Ray Turner’s Faversham Town took the Boxing Day spoils as they back down the A2 after a relatively comfortable derby win against a Chatham Town side whose defeat was their ninth home League defeat of the season!

But for Faversham, the points move them level on points with fifth placed Herne Bay before Sam Denly’s side face arch rivals Whitstable Town on Holiday Monday.

The game itself never really got going as a spectacle after Renford Tenyue drove home the games only goal just past the quarter hour – the Faversham man given too much room on the edge of the box before giving Jack Bradshaw in the Chats goal no chance.

One problem that Kevin Horlock seems to have inherited since he took over is the lack of goals, and the boss would again have been frustrated at the lack of clear chances that his side created in the opening half. That said from his sides best moment, Faversham keeper William Godmon pulled off a great save to deny Austin Edwards from the angle after Richard Davies had done well down the right.

Then it was Bradshaw’s turn – making a terrific stop to deny Jamie Maxted’s low shot after great interplay from Liam King. From the resulting corner, only Ryan Cooper will know how he didn’t double the visitors lead, as his header (from George Monger’s corner) flashed inches wide of the left post!

The same pattern followed after the break as Chatham huffed and puffed for no reward as the visitors always looked comfortable without really testing the home keeper too often!

Indeed the home side’s best moment of the half came early on when from a terrific Reece butler cross, Charles Ofusu-Hene beat the offside trap on to send an unmarked header wide from around six yards out.

The Chats weren’t helping themselves as they tried to get back into the game and they were very lucky when Davies and Bradshaw got in a muddle leaving the keeper to give the ball away to Dan Carrington who was unlucky to see his shot deflect wide. The visitors still could have doubled their lead late on following the move of the match – King and Carrington combined really well, and from Carrington’s lay off Cooper’s drive shaved the outside of the post with an angled drive that was a joy to behold!

So Faversham continue their Play Off hunt, whilst Chatham are still struggling to come to terms with the rigours of the South after their exile in Ryman North. 2016 holds many challenges for both clubs…

CHATHAM – Bradshaw, Davies, Butler, Difford (Jeffrey), Knight, Hickey, Ofusu-Hene, Loft, Gacheru (Medley), Gundry, Edwards

Subs – Osei, Holder, Collins

FAVERSHAM – Godmon, Cooper, Maxted, Botterill, Bourne, Brown, Carrington, Monger, Tenyue (Stuart King), Liam King (Scarborough), Robertson (Dawodu)

Sub – McCallum