Faversham Town 1-1 Hassocks - Listen, I'm not in the best of moods because I don't like my teams going out and performing like that, irrelevant of the result, says Faversham Town boss Tommy Warrilow, unbeaten in 30 League games

Faversham Town 1 – 1 Hassocks
Location	Salters Lane, Faversham, Kent ME13 8ND
Kickoff	04/11/2025 19:45

FAVERSHAM TOWN  1-1  HASSOCKS
Isthmian League South East Division
Tuesday 4 November 2025
Stephen McCartney reports from Salters Lane

FAVERSHAM TOWN manager Tommy Warrilow apologised to supporters after his unbeaten side put in an awful performance against fellow newly-promoted side Hassocks, who came within seconds of grabbing a shock victory on a windy Tuesday night at fortress Salters Lane.

James Westlake’s side put in a resilient defensive display – often riding their luck – and lone striker Morgan Vale headed in his second goal of the season to give Hassocks the lead – only 20 seconds into the second half.

A dominant Faversham Town kept knocking on the door and Jack Parter’s last-gasp stoppage time cross was headed into his own goal by Hassocks centre-half Matt Gunn.

The Lilywhites – who made four changes to the side that came away from fifth-placed Herne Bay with a 1-1 draw at the weekend – have now extended their unbeaten League run to 30 games, last suffering a defeat when they lost 4-1 at VCD Athletic in the Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division back on Saturday 25 January 2025.

Hassocks were within seconds of being the first side to win a League game here since Larkfield & New Hythe won 1-0 on 22 October 2024.

Warrilow’s side missed the chance of leapfrogging over Three Bridges at the summit of the Isthmian League South East Division table, having to settle to stay in second place in the table, having picked up 33 points (nine wins, six draws) from their 15 league outings, level on points with Jamie Crellin’s side.

“It was awful! I can’t tip-toe around it. All I can do is apologise to anyone who came here tonight,” said Warrilow, during the post-match press conference.

“Fair play to them, just sit behind the ball – (asking us) what are you going to do about it? The answer was we couldn’t do anything!”

Faversham Town were clearly missing the 20-goal Tashi-Jay Kwayie, who was on a Milan modelling assignment and big targetman Eniyelayefa Amgbaduba (groin), as they relied on predictable direct football and long throws.

“We went long, miles too many times. I don’t mind going long, but we never really got in any decent areas.  But saying that, we knew if we’re not careful, we’re going to get caught,” said Warrilow.

“Fair play to them, they came with a game plan and nearly came away with all three points.

“But second half we’ve had a few things off the line and got in good areas.  I think Roshan made one save in the first half and that was it.

“We sort of peppered their goal a little but, you talk about long throws and free-kicks, it was just an awful game but I’ve got to be grateful that we’ve come out with a point.”

Westlake’s game plan was to play with a defensive minded formation of a resilient back four, five in midfield and Vale running a thankless task up front on his own for the 79 minutes that he was on the pitch, before being replaced by Liam Benson.

Faversham Town played with three centre-halves (Harrison Pont, Matthew Newman and Parter), wing-backs in Bradley Simms and Frankie Smith, a midfield three of Aaron Barnes, Tommie Fagg and Kieron Campbell with Ethan Smith behind often isolated striker, the seven-goal, Johan Caney-Bryan.

“Johan done alright on his own. Obviously, it’s a thankless task. I don’t think the service up to him was brilliant. He had two big lads with him. You want Johan in the channels chasing in between the full-backs but we’ve got to get closer to him,” said Warrilow.

“They (Aaron Barnes and Ethan Smith) done alright. It’s the first time they’ve gone in, they played together at Hythe. I asked them to get in and around Johan a little bit and I just felt we never really did that.”

Campbell cut inside and onto his right foot before curling his shot around the far post from 25-yards, as Warrilow’s side created their first chance after only two minutes and 26 seconds on the clock.

Campbell swung in the home side’s first of four corners and this was met by Newman’s free near-post header, which he steered past the left-hand post from eight-yards, as Faversham Town set the tone.

However, Hassocks created a glorious chance to grab the lead with a rare attack, timed at 16:36.

