created a chance through open play.

It was no surprise that Corinthian-Casuals relied on another set-piece as they grabbed their second goal of the game, four minutes and 21 seconds into stoppage time, by which point the crowd of 317 inside Salters Lane were suffering from neck ache.

Falodi delivered a quality right-footed free-kick into the penalty area from the left and Afonso found a pocket of space at the far post to loop his header into the top far corner of the net.

Watt – who by this stage had five defenders in his back line - claimed the goal should have been disallowed for a foul on his physically strong holding midfielder Fagg.

“It was a foul. It was a foul in the box.  The skipper (Afonso) pushes Faggie, two-hands, away from the ball. It’s clearly a foul on Faggie. He had a two-hand push in the back,” claimed Watt, who was disappointed about leaking two goals against a lower-division outfit at home.

“It is but like I said the second goal’s a foul, referee’s gives that foul every day, so that’s the disappointing thing, but it was not as if we were under any sort of pressure today.  It’s literally a ball thrown in the box and then they’ve got a second goal from a foul. It’s more like it should’ve been six or seven at the other end with the good chances that we created!”

With the very first round of The FA Cup taking centre stage today, there were only a couple of Isthmian League South East Division games taking place, with Sittingbourne coming away from AFC Croydon Athletic with a 2-1 win and relegated Cray Valley being held to a goal-less draw at home to Jamie Coyle’s Margate.

Faversham Town kick-off their League campaign with a trip to Sevenoaks Town next Saturday.

Marcel Nimani guided the Oaks away from relegation trouble during the first half of last season to settle for a 12^th place finish, although they suffered a 2-1 defeat at relegated side Hassocks to crash out of The FA Cup at the first hurdle.

“It’s never an easy place to go Sevenoaks, they’ve always got a good team down there, so it’s always a tough game,” warned Watt, who revealed Allan and Amgbaduba were both taken off as a precautionary measure with cramp, while 31-goal striker Tashi-Jay Kwayie was ruled out through a rolled ankle, while Kieron Campbell was away.

“We’ve got to play to levels we did today and then not take our foot off when we think it’s comfortable and that’s one thing we’ll speak a lot about this week but like I said, we’ll get the guys in on Tuesday, see what little knocks and niggles we’ve got and see whatever comes out at the other end of that.

“Tashi rolled his ankle last week, so we’ll just have to asses him this week and see how he is, apart from that, everyone’s fit and raring to go.”

Watt revealed he is working with a 20-man squad, which includes two under 23 players in Ralph Fox and striker Lennon Diamond, who was handed his debut today for a stoppage time cameo role (45:05-50:38).

“Lennon’s been absolutely fantastic in pre-season. I wanted to give him his debut today because he’s been with us all pre-season. He’s been fantastic in the games that he’s played and trained really well this week.

“He’s a player we look to get out on dual-registration this season because his next stage of his development needs to be men’s football, so we’re talking to some SCEFL Prem sides to see if we can get him out and continue his development but he’s a really good prospect.”

Watt has made his aspirations well and truly known this season after the club had to settle for a seventh-place finish last season, missing out on the play-offs by five points, after drawing 14 of their 42 League games.

“Promotion. Simple. Nothing less. Promotion. We need to get promoted this season, so that’s what we’ll be doing, that’s what everything will be geared towards and obviously it starts next week,” said Watt.

“Yes, it’s a good start. Loads of goals, four different scorers, we’ve done that a few times this pre-season, all different types of goals.

“Things can be better. Things will be better but then we go next week and our full focus is on Sevenoaks.”

Watt says he is relishing the pressure of being involved in a promotion race this season.

“Go and enjoy it. I want to be at a club where there’s pressure. I want to be at a club where we’ve got to win and get promoted, so one of the main factors for coming back (into football management) is to come to a club where we can be expected or not even be expecting by everyone else, but in terms of to get promotion, so I relish it.

“I enjoy it and the players’ have got to relish it as well, which I think they will and they do and do our best to get the club promoted this season.”

How will I keep the players’ happy? “It’s my job! It’s my job! We’ve got loads of games this year, so loads of rotation. Keep them, everyone fresh and fit and available and then it’s very much about, as I said, players can go to other clubs if they want to go to other clubs but this is a very good club at this level. They get well looked after and everyone wants to be apart of a team or clubs who want to be successful.

“Yes, so some players might not play every minute of every game like they do in other clubs, but they’re going to be apart of something special, hopefully, and when we get promoted or if we get promoted I should say, at the end of the season, then I don’t see why they don’t’ stay and hang around.

“The League is always tough. The League is never easy, so it’s going to be a tough League, tough opposition in it and we’ll do our best to make sure that we’re right for 90 minutes. As long as we do that, we’ll be in most games.

“Sevenoaks is never easy to go, so it will be a tough game, tough opposition. We played there last year and drew (2-2) so we know it’s not an easy place to go, so look, it’s all about us. If we can go there fully prepared, treat Sevenpaks with the utmost respect they’ve got, that we can try and go and win the game and see what happens.”

Faversham Town: Tom Hadler, Josh Hare, Bradley Simms, Tommie Fagg, Jack Steventon, Lex Allan (Matthew Newman 86), Ethan Smith (Jack Parter 83), Jack Evans, Ibrahim Olutade (Lennon Diamond 90), Eniyelayefa Amgbaduba (Kane Haysman 67), Nathan Wood (Joshua Ajayi 83).
Subs: Ralph Fox, Liam Sherriff

Goals: Ethan Smith 15, Ibrahim Olutade 17, Nathan Wood 22, Jack Steventon 53

Booked: Josh Hare 90

Corinthian-Casuals: David Wloch, Matthew Kellett-Smith, Tobi Falodi, Connor Everitt, Marcus Travers (George Hockey 54), Clayton Afonso, Elijah Hopwood (Scott Day 75), Lee Quincey, Frazier Osunkoya, Zackerius Ejeta (Zachary Jakubowski 66), Angel Zapata (Tom Bland 46).

Goals: Clayton Afonso 55, 90

Booked: Tobi Falodi 59, Zachary Jakubowski 86

Attendance: 317
Referee:  Mr Jamie Gray
Assistants: Mr Sheridon Grant & Mr Benjamin Harrold

Match Duration:
First Half: 47:13
Second Half: 50:38