Faversham Town 0-1 Hythe Town - If I didn't believe we could get out of this then I wouldn't have come, says Faversham Town boss Sammy Moore

Faversham Town 0 – 1 Hythe Town
Location	Salters Lane, Faversham, Kent ME13 8ND
Kickoff	02/01/2023 15:00

FAVERSHAM TOWN  0-1  HYTHE TOWN
Isthmian League South East Division
Bank Holiday Monday 2 January 2023
Stephen McCartney reports from Salters Lane

FAVERSHAM TOWN manager Sammy Moore says he believes he can get the club out of relegation trouble with the board’s financial backing but demands belief and more quality in front of goal from his players.

The Lilywhites remain rooted to the foot of the Isthmian League South East Division table, having picked up only eight points (two wins, two draws) from their 19 league games with Moore, Darren Beale and Tim Dixon being their third management team of the season.

They are now five points adrift of Corinthian, who have a game in hand, and Michael Golding’s men claimed a vital 3-0 home win over the side immediately above them in the table, Sittingbourne.

Nick Davies’ side remain third-from-bottom with 17 points from 18 games and Haywards Heath Town have 22 points from their 19 games, while resilient Hythe Town climbed up three places into 12^th with 23 points from their 17 league games after bouncing back from losing 1-0 at home to league leaders Ramsgate on Boxing Day.

The Cannons sealed a drab encounter courtesy of a flicked finish from centre-half Jason Fregene – his third goal of the season -  eleven minutes into the second half, which extends Faversham Town's winless run to eight games.

Hawkinge resident Moore, 35, who has previously managed Leatherhead, Concord Rangers and Hemel Hempstead Town, left then Isthmian Premier Division leaders Potters Bar Town to take charge of Faversham’s relegation dogfight and this was his third game in charge, having been held to a 1-1 home draw by Corinthian and losing 3-0 at Ashford United last time out.

“There was not a lot in the game. I thought first-half maybe they edged it but without really causing any real threat to our goal.  We sort of huffed and puffed first half, didn’t really work their keeper enough,” said Moore.

“We actually started the second half really well. The goal came out of nothing really. We switched off from a throw-in, didn’t stop the cross and he gets in front of our centre-half and a little flick and goal.

“You’ve got to make your own luck and then for 30 minutes we have them penned in but do we really look like scoring? Probably no. A lack of belief in front of goal and a lack of confidence but we’re doing all we can behind the scenes to try to bring that belief in.”

Reflecting on his side’s sixth league win of the season, Hythe Town boss Steven Watt said: “I thought we deserved it.  I thought we looked the better team if I’m being honest.  Late on they threw bodies forward, you have to defend it but I think they only had one shot on target in 90 minutes from my recollection, which was a shot from distance.

“I felt comfortable at half-time. I felt in the second half we were the better team. We just needed that bit of quality in the final third to give us a goal and we ended up getting it.

“We should’ve got a couple more.  I think in the end we deserved it, I thought we were the better team.

“They (my players’) gave me everything today, I really thought they did.  I thought they ran themselves into the ground.”

Watt, meanwhile, is doing an excellent job to guide the cash-strapped club to midtable on limited resources.

“No one worries about us, no one thinks we’re good enough to do anything, it’s not a problem.  We’ll just turn up every week and try to upset teams, there’s no pressure on us.  No one was expecting us to win today, we know the resources and the team Sam is building here, so we just go about our business the best we can.”

Moore made six changes to the side that came away from local rivals Ashford United with a 3-0 defeat on Boxing Day, with Emmanuel Dasho missing through personal reasons, while striker Alex Addai was hooked due to feeling sick during the half-time interval and midfielder Kieron McCann was dropped to the bench after arriving at Salters Lane late.

Hythe Town, meanwhile, were without Shad Ngandu due to family commitments.

Faversham Town showed no signs that they can fight their way out of relegation trouble during the first half that Hythe Town controlled.

Watts’ men were a threat from set-pieces all game and Jack Steventon – who plays in the heart of a three-man central defence – launched six long throws into the Faversham box.

His first one was flicked on by right wing-back Liam Smith at the near post and the ball bounced off Lex Allan inside the six-yard box and trickled past the near post after 126 seconds into the game.

Striker Frannie Collin floated a free-kick from the right into the Faversham box where Liam Smith’s rising flicked header at the near post sailed over the crossbar while under pressure.

Collin whipped in another free-kick from the right and the ball was cleared out to central midfielder Marvin Hamilton, who was left unmarked on the edge of the box but hooked his right-footed volley over the crossbar after only 12 minutes.

“I felt we were missing quality in the final third, particularly in the first half,” admitted Watt.

“A little bit of quality, a pass, a cross, so we didn’t really get in the final third particularly first half.  It was two teams cancelling each other out really but I thought they had a couple of good balls in our box.”

