Faversham Town went out of the FA Cup to the better team on the night and might regret being two up on Saturday and in control but that’s the magic of the cup.

Faversham nearly had the dream start they wanted when after 13 seconds Charley Robertson saw his shot from 20 yards move in the air forcing Jack Turner to push out but only to Dean Grant who chipped it into the net but the offside flag came to Staines’s rescue.

In the 6^th minute Luke Wanadio, who for the rest of the game would cause Faversham no end of problems, picked up the ball and ran forward jinking in and out before shooting over the bar.

In the 14^th minute Staines nearly opened the scoring when Jack Bennett’s free into the area found Mitchell Gough & his downward header forced Robert French to push it around the post & from the resulting corner they did score when Ahmed Abdulla’s corner into the area found Pat Cox who headed in from 5 yards.

How would Faversham react as this was the first time in the tie that they had been behind & in the 18^th minute a breakaway saw Grant on the left cross into the path of Renford Tenyue but his first time shot went wide.

Meanwhile Staines were starting to dominate possession & in the 21^st minute that man Wanadio received a long cross field pass went into the area before shooting forcing French to parry it away, three minutes later Jack Hutchinson received the ball out wide right & went on a mazy run across the 18 yard area before shooting just over the bar.

Another chance came in the 29^th minute when a cross into the edge of the area saw Cox head it down for Hutchinson but he shot over.

Three minutes later in a rare Faversham attack Tenyue passed inside to Wayne Wilson who tried his luck from 30 yards but it went wide.

In the very next minute Jack Bennett passed inside to Hutchinson who under pressure got his shot away but French saved it.

Then in the next minute probably against the run of play Faversham equalised when Ryan Cooper’s long ball found Grant who shrugged off the defender, went into the area before shooting past Turner.

The last two half chances of the half went Staines’ way when first in the 36^th minute Hutchinson running forward saw his shot go over the bar & in the 44^th minute Wanadio & Hutchinson combined in the area with Wanadio’s snap shot hitting the post.

The second half started with Faversham coming out the quicker of the two & in the 50^th minute a Wilson free kick 30 yards out wide on the left curled in avoiding everyone as it went out for a goal kick.

Three minutes later Wanadio was fouled 25 yard out & Bennett stepped up & shot into the net via a small deflection.

Eight minutes later it was three when Bennett received the ball from Ashley Lodge & got to the by-line & his cross was deflected over French for Cox on the far post who headed into an empty net from 3 yards, a minute later Wanadio saw his cross shot hit the top of the bar.

In the 68^th minute Wilson saw his free kick from 25 yards easily saved by Turner. Faversham were now throwing everything at Staines without causing too many problems.

In the 74^th minute a long throw into the area by Cooper found John Scarborough but his header went over the bar.

The next 11 minutes saw Staines have numerous attempts on goal when firstly in the 78^th minute Michael Kalu on the left saw his shot deflect over the bar & 5 minutes later Wanadio saw his shot get deflected forcing French to parry away.

It could & maybe should have been four for Staines when Abdulla crossed to the back post for Kalu six yards out but he headed over.

The last half chance of the game came in the 88^th minute when Jamie Maxted went on a marauding run into the area & his shot was saved by Turner at the second attempt with Maxted following up & inadvertently hitting the keeper which caused about 16 players to get involved in handbags, Maxted was booked by the Referee who seemed to have a very inconsistent game.

 

FAVERSHAM TOWN:

1. FRENCH 2. R.COOPER  3. J.MAXTED  4. W.WILSON   5. M.BOURNE  6. J.SCARBOROUGH  7. C.ROBERTSON 8. G.MONGOR 9.D.GRANT   10. S.KING (65)  11. R.TENYUE

SUBS USED:  12. D.BOTTERILL (65)

SUBS NOT USED:  14. D.CARRINGTON  15. B.DAWABU  16. B.WEBB  17.T.BENHAM

BOOKINGS:  9. D.GRANT (59)  5. M.BOURNE (69)  8. G.MONGOR (79)  3. J.MAXTED (89)

 

STAINES TOWN:

1. TURNER 2. E.FELIX  3. J.BENNETT  4. A.LODGE (86)  5. M.GOUGH  6. J.O’CEARUILL  7. L.WANADIO 8. A.ABDULLA 9. P.COX (73)  10. J.HUTCHINSON  11. P.M’BENGUI

SUBS USED:  12. M.KALU (72)  16. T.VANCOOTEN (86)

SUBS NOT USED:  13. H.CHURCHILL  14. J.BOAKYE  15. A.OKUKEYE  17. C.McALLISTER   18. L.COLLINS

BOOKINGS: 7. L.WANADIO (35)

 

REFEREE:  Mr D.SALIMON

ASSISTANTS: Mr M.MARSH  & Mr J.DOWN

ATTENDANCE: 172