Faversham Town 3-0 Hythe Town - The boys executed the game plan brilliantly, says Ray Turner

FAVERSHAM TOWN  3-0  HYTHE TOWN
Ryman League Division One South Play-Off Semi-Final
Tuesday 30^th April 2013
Stephen McCartney reports form Salters Lane

FAVERSHAM TOWN boss Ray Turner says he is proud of his players’ after they sealed their place in Saturday’s Ryman League Division One South play-off final.

Turner led his side to a best ever third-place finish with 77 points from 42 games, one point more than Hythe Town, who arrived at Salters Lane on a seventeen-match unbeaten run.

Hythe Town surrendered home advantage when they were held to a final-day 2-2 draw at Walton & Hersham, so Faversham Town seized advantage by winning 1-0 at Leatherhead, which saw The Tanners miss out in the end-of-season lottery by finishing sixth.

But three goals in a crazy six minute spell during the first half sent Faversham Town through to Saturday’s winner-takes-all showdown against runners-up Maidstone United, who missed out on the title by one point to Dulwich Hamlet.

Maidstone United progressed to the final after they defeated fifth-placed Folkestone Invicta, courtesy of 36-year-old striker Paul Booth netting the only goal of the game against Neil Cugley’s side, who also suffered semi-final heartbreak away to Dulwich Hamlet 12 months ago.

Faversham Town central defender Matt Bourne had only scored two goals in 47 games before tonight, but he doubled his goalscoring tally with two strikes in 141 seconds to stun Hythe Town.

And when striker Renford Tenyue scored his tenth goal of the season shortly afterwards, this ended Hythe Town’s season in the cruellest of methods.

“I thought the boys’ executed the game plan brilliantly,” said Turner afterwards.

“I think we’ve been on a great run. We’ve won four games and I just think we were strong physically and strong mentally and we took advantage of a couple of situations from set-pieces. 

“I’ve got faith in this group of players.  I’ve played it down all season but we’ve finished third in the league on merit and we now have a crack at Maidstone.”

Turner and his side deserve their plaudits for a better than expected campaign, which has now taken them to the brink of playing Ryman Premier League football this coming August.

Turner said: “Who would’ve thought it eh?  We’ve been slowly getting on with our business all season and I know now is the time that the club is put in the spotlight a little bit more and deservedly so because lots of people have done ever so well, not just on the playing side but off the field as well.  I hope the people that got this ground back up to speed in 2005 are proud because we might not have had a club then and we’ve come a long way since then.”

Play-offs are a cruel way to suffer defeat, but Hythe Town can be proud of their best ever campaign at this level, finishing in fourth-place.

But boss Scott Porter was immensely disappointed with his side, who looked a shadow of the Hythe Town that we all expect.

He said: “Just disappointed really. Worked so hard to get into the play-offs, seventeen unbeaten and then biggest game of the season and we’ve not turned up really!

“We didn’t turn up first half but you want your players to give you everything, which could be the last game of the season, biggest game of the season and we didn’t turn up! Not one player turned up today, as individuals, as a team, collectively. We wasn’t at the races!

“It puts a sour note on a good season really but that’s play-offs for you.  It’s the first time that we’ve been involved in it.  Hopefully it will make us stronger for next year, definitely will me.  The players’ will hopefully learn from this but it was a big occasion. We just didn’t turn up today so that’s the disappointing thing. The players never turned up on a massive occasion for the football club.”

A crowd of 606 was Faversham Town’s second largest crowd of the season at Salters Lane – nine fewer that watched The Lilywhites suffer a 4-0 defeat at the hands of Maidstone United back in November.

“I heard it was over 600,” said Turner.  “I’m delighted for the players that they got a response with people coming out to support them. 

“It’s a small town club in many ways. We’re slowly building it and building the profile of the club.  You could hear the support becoming more vocal, great support. Thanks for everything they’ve done because they’re so positive, that’s the most important thing. They’re behind the team. 