Holding midfielder Daniel Allen broke before feeding right-winger Zak Henry, who cut onto his left-foot to crack a drive towards the roof of the net from 30-yards, forcing goalkeeper Roshan Greensall to use his outstretched left hand to push the rasping drive over his crossbar.

“I think that’s the only thing he’s done tonight,” admitted Warrilow.

“I think we gave the ball away as well for that and he’s hit a great strike and he’s tipped it over.

“Like I said, it’s just disappointing but fair play to them. I’m not knocking them, they came with a game plan and like I said to the boys, that’s what happens in football. You see it at the highest level, they all sit back and let the centre-halves have it and you’ve got to try to move people about and I felt tonight we didn’t move the ball quickly about.”

Faversham Town were often too direct and Newman hit a long ball over the top of Hassocks centre-half Liam Hendy to play Parter in behind and his left-footed half-volley from 16-yards was hit straight at visiting goalkeeper James Shaw, who made a comfortable save (18:13).

Hassocks were proving to be a hard nut to crack and Faversham’s direct approach of utilising Simms’ long throw nine times in the first half and four times late in the second was proving to be meat and drink for Hassocks’ two centre-halves of Gunn and Hendy.

“We’ve got nothing out of them (long throws), that’s the disappointing thing,” admitted Warrilow.

“Listen, I’ve always been an advocate of the right ball, not the long ball, the short ball, the pretty football, this, that and the other and the nice thing now, you see it at the highest level. Long throws, set-pieces and everything. They’re a useful part of the game.

“We didn’t really show enough desire to use our brain, to see where the throw ins were landing really.

“It’s probably one of the smallest sides I’ve had tonight but I still think we probably should’ve done better from all of them.”

Simms’ fourth long throw came in from the right (26:30), the ball was flicked on by Fagg at the near post and Newman’s header at the back stick was straight at Shaw, who comfortably plucked the ball out of the air.

Hassocks half-cleared Simms’ next long throw, only as far as Campbell, who cut inside and onto his right-foot and his dipping drive from 20-yards was comfortably caught by an untroubled Shaw.

Hassocks broke (29:05) with Henry cutting in from the right wing to play the ball inside to central midfielder Mundy, who reversed a pass in behind Parter to play Vale in behind and his right-footed swept shot from 16-yards was comfortably gathered low down by an untroubled Greensall.

Hassocks were keen to hit long balls out of defence and down the left channel but this time it was wideman Jack Troak who showed desire to snatch the ball off Pont close to the touchline, before putting a ball into the Faversham penalty area but an unmarked Henry (who received a bang to the head just before the interval and didn’t emerge for the second half) lacked composure and lashed his first time left-footed shot over the crossbar from 16-yards.

When asked what was missing from his players tonight, Warrilow admitted: “Do you know what? A bit of invention, a bit of thought. It was just too direct.

“I think we had a couple of chances when we started off. There were a few scrambles and whatever, some good deliveries from KC (Campbell) but just no one in the right areas.

“Perhaps we’ve missed Tash (Kwayie), we’ve missed Eniye tonight and perhaps they’re a bigger miss than what we thought.  I’m still confident with the 11 that I put out there, they’re good enough to go and win a game of football but tonight we were nowhere near it!

“We demand a lot and the expectations are a lot so you have to life with that. We’re just not coming here to make the numbers up. As you’ve seen today, if you look at the league tables (Hassocks have climbed up a place into 12^th with five wins, five draws and four defeats, 20 goals, 20 conceded, 20 points in their maiden campaign at this level), we should’ve won this tonight but football’s not like that and tonight proved that.

“Hassocks were very, very good without the ball and frustrated us and we’ve got to learn to deal with that.

“Teams are going to do that. We’ve got to be cleverer. We’ve got to use our brain. I don’t mind going long into turning teams but I just felt we were going too long centrally. A lot was going through to the goalie and we were up too early, too high, too early so it was like a straight line and we really didn’t rectify that, we just kept doing it.

“We never really played through the lines or anything tonight, so it was always going to be a frustrating game.”

Hassocks kicked off for the second half threw bodies forward for the first time, taking only 20 seconds to grab the lead.