On Hamilton’s chance, Watt replied: “He maybe could’ve taken a touch but Marvin hits them so well.  He hits them so cleanly, you think maybe he’s going to hit that and it goes in.  In the first-half they were half-chances, no team really got cut open and there weren’t great chances for either side.”

Faversham Town were playing like 11 individuals during a poor performance from the home side during the first half but they put in a much more dominant display after the interval.

Hythe Town created another half-chance following their first of only two corners at the halfway point.

Collin cut a short corner back to Hamilton, who chipped the ball into a crowded Faversham box where Steventon rose and directed his header across goal and the ball trickled behind for a goal-kick.

Collin took a touch before smacking a right-footed drive high and wide of the target from 35-yards, as Hythe Town maintained control of the first half but the first half lacked quality from both sides.

Faversham Town centre-half Matthew Bourne launched a first time long ball forward with his left-foot and his opposite number Allen’s poor clearance was charged down by left-winger Kieron Campbell.

Steventon then dwelled on the ball on the edge of his penalty area and was being pressed by Zak Ansah and Alex Addai but visiting goalkeeper Steve Phillips came off his line and smothered the ball.

Stirman swept the ball over to Goldsmith, who went on the inside of Ollie Gray outside the Faversham box but the wing-back drilled his left-footed shot over the top of the near post from 15-yards.

“It was good build-up play.  Marcus is really good in those type of areas, it bobbled up and it was on his weaker side as well. You’d like him to hit the target or go across the goal but we spoke at half-time about getting into those areas more and just take care a little bit better,” added the Hythe Town manager.

Moore added: “Listen, I thought we defended well.  All the threats we know they would have in terms of set-pieces, throw-ins, corners, we dealt with that absolutely perfect.”

Faversham Town created their first real opening in the 41^st minute, however.

Campbell played the ball out to Malachi Hudson out on the right wing and he fizzed a low cross flashing across the face of goal.

Left-back Frazer Shaw recycled the ball back into the box towards the near post where Ansah’s near-post header from a tight angle from six-yards flashed over the crossbar.

Moore said: “Listen, we huffed and puffed, didn’t we, all day. We had half-chances.  We need to have a little bit more belief in front of goal.”

Watt added: “From crosses and deliveries we pride ourselves on defending our box well and I think we did that.

“It was a good delivery and if he scores from a header from there, it’s got to be a hell of a header to beat Steve Phillips and I think we defended it the best we could.

“Teams like Faversham, with the quality that they’ve got, they’re going to create chances and they’re going to cause you problems.  I felt over the course of the 90 minutes and particularly in the first half, we limited them to the chances they did have.”

Neither goalkeeper, George Bentley nor Phillips was called into action during the first-half as the crowd of 310 hoped for better quality after the interval.

Moore said:  “Listen, we dealt with their threats. We knew they would be good at them in terms of long throws, corners and we dealt with them perfectly well.

“I was quite pleased that we came in and we dealt with that.  Can we have a little bit more tempo in the final third and create something and for 35 minutes we had them penned in. It was almost six at the back for the last 15 minutes.”

Watt added: “I wanted much of the same really, keep doing what we’re doing and try not to give them a lift really.  Teams with the quality like Faversham, if you give them a lift, they can go on and we expect Sam and his team, with the quality he’s got, to go and beat teams comfortably, so you’ve got to try to keep them where you want them and contain them the best you can, which I thought we did and if we maintain that we will get chances to score and luckily enough that was the outcome.”

Faversham Town threw caution to the wind during the early exchanges with left-winger Campbell being their biggest threat.

Addai played the ball up to Campbell, whose sublime first touch got him past Allan, who recovered well to make a vital block from Campbell’s right-footed drive from 25-yards, which deflected past the left-hand post after 129 seconds.

Faversham Town’s central midfielder Toby Bancroft put in their second corner of the game, the ball was cleared out to Campbell, who took a touch before hitting a left-footed drive over the crossbar from 25-yards, aiming for the top left-hand corner.

However, Hythe Town snatched the winner, following a well-worked set-piece, with 10 minutes and 56 seconds on the clock.

The home side were expecting Steventon to launch a long throw into the box from the left but the defender threw it short to Hamilton, who played the ball back to Steventon, who wasn’t closed down.

Steventon had time to whip the ball into the crowded box, Liam Smith flicked the ball on with his head and Fregene flicked his right-footed shot into the bottom right-hand corner from eight-yards.

“I felt the goal came against-the-run-of-play,” admitted Watt.

“I thought they started better in the second half but I thought our goal took the stuffing out of them and we should’ve got a couple more after that.

“It’s something that we spoke about and we need to do more off and score from that type of situation.  It’s stuff that we’ve worked on and positions we want players to be in and it was a great flick on and a great finish from Jason, the defender.