“I think they realise what an achievement it’s been this season for this football club and I just hope, you always hope some of those supporters will stay and start increasing the gates because if we’re going to grow we certainly need the gates.”

And Faversham Town almost opened the scoring with only 36 seconds on the clock.

Right-back Aaron Lacy trotted over to the left wing to launch one of his trademark long throws and James Peacock sent his towering header narrowly over the crossbar from three-yards out at the far post.

Turner said: “It’s a great bonus having him (Peacock) back in our side. I was worried at one point we might lose him for the season but when he’s in the mood like he’s been for the last three games – it’s just not him, I thought the whole back four were really professional and really outstanding.  We just done the job everywhere, all over the park.”

Hythe Town created a half-chance inside the opening seven minutes when Craig Cloke pumped a deep free-kick up field and the ball came out to the unmarked Jake Hobbs, who lashed his left-footed effort well wide when presented with a chance 12 yards from goal.

Faversham Town were enjoying plenty of possession and goalkeeper Simon Overland launched a kick down field and the ball dropped to Luke Harvey, who played the ball inside to Darren Marsden, who laid the ball off to Dave Botterill, but his low right-footed angled drive from 20-yards was blocked by Hythe Town right-back George Savage and went out for a corner.

Botterill then liked up well with Tenyue down the left before getting the ball back from the pacy striker, but he skied his angled left-footed drive from 15-yards over the bar and into the car park.

Hythe Town created an opening in the 24^th minute when Hobbs clipped a right-footed free-kick into the penalty area but Cloke rose to loop his header under pressure into Overland’s gloves.

Overland launched a right-footed clearance up field for Botterill to throw himself at the ball from the edge of the Hythe Town penalty area but could only direct his diving header wide of the near post.

But Hythe Town squandered the best chance of a nervy first half after 28 minutes.

Pat Kingwell brought the ball under control inside Faversham’s half and played a precise diagonal pass out to Brendon Cass on the right and the striker floated in a cross towards the near post for the unmarked Craig Thompson to send his header towards the top right-hand corner, but Overland stuck up his outstretched left hand high to his left to push the ball over the bar.

Turner said: “It was a good cross form them and it was a good save at a crucial point because they had a little spell. I thought we started excellently but they had that little spell. Had they scored during that spell it would’ve given them a massive lift but that’s why he’s in goal for! He’s been outstanding and he’s got the two player-of-the-season awards (supporters and players’) and that’s by no accident. He’s been excellent for the team and excellent for the football club and he’s been pulling off those saves all season.”

Porter added: “It’s important to get the first goal, which we didn’t!”

Faversham were utilising the threat from Lacy’s long throws and Botterill glanced his header narrowly wide of the near post, before Faversham Town took the lead with 33:36 on the clock.

Faversham’s opening two goals were an ugly but effective method.

Lacy launched his throw from the left into the penalty area and Hythe Town failed to deal with the missile and Bourne stroked a left-footed shot through a crowd of players and the ball took a slight deflection before creeping into the right-hand corner.

Turner said: “We’re constantly going on at Bourney to get more goals from set-pieces and he’s come up with two tonight!

“He’s very capable of scoring goals. There both well taken actually, well executed. They’re not scuffed. He’s made good connections and he’s taken advantage of the knock down.  What can I say?  He’s gone in there to do a job and he’s come up with the goals.”

Porter’s side should have the knowledge how to defend such a weapon, especially as Lacy is a former team-mate of theirs.

Porter said: “That’s what they’re good at. They’ve got a lot of height there and they lump the ball in there and that’s where they got their rewards, but we should deal with things like that!  We’ve got experienced players, we’ve got big players, we’ve got big headers of the ball, but they just didn’t deal with it and that’s disappointing.

“At the end of the day the geezer has scored with his feet. He hasn’t scored with a header. The second one was in the six-yard box, two foot high. To do that is not acceptable!”

Bourne, who scored his first goal of the season on 25 August and then had to wait 32 games for his second goal, on 2 March, then waited only 141 seconds for his fourth goal.