Allen floated a cross in behind Newman and the unmarked Vale guided his downward header into the bottom right-hand corner, as Jamaal Horne’s offside flag stayed down.

“Obviously, we couldn’t have started the second half any worse! Offside or not, it doesn’t matter. He’s got in between the two centre-halves and he’s tucked it away,” added Warrilow.

“It was just a ridiculous start. I’ve literally just come out. They’re saying he’s offside or whatever but you don’t get between the two boys. It’s got to be dealt with.

“It wasn’t exactly a powerful header, was it? But he’s tucked it away well and it’s an ideal start for them and the worst possible start for us.  Obviously, the team talk went down well didn’t it?!”

Faversham Town went close to an equaliser, following their second corner of the game, in the 56^th minute.

Campbell swung in a quality delivery from the left towards the back post and Fagg bundled the ball agonisingly past the foot of the right-hand post, as Gunn received treatment for a knock behind the by-line.

Left-wing-back Frankie Smith then swung in a corner from the right towards the back post and Fagg’s header was held in Shaw’s midriff down on his knees.

Hassocks sat in often during the game and didn’t really look like adding to their goal tally but they did venture forward in the 28^th minute when Pont lost the ball to Troak beside the left touchline, before breaking down the left and cutting into the penalty area but the angle was too tight and his attempt was comfortably gathered by Greensall at his near post.

Faversham Town kept knocking on the door but it felt like their lengthy unbeaten League record was going to come to an end tonight.

Substitute Nathan Wood put in a cross from within the right channel, the ball was knocked down by Caney-Bryan at the far post and Font’s left-footed swept shot was comfortably held by Shaw (29:09).

“I think (we dominated) but with no end product and the occasional breakaway and then a breakaway and a breakaway but I’m just disappointed that when you’re in a game like this, the clock seems to go really quickly but it was stop-start,” said Warrilow.

“Johan’s knocked it back and Ponty’s gone with his left-foot and scuffed it, yes, that’s when you’re thinking like, it should’ve been.”

Fellow sub, James Dyer, whipped in a quality left-footed free-kick from the right which was met by Pont’s head from within a crowd of players and once again Shaw made a comfortable catch.

Referee Gerry Heron signalled six additional minutes – but he cautioned three Hassocks players during this time, including goalkeeper Shaw for timewasting and they paid the ultimate price as Faversham Town grabbed a deserved equaliser with 51 minutes and 58 seconds on the clock.  The final whistle was blown by the Scottish referee at 52:59.

Hassocks were showing plenty of desire to prevent the ball crossing their goal-line but there was to be one final chance.

Pont recycled a first time ball back into a crowded Hassocks penalty area, the ball was badly headed away and fell at Campbell inside the box, who fed Parter, who drilled in a cross with his left foot towards a crowd of players and the ball was met by Gunn at the near post who steered his header across his own goalkeeper and into the bottom right-hand corner.

“I know they’re moaning about that (amount of stoppage time). To be honest, the amount of time that they were taking to take throws and goal-kicks or whatever. I’m sort of glad they got a little bit of karma but I would’ve done the same if I was them, there’s nothing wrong with it. But I wouldn’t be moaning too much about how long we’ve played,” said Warrilow.

“But I was just hoping we might scramble a goal prior to the equaliser. We had a couple of good saves and off the lines but they’ve just gone in, just take the three points and get yourself home.

“We’ve scored in 97 minutes and he put six (minutes of stoppage time) up but really in that six minutes they probably wasted another four minutes in that, so it is a little bit of karma.

“I’m glad we’ve not lost but obviously I’m really disappointed with the overall performance – that’s not what we’re about.

“The main thing I will say, we never give up and we’ve come away keeping our unbeaten run going but we’re honest enough and ugly enough to say that’s nowhere near it tonight.”

When asked about the manner the equaliser came, in the shape of a headed own goal, Warrilow replied: “Was that what it was? I thought it was Parts. I just see him whip a cross in. I thought the keeper went down. Did he (Gunn) deflect it in? I didn’t see it. Well, there’s one bit of luck we’ve had tonight!

“Listen, I’m not in the best of moods because I don’t like my teams going out and performing like that, irrelevant of the result.

