Faversham Town 1-2 Kingstonian - We just need that little bit of luck, says proud Luchford

Saturday 16th October 2010

FAVERSHAM TOWN 1-2 KINGSTONIAN
FA Carlsberg Trophy First Qualifying Round
Saturday 16th October 2010
Stephen McCartney report from Salters Lane

FAVERSHAM TOWN manager Justin Luchford said he was proud of his side especially as they matched Kingstonian for 90 minutes - only to be knocked out of the FA Carlsberg Trophy by two second half penalties.

The visit of the 1999 and 2000 winners attracted Faversham’s largest crowd of the season and the Kent side certainly done their homework on the Ryman Premier League high-flyers as they nullified the usual threat from the K’s.

It was only the introduction of the talented Dean Lodge that inspired Alan Dowson’s side into action and Matt Gray and Lodge converted two penalties to give the K’s a flattering 2-0 lead, before Dane Luchford’s fourth goal of the season was reward for the battling Kent side.

“I’m very proud,” Luchford told www.kentishfootball.co.uk in the boardroom afterwards.

“I thought we were value to be honest. I thought we could’ve nicked it at the end there and take them to (a replay on) Monday night.

“We finished the stronger of the two teams, we put them under a lot of pressure especially with our set-pieces. How close was that to being a penalty on the edge of the box and you think if we get a penalty there, maybe.

“I thought we did enough to take them to a replay.”

Shane Hamshare and Jake Leberl both failed fitness tests so Jack Baldwin and Justin Ascheri were both drafted in and both impressed their manager.

Luchford said: “We had them watched and we knew Matt Gray would be the one that if they was going to tick it would be him and when Jake failed his fitness test before the game we had to reshuffle a little bit and we asked Justin to do us a job and I thought he did it.

“Considering he hasn’t played for a month, he hasn’t trained, his not fit and he done a job on him.”

Praising right-back Baldwin, who was playing for Chatham Town’s under 18’s last season, Luchford was pleased that the youngster picked up the man-of-the-match award.

“I think a little word for the right back as well. He turned 17 in July and it’s his (home) debut today and he’s going into a game like that and gets man-of-the-match.

“Martin Tyler’s (Kingstonian’s assistant manager and Sky Sports TV presenter) just been saying how impressed he was with him - he ain’t going anywhere but he did well for a young lad.”

Although this wasn’t the most exciting game in the world, you had to appreciate that Kingstonian are a good attacking side, but Luchford and Clive Walker certainly got their tactics spot on to prevent Gray pulling the strings, and maybe it was a mistake from Dowson to leave Lodge on the bench for the first 53 minutes as from then the visitors were their usual lively selves.

Faversham created the first chance of the game inside the opening nine minutes, but Kingstonian goalkeeper Rob Tolfrey, who was watched by dad Ray, the former chairman of Kent League side Holmesdale, who now lives in Pluckley.

Damian Abel was released down the left and played the ball inside to striker Chris Wright, who stabbed the ball back to Dave Botterill, who saw Abel making a run towards the by-line.

The physical former Hythe Town striker cut along the by-line and from an acute angle smashed a low drive towards goal, which was blocked by the keeper’s legs.

With 20 minutes on the clock, Abel picked the ball up and kicked the ball up in the air just inside the K’s half and showed his strength to hold the ball up before slipping Ashley Brown on the overlap and after cutting inside the left-back swept a right-footed shot past the near post.

Faversham defensive duo Richard Avery and Matt Bourne were excellent in keeping eight-goal striker Bobby Traynor quiet throughout and Bourne got in the way of a Sam Clayton drive, which flashed past the far post.

From the resulting short corner, Adam Thompson met the left-wing cross with a thumping header, which was caught by Rob French.

With eleven minutes to go before the break, Tobi Jinadu played the ball out of the Kingstonian defence and released Dean Hamlin down the right and he played the ball inside for striker Carl Wilson-Denis to scuff a left-footed shot towards goal, but this was comfortably gathered by French, diving low to his left.

A poor clearance from the Kingstonian goalkeeper was hoofed towards goal by the hard working Dave Botterill some 35-yards from goal, but the ball bounced wide of the upright.

Faversham ended the first half with Avery pumping a free-kick up field and the ball dropped to Aschei some 25-yards from goal and his right-footed half-volley from 25-yards bounced into Tolfrey’s arms.

You could sense increased urgency from the third-placed Ryman Premier League visitors at the start of the second half, but on many occasions they were frustrated by a well-drilled Faversham back-four as Kingstonian were caught offside on many occasions.

A free-kick from French was pumped up field for Abel to cut in from the left and his left-footed drive bounced into Tolfrey’s arms.

But Kingstonian were gifted a 58th minute lead, as a combination of Baldwin and Danny Lye, sent Clayton going to ground easily on the right-hand side of the penalty area.

Bird sent Lodge scampering down the left and his low centre found it’s way to the Kingstonian midfielder, who went over too easily following Lye’s challenge.