This time Lacy looped a throw from the right hand side of the pitch and hurled the ball over a crowd of players towards the far post and Bourne swept home a first time shot into the bottom near corner from inside the six-yard box.

Turner added: “I think we really took advantage of a strong spell. I think actually came of the back of Simon making probably one of his few saves but it was an excellent save from one of their moves.

“Just as though they were getting in the game we got the first and then the crucial thing is when you’re on top you’ve got to score and we’ve added another one and we’ve added a third one, which is a real bonus because that makes it incredibly hard from their point of view to get back into the game.”

When asked how he was feeling at 2-0 down, Porter replied: “To get in at half-time really, re-group, go again, but 3-0 is a mountain to climb. The third goal killed the game really.”

Faversham Town scored goal number three only 223 seconds after that to leave Hythe Town shell-shocked.

Thankfully, the goal was well worked and didn’t have to rely on a set-piece.

Botterill fed the ball into Marsden, who flicked the ball into Tenyue, who drilled a right-footed shot past goalkeeper Dan Eason into the far corner and celebrated the striker with a backflip as he ran towards the corner of the pitch.

Turner said: “I really enjoyed the third goal. I thought it was a really nice intricate goal that Renford scored.  I thought the link up play was excellent. He’s done a little spin round the side of their centre half. He didn’t snatch at it. He’s sorted his feet out and took his goal well.

“I think it’s four goals in four games now from him. Again, he’s a bit of a wildcard at times in our side but with his pace now he’s added goals to that. He becomes a real threat.”

Porter added: “To be fair I can’t remember a lot about it. The geezer done well, the nine has down well and turned. Things could be ironed out upfield. We’ve given the ball away too many times in the wrong areas and we’ve got ourselves under pressure.

“I’m disappointed with the three goals because they haven’t really tore us apart with open play. They’ve done us set-piece wise and a little bit of individual skill from the nine.  They could’ve been stopped.”

Reflecting on Lacy’s contribution, the Hythe Town boss said: “We know what he can do, he’s done it for years, he’s done it for us, but if you don’t deal with it and you don’t win the first header you’ll cause yourselves problems and that’s exactly what we did.  The goals we gave away were poor.”

Porter revealed what he demanded from his side during the second half.

He said: “”They’ve got some good wingers in their team and that’s all they had to do. They just had to boot it up, make it look ugly really. They’ve got a three-goal lead. We had to chase it. We put three up front and three at the back and we went for it and see what we can do.

“I just said to the boys’ just give me a bit of pride second half and we did that but first half the 45 minute ruined our season really.”

Turner added: “I’ve got a group of players now who understand each other’s roles and understand what’s necessary to make sure you go and win the game.

“I’m not claiming it’s the prettiest second half but they went and done the job and that was the most important thing. We were solid and we never allowed them to have too many opportunities. 

“Simon’s not had an awful lot to do directly and they’ve done a real professional job and that’s because this group of players and they’ve been getting better and better as a group and we’ve grown as a team and as a squad and I think the form reflects that in the latter end of the season.”

The second half took nineteen minutes to liven up when Hythe Town should have pulled a goal back.

Savage released Hobbs down the right and his pace took him past Faversham Town left-back Ashley Brown (who was later forced off with a twisted ankle) to reach the by-line before whipping in an excellent cross towards the near post but the unmarked Thompson powered his header over.

Hythe Town substitute Jamie Collado then clipped in a cross from the left for Cass to snatch at his shot which went wide.

Hythe Town central midfielder Ronnie Dolan was given time and space to crack a right-footed drive from 35-yards which was well comfortably gobbled up by Overland with just under 12 minutes remaining.

Hobbs swung in a corner from the left towards the far post where Cloke headed the ball down and the ball bounced into Overland’s gloves.

Porter explained why he was asked to leave the technical area by referee Michael Smith with three minutes of their season remaining.

“I’ve never seen anything like it in all my life!