“Let’s not kid ourselves, we’re going to be poor throughout the season. That’s three now for me that we have been poor so I’m hoping we’re chalking them off early on but we’re getting something out of it.”

Three Bridges (33 points from 15 points) remain at the summit tonight, while the four play-off places are held by Faversham Town, AFC Whyteleafe (31 points from 15 games), AFC Croydon Athletic (27 points from 14 games) and Liam Friend’s Herne Bay (26 points from 15 games).

Warrilow demands a vastly-improved performance when thirteenth-placed side Eastbourne Town (six wins, two draws and seven defeats) visit Salters Lane on Saturday.

“I mean, we’re not going to brush it under the carpet. We’ve given the boys what we thought about it and we’ve opened it up as well but sometimes you need to do that and get the changing room sorted out and don’t take things for granted.

“At the end of the day, we’re joint-top. We look at the bigger picture but we’re not just going to dismiss performances like that because that’s not acceptable.

“We’re fortunate to come away with a point and most important thing is to come in (for training) on Thursday (night) and we go again and come here Saturday and hopefully give the fans a better performance and three points.

“It’s a disappointing night but we’re grateful for the point due to the lateness of the goal.”

When asked about the injury situation at present, Warrilow replied: “Enyie just tweaked his groin on Saturday.  He’s been coming off the last few games with it. He lasted quite a while on Saturday but there’s no point, we’re so early in the season, we’ve got to get it right. We can’t keep starting him and taking him off, so we’ll have a look at him on Thursday and if he’s not right Saturday, we’ll do the same again and get him right for (the trip to Deal Town) next Tuesday. We’ve just got to get him right.

“We’re still waiting on a scan for Callum Davies. Tarriq (Ossai) is still a few weeks away and Frannie Collin’s is still on his boot as you’ve seen tonight.  Jacob Russell (goalkeeper) got to have an operation, we believe.  They’re going to be a little while.”

When asked about Eastbourne Town’s visit at the weekend, the Faversham manager said: “After tonight, I don’t want to say we can’t get any worse than that – but I don’t know. Just get back on winning ways.

“We’ll go through stuff at training, obviously emotions are really high after the game but we’re all here for the same reason. We all want the same thing. We all want the club to succeed. We all want to do well this year and we’re on that path but we know, not if we keep playing like that.

“Tashi-Jay Kwayie will be back. Hopefully Eniye might be back. We’ll address him at the end of the week. A couple of big players there for us and Ben Gorham came back tonight. Ben was at a wedding on Saturday, so I know he was sub tonight.

“James Dyer and Woody, we’ve left them out tonight for a reason. Will there be changes Saturday? I think more likely.”

Tonight proves you have to fight for each and every point in this League (the eighth-tier of English football) – there are no easy games and Eastbourne Town will not lie down and die.

“This League throws results up like that every week.  Overall, we’re 15 games into the season and we’re joint-top, so I’m not going to be too down. I’m obviously disappointed tonight with the performance and apologise to people that have come out to watch it,” added Warrilow.

Faversham Town: Roshan Greensall, Bradley Simms, Frankie Smith (James Dyer 66), Matthew Newman, Jack Parter, Harrison Pont, Kieron Campbell, Aaron Barnes (Nathan Wood 58), Johan Caney-Bryan, Ethan Smith, Tommie Fagg.
Subs: Ben Gorham, Monty Saunders, Ralph Fox

Goal: Matt Gunn 90 (own goal)

Booked: Bradley Simms 61, Johan Caney-Bryam 63, Tommie Fagg 87

Hassocks: James Shaw, Harvey Blake, Joe Bull, Daniel Allen, Matt Gunn, Liam Hendy, Josh Mundy (Harvey Bryan-Enticknapp 86), Morgan Vale (Liam Benson 79), Shay Leahy, Zak Henry (Matthieu Theodore 46).
Subs: Ruari Farrell, Charlie Pitcher

Goal: Morgan Vale 46

Booked: Daniel Allen 71, Joe Bull 90, Liam Benson 90, James Shaw 90

Attendance: 368
Referee: Mr Gerry Heron
Assistants: Mr Jamaal Horne & Mr Liam Dawson