“He’s done brilliant for us this season and it’s really good for him to get the goal.

“It came a point when I was bringing in the likes of Marcus (Goldsmith) and I had to free people up and Jason was one of the players I spoke about leaving earlier on in the season and he left us for a few weeks and injuries came up and we had to use him again and since he’s come back he’s been absolutely outstanding and that’s credit to him and I’m really, really pleased for him that he got the winner today.”

Moore added: “Listen, we started well second half, started really well and got in some good, dangerous areas.

“If you look at the stats second half, the amount of crosses we put in the box, the amount of chances we go across the box but to be fair to Hythe they defended it well.  They always had someone there to clear it.

“We didn’t switch on from the throw-in first. We’re not quick enough in getting back into shape. We don’t talk enough on the pitch and we’ve said it in there, even one of the players said it, we’ve got to be more horrible and nastier to beat. 

“We were harder to beat today, for sure, but in moments in lapse of concentration cost us today. There was nothing in the game so yes it’s disappointing to lose a game of football but we probably deserved a point out of that game.”

Faversham Town response was swift, however, and Phillips was called into making a fine save just 76 seconds after the goal, diving low to his right to parry Campbell’s left-footed drive from 30-yards, before comfortably gathering at the second attempt as no Faversham player was close to the penalty area at the time.

Moore said: “KC has a good shot second half and has a good chance and there’s no one there to follow it up.

“Second half, there was only one team that looked like scoring. The first 10-15 minutes we started to come out of the blocks well but we switched off for their goal and got punished for it.

“Unfortunately, when you’re down the bottom, that’s what happens so listen, we dust ourselves down and all we can do is work hard and try to get that win.

“We’ve got to show a bit more desire and a bit more hunger to try to get those three points.”

Watt added: “I think it was the only real shot on target they had. It’s a shot from 30-yards. Kieron’s a great player, you could see that today but I thought we crowded him out and really restricted them to the opportunities they had and that was the game plan.  You have to restrict these players, if you don’t, they will hurt you.”

Hythe Town created a chance from open play just 97 seconds later when left-wing-back Marcus Goldsmith hit a long ball to release Josh Stirman within the left-channel but he scuffed his right-footed volley towards goal from 20-yards, which was comfortably held by Bentley, low to his left.

“He saw the World Cup goal, I think.  Josh ran himself into the ground today,” added Watt.

“You’d just love him to take it down and just approach the keeper and just pass it into the net really but he got caught in one of those, the keeper was in no-man’s land really and I think he’s tried to lob him and made a scruff of it really, which is unfortunate because it was a great run and a great pass and a bit more composure he can actually take it into the box and probably score.”

Watt insists Bourne should have been sent-off for a last-man foul on his striker Johan Caney-Bryan on the edge of the Faversham box, having been earlier booked for a foul on Stirman.

“I think Matt Bourne should have been sent off. If he doesn’t take him down, Johan gets another goal then it makes it a bit more comfortable,” claimed Watt.

In response, Moore replied: “I think first half we should’ve had a stonewall penalty (when Fregene got away with a clear foul in a tussle on Addai).  Obviously when you’re down the bottom, you don’t get the luck you need.  You’ve got to make your own luck.

“I think Matt Bourne was lucky to be on the pitch for sure but it’s all ifs buts, he could’ve got sent off.”

The introduction of diminutive right-winger Michael Ademiluyi added pace to the home side’s attack and Faversham Town played on the front foot for the remainder of the game.

Fregene gave the ball away inside his own penalty area and Hudson put the ball in from the right-hand side of the penalty area but Ademiluyi lacked composure in a good position and scuffed his left-footed shot past the foot of the near post just 52 seconds after his introduction.

Hythe Town were content to sit back and soak up the pressure.  The Cannons have scored only 18 league goals and conceded only 19 this season and Faversham Town lacked quality in front of goal.

“We’ve only conceded 19 goals and six of those was in one game at Chatham unfortunately so we pride ourselves,” said Watt, who was then asked about the lack of goals at the other end of the pitch.

The cash-strapped manager added: “It’s probably a reflection of the resources we have.  I can’t carry two or three strikers on a lot of money, I can’t do it, so I have to build from the other end really, to be really difficult to beat and we know we are going to create chances, because we always do.

“If you add more resources you have more players at your disposal, you probably score more goals.”

Faversham Town kept knocking on the door and created three chances inside the final seven minutes to snatch a draw.

Emergency right-back Gray was in space and launched a long ball with his right-foot, which was headed away by Allan and Bourne’s looping header from 14-yards was heading towards the top right-hand corner, only for Phillips to comfortably pluck the ball out of the air.

Gray launched another ball forward from the half-way line and Campbell cut inside and drilled a right-footed half-volley screaming past the left-hand post from 30-yards.