“I’ve kicked the ball to speed the game up and the geezer sent me off!  If you’re a player on the pitch and you kick the ball away you don’t get sent off for it!

“I just think the occasion got to him. I spoke to the linesman and he couldn’t believe it! I’ll speak to him in the minute.  I didn’t swear at him or anything!  I’ve just kicked the ball and got sent off for it, so it’s disappointing but that’s what you get. I’ve had it all my life with officials!”

Faversham Town, who had changed their front two for the final ten minutes, called former Herne Bay keeper Eason into making a save inside injury time.

Botterill played the ball into substitute Danny Hockton’s feet, who turned to stroke a right-footed shot from 20-yards, which forced Eason into making a low save to his right.

Turner said: “The two boys worked ever so hard up front. I had to make one enforced change when Ashley (Brown) had to come off with a nasty looking ankle twist so we’ll have to assess that and Jamie Maxted is a natural replacement.  Ashley has been outstanding this season, really matured as a player and he deserves a lot of credit.

“I changed my front two because it needed a bit of freshness and Danny will always take his shooting opportunities and you can guarantee that and it was a good save at the end.”

Porter reflected upon his club’s elimination from the promotion race as Maidstone United and Faversham Town hope to join Dulwich Hamlet in the Ryman Premier League next season.

He said: “It goes out of the window and that’s why it’s a lottery. It’s a sour end to the season because you’re disappointed because we wanted to achieve to get into the play-offs, which we did.  That’s what we set our goal out to do but once you’re in it you want to win it. 

“We didn’t turn up today and that was disappointing. I’m frustrated and annoyed by that because the occasion.  It’s only a short time in football and sometimes these occasions might not come around too often and you have to make the most of it and we didn’t take that.

“Like I’ve said to the boys it’s been a pleasure working with them this year. We’ll dust ourselves down, we’ll go away to Ibiza next Wednesday and have a good time and then we’ll re-group and push on for next year.

“We want to go one better. We’ve just got to pick ourselves up and we want to be in this sort of place next year. We want to be where we are and hopefully learn from what’s happened tonight.”

Faversham Town boss Turner, meanwhile, is plotting his side’s second victory at Maidstone United, after grabbing a controversial 2-1 win on 13 April.

“What an occasion, a great showcase for Kent football as well.  Great venue to host the final. It’s going to be packed to the rafters. I thoroughly enjoyed my trip up there recently,” said Turner.

“I get on well with Jay (Saunders). We spoke a couple of times even before tonight’s game. I get on well with Jay. We took over at similar times and we have regular conversations.  I’m pleased for him. He’s been under pressure this year. I’m pleased the board have backed him and given him another year. I look forward to meeting up with him on Saturday and I look forward to the occasion.”


Faversham Town: Simon Overland, Aaron Lacy, Ashley Brown (Jamie Maxted 67), Toby Ashmore, Matt Bourne, James Peacock, Darren Marsden, Wayne Wilson, Renford Tenyue (Kieran Oliver 80), Luke Harvey (Danny Hockton 80), Dave Botterill.
Subs:  Aidan Sherlock, Dan Lawrence.

Goals: Matt Bourne 34, 36, Renford Tenyue 40

Booked: Luke Harvey 30

Hythe Town: Dan Eason, George Savage (Jamie Collado 66), John Walker, Pat Kingwell, Craig Cloke, Ronnie Dolan, Dave Cook, Craig Thompson (Lee Coburn 79), Jake Hobbs, Brendon Cass, Michael Yianni (Kieran Byrne 59).
Subs: Ashley Porter, Tom Elliott

Booked: George Savage 19, Pat Kingwell 33, Brendon Cass 37

Sent Off: Scott Porter 87 (manager)

Attendance: 606
Referee:  Mr Michael Smith (Basildon, Essex)
Assistants: Mr Ryan Whitaker (Bexleyheath) & Mr Anthony Pope (Braintree, Essex)
Fourth Official: Mr Stuart Franklin (Wickford, Essex)