Honours even on an increasingly soggy night at Salters Lane as the Faversham came from behind to earn a point against a Ramsgate side who appeared in control until a ridiculous sending off on the hour arguably cost Jim Ward’s side all three points.
After a first half that was played at 100mph without a lot of cohesion during which time the visitors had a Luke Girt “goal” chalked off for offside despite the ball taking a huge deflection off a defender as it flew into the net.
When Ian Pulman netted yet another predator strike goal just after half time, the Rams looked on course to record the points.
But on the hour full back Aaron Quain was shown a straight red card for foul and abusive language towards the referee, and that card changed the game for it gave Faversham the impetus they needed – impetus that was helped with the introduction of veteran striker Stuart King, and literally with his first touch, King latched onto a terrific through ball from young Dan Carrington before drilling the ball past Rams keeper Luke Watkins for his fourth goal in his last six games.
The Rams boss afterwards was seething at the actions of his full back; he said, “He’s let himself down, he’s let me down, he’s let his team mates down and he’s let the club down. Don’t worry he’ll be fined for being so stupid!”
“Without a doubt for me that’s two points dropped as we’ve had the better chances even with ten men, but we’ve been pegged back which is disappointing. I’ve had both my regular centre backs out tonight, but I thought that young Kane Smith was outstanding in defence.”
“Add to that I’m missing Smithy (Peter Smith) in midfield and the two subs – Nick Tredwell and Matty Adams – played their first game in three weeks and are now both limping and doubtful for our Trophy game at Thamesmead on Friday night.”
“And then you’ve got Warren Schulz having to come off at half time and our keeper Luke Watkins in the wars again tonight after being battered on Saturday, we really are up against it at the moment!”
For Ray Turner, the Faversham boss, the point came as something of a relief at the end of a tough week for the club after defeats to Carshalton and Guernsey.
“We’ve got to be glad of a point tonight after going behind. But that’s a bit more like it from us as we at last showed some character to come from behind… even if we did have a bit of help!”
The Faversham boss also admitted that he’d been able to draw on experiences over the past couple of seasons agreeing that this season the proverbial boot is on the other foot.
“Where as in the past, I’ve been almost obsessed with being in the Play Off places all season, this time we’re safely in the pack and I know that if we go on a decent run, we will fly up this league.”
“Our obvious difference this season is our scoring, but then again we’re still only a handful of points outside the top six!”
The Faversham boss went on, “One thing I am pleased with is that we’ve managed to put another one of our youngsters – Dan Carrington – onto a contract. You saw some glimpses tonight of what we think he’s got with the ball for Stuart to run onto to score from, yet we see him more as a central defender, but he’s doing us a job at the minute in midfield.”
“He was a youngster at Ebbsfleet before finding his way here which for some proves too much. But Dan is different and has been since he first came in, and I personally think he can play a lot higher.”
“We think he’ll do us proud as a central defender, but he helped us tonight playing in midfield and I’m delighted it was his through ball that Stuart scored from!”
FAVERSHAM – Godman, Cooper, McCallum (Dan King 71), Botterill (Webb 84), Bourne, Scarborough, Carrington, Monger, Grant, Liam King (Stuart King 71), Robertson
Sub not used – Rogers
RAMSGATE – Watkins, MacKenzie, Quain, Smith, Wheatley, Girt, Loynes, Schulz (Treadwell HT), Pulman (Adams 72), Taylor, Rowland (Paxman 63)
Subs not used – Anderson and Vinson