The Lilywhites’ final chance arrived 68 seconds into stoppage time as unmarked left-back Frazer Shaw launched a long ball into a crowded Hythe box and former Herne Bay striker Ansah rose to flick his header towards the bottom far corner from 12-yards, which was comfortably held by Phillips, low to his right.

Moore revealed he is looking to bring in a clinical centre-forward for the rest of the season – and has the funding to do it.

“Did we look like scoring today? Probably not.  Are we lacking a centre-forward? Yes.  Do we need to get one? Yes.

“There’s a lot of positions I’d like to bring in but unfortunately at the minute we can only go with what we’ve got and we’ve got to try to change that mentality.

“We’ve got to keep working hard, keep believing. There are enough points out there but we’ve got to find someone who can put the ball in the back of the net.

“Their keeper made a good save at the end but we’ve got to be better in front of goal.”

Watt added: “I wouldn’t even call them saves really, catches really, Steve catches them comfortably.  Those are routine for Steve.  If he’s letting any of those in, I think he’ll probably tell me to find a keeper himself but clean sheets are something we pride ourselves on, we don’t concede a lot of goals.”

Both sides return to league action on Saturday, 7 January 2023, with Hythe Town welcoming Corinthian to Reachfields Stadium, while Faversham Town travel to tenth-placed Littlehampton Town (26 points from 18 games), a side that lost their local derby at Lancing by a single goal this afternoon.

Watt said: “It will be a really difficult game.   We played Corinthian at their place (winning 2-0 on the opening day of the league season) and first half I thought we were outstanding and second half we didn’t get out of our half.

“They’re fighting for their lives down there and it’s a great result for them today and I’m fully expecting a tough game at our place next week.”

Moore knows his side must come away from Littlehampton Town with all three points in the bag.

“We knew what we were coming into when we took the job. There was a real lack of belief and a lack of structure at the club.  We haven’t got a magic wand so we knew it weren’t going to happen overnight. We’ve just got to keep fighting and try to get the right players and the right system and win some games,” said Moore.

“We need four or five players, definitely. We are looking for those players, we’ve identified what we need. It ain’t easy at this time of the year because the better ones are at clubs or they’re playing or people are on contract. It’s hard.

“If I didn’t believe we could get out of this then I wouldn’t have come. When I left Potters Bar, the club were top of the league in the next division (up) but it’s tough.

“You’ve got to keep fighting. I’m a winner. Everyone around me is a winner.  The board realise what we need, there’s plenty of games left. There’s 19 games left and we need to pick up wins quickly. It ain’t going to be easy.

“I think if we were clinical in front of goal today I think it’s a different result but we weren’t clinical enough.  Did we deserve to lose? I don’t think so. I think a draw was probably a fair result but listen, they got the goal, they defended well and fair play to them.

“I don’t really know much about Littlehampton. We had them watched today at Lancing, they got beat. It’s a game we need to go and get three points so we’ll prepare the boys on Thursday.

“We can’t feel sorry for ourselves. We’ve got to go there and win. Draws aren’t enough now, so we’ve got to try to find a system and the right personnel that can go and win us the game.

“We don’t want to dress it up anymore, it’s a must-win game. We need to go and get three points.

“We’re doing everything we can to try to turn this football club and make it more professional and build a mentality here where we want winners abut that doesn’t happen overnight.  That doesn’t happen in four or five weeks. That happens over 8-10-12 months and we’re here for the long-term project.

“That’s what it is, that what we were sold and that’s what we’ve brought into and there will be exciting times at this football club but at the minute everything’s a little bit down, doom and gloom when you lose games, that’s natural but I’m remaining position. Everyone’s got to remain positive and the only way you get out of it is hard work and we’ve got to try to pick up some results.”

Faversham Town: George Bentley, Ollie Gray, Frazer Shaw, Dan Carrington (Matthew Parsons 83), Jacques Kpohomouh, Matthew Bourne, Kieron Campbell, Toby Bancroft (Kieron McCann 52), Alex Addai (Michael Ademiluyi 63), Zak Ansah, Malachi Hudson.
Subs: Alfie Bates-Giles, Jamie Splatt

Booked: Toby Bancroft 16, Matthew Bourne 25, Frazer Shaw 90

Hythe Town: Steve Phillips, Liam Smith, Marcus Goldsmith, Jack Steventon, Jason Fregene, Lex Allan, Ethan Smith, Marvin Hamilton, Johan Caney-Bryan, Frannie Collin (Harry Miller 83), Josh Stirman (Sam Itauma 69).
Subs: Connor Cheek, Morgan Williamson, Michael Phillips

Goal: Jason Fregene 56

Booked: Johan Caney-Bryan 17, Josh Stirman 63

Attendance: 310
Referee: Mr Peter Conn
Assistants: Mr Joshua Williams & Mr Jacob Miller