There was a two minute delay as Ascheri received treatment but Gray kept his composure and sent French the wrong way with his right-footed penalty, which nestled into the bottom left-hand corner.

Luchford said: “I’ve just been speaking to Martin Tyler about it and it’s very kind of him to take time out to have a chat with me.

“I think the first one’s soft. I’m not convinced his done enough to give a penalty. He has caught him but he’s gone down very easily. I think he could’ve stayed on his feet and gone down the line, but at the other end am I angry if it’s not given? Probably!”

A corner from Bird was headed away by Avery and Mo Harkin’s cross back into the penalty box was met by a towering header from Jinadu, but the Faversham keeper wasn’t going to be beaten.

Kingstonian booked their place into the next round by doubling their lead with 20 minutes remaining.

Luchford praised Avery and Bourne for getting back behind French after they were cut open by a penetrating run from Lodge, although he too went to ground easily after rounding French, going over the keeper’s right as he attempted to collect the ball on the ground.

“The second one’s a penalty,” added the manager. “I don’t think there’s any arguments.

“I think what’s important was the lads got back behind him, that was the key and Richard and I think it was Bourney raced back to the line and gave him cover so he wasn’t the last man, which was good to the lads for doing that.

“Frenchie has been patched up today, he really shouldn’t have played as he is not 100% fit. He’s got a hamstring (injury) but he caught everything, he was strong and Martin’s just giving him credit saying he was the best goalkeeper on the day.”

Despite that set-back, the Lilywhites threw bodies forward, reverting from a 4-4-2 formation to throw three men up front and they threw the kitchen sink at their more illustrious opponents.

And they were rewarded as they pulled a goal back with just fifteen minutes of an even contest remaining.

Substitute Sam Callender picked up the ball on the right-hand side of midfield on the half-way line and ghosted past two Kingstonian players and sent a looping cross towards goal, which caught out Tolfrey, although to be fair to the keeper he did finger-tip the ball off the underside off the crossbar and Dane Luchford swept the rebound over the line, despite the keeper’s attempts to make a goal-line save beside the near post.

Manager Luchford then gave Alex Waugh a nine minute cameo, having signed him on a month’s loan from Ryman Premier League side Margate.

The striker joined the Hartsdown Park outfit in pre-season after netting 35 goals for West Malling based side Malgo in the lower reaches of the Vandanel Kent County League last season.

And he almost grabbed an equaliser in the final five minutes when his angled right-footed shot from the edge of the box looped up and dropped down and forced Tolfrey to tip the ball over the crossbar.

“I spoke to Iain (O’Connell) and we’ve got him for a month,” explained Luchford.

“He only arrived Thursday, so you can’t put him in straight in. He needs to work with the team a little bit. We’ll get him out there as we now lose Damian (Abel) for three games through his suspension so Alex will get his chance.

“We saw today he’s got an eye for goal. Sometimes you get these natural strikers and they see things other forwards don’t. He may do alright for us and goes back in a month and score loads of goals for Margate.”

Stocky midfielder Lye almost made amends when he met Botterill’s corner from the left with a header, which looped past the far post.

Reflecting on the defeat, Luchford said, “I’m a bit gutted today. I think we probably deserved a draw today. I don’t think either side did enough to win it to be honest with you.

“I don’t remember Frenchie having much to do other than the two penalties and I thought we were unfortunate at the end. We got some great corners coming in, one just needs to bounce for us, we’re not getting that little bit of luck.

“I sat them down on Thursday night (at training) and before today’s game and said ‘look, win, lose or draw I want a performance’, because I think we’ve done alright this season and we just need that little bit of luck at the moment.

“I think after today the players are buzzing after the match, they know they’ve done well against a very good side. We’re talking about Kingstonian here. I thought we were excellent all over the pitch. We weren’t outstanding, we didn’t out play them or anything like that, but we stuck to our task, we did our jobs and I’m very, very pleased with them today.”

Faversham Town: Rob French, Jack Baldwin, Ashley Brown, Dave Botterill, Richard Avery, Matt Bourne, Justin Ascheri (Dave Bathgate 71), Danny Lye, Chris Wright (Sam Callender 67), Damian Abel, Dane Luchford (Alex Waugh 81).

Subs: Jake Leberl, Dan Ellis.

Goal: Dane Luchford 75

Booked: Rob French 68, Jack Baldwin 89

Kingstonian: Rob Tolfrey, Dean Hamlin (Lee Hall 35), Tom Bird, Adam Thompson, Max Hustwick (Matthew Ruby 72), Tobi Jinadu. Matt Gray, Mo Harkin, Bobby Traynor (Dean Lodge 53), Carl Wilson-Denis, Sam Clayton.

Subs: Sam Robinson, Nic Taylor.

Goals: Matt Gray 58 (pen), Dean Lodge 70 (pen)

Attendance: 230

Referee: Mr Robert Hyde (London E1)

Assistants: Mr Alasdair King (London SE8) & Mr Jeff Lengthorn (New Eltham, London SE9)