Faversham finally beat a battling Westfield in dramatic fashion to progress to the next round of the Cup where they will play Leatherhead.

This game showed why the F.A.Cup is the best competition in the world as the underdog nearly progressed to the next round in controversial circumstances but justice was done & Faversham progress.

The game started with Faversham taking the game to their lower league opponents & in the 5^th minute Josh Stanford on the right crossed to Sam Berwick who from 20 yards saw his shot go just wide.

Three minutes later the ball was played long for Renford Tenyue who passed out wide to Stanford whose cross into the area found Dean Grant but his header flew past the post.

In the 10^th minute Bewick sent Tenyue through & from an acute angle Craig Bradshaw palmed it away & in the very next minute a long ball forward found Grant who controlled it before passing to Tenyue but his shot went wide, another half chance came in the 13^th minute when Berwick received the ball 25 yards out & his shot went over the bar.

In the 20^th minute Faversham could have taken the lead when Stanford & Tenyue combined on the left side with Stanford’s low cross into the six yard box where Bewick was & his side foot effort on the run saw Bradshaw make a remarkable reflex save.

Faversham were in total control but they might rue their missed chances & in the 25^th minute Westfield took the lead with their first real foray into the Faversham half when Ben Placito received the ball on the right & his cross to the back post saw Simon Overland miss it & it came to Shaun Elliott who from 6 yards shot into an empty net.

Up to half time Faversham kept going & in the space of two minute’s , the 35^th a Stanford throw in found Darren Marsden who from 20 yards shot over the bar & in the very next minute Tenyue latched onto a long ball went into the area & his shot was deflected for a corner.

The last half chance of the half came in the 40^th minute when a Wayne Wilson corner found Grant at the near post but his flicked shot went into the side netting. Half time arrived & boss Ray Turner had some work to do to keep his team going without feeling sorry for themselves.

The second half started with Faversham bringing on Dave Botterill on for George Moncur & in the 47^th minute a Wilson corner saw Botterill head wide from eight yards.

In the 55^th minute Faversham had a glorious chance to equalise when a long thro into the area was half cleared to Stanford whose shot from 18 yards was deflected over the bar by Dale Burnham.

The controversial moment of the game came in the 62^nd minute when Stanford broke free & as he ran towards the goal Bradshaw came running out of the area & Stanford tried to push the ball past him Bradshaw who seemed to handle it which would have seen him red carded but neither the referee nor his assistant saw it.

The crowd on the opposite side to the dugouts could not believe this had happened & both officials did get the bird from the crowd & also would that just sum up Faversham’s day.

The game then went into a quiet spell & it seemed that Westfield were going to get the victory through good defending & luck. In the 83^rd minute another chance went a begging as Stanford’s cross to the edge of the area saw Bewick’s flying header go just wide, then with time running out Faversham finally got their equaliser in the 90^th minute & what a goal, Jamie Maxted ran on to a clearance & from 30 yards the ball flew into the back of the net.

Faversham were mighty relieved & were thinking about the replay when in the 4^th minute of added time saw Luke Harvey received the ball on the edge of the area & he turned the defender & went into the area when Alex Joyner fouled him & a penalty was given, up stepped Wilson who coolly hit it into the bottom left hand corner.

The final whistle went & relief all around the Shepherd Neame Stadium as Faversham won this game in dramatic fashion.

FAVERSHAM TOWN:

1. S.OVERLAND  2. A.SHERLOCK  3. G.MONCUR (45)  4. S.BEWICK  5. M.BOURNE  6. J.SCARBOROUGH 7.  W.WILSON  8. D.MARSDEN (52)  9. R.TENYUE (73)  10. D.GRANT  11. J.STANFORD

SUBS USED:  14. D.BOTTERILL (45)  16. J.MAXTED (52)  12. L.HARVEY (73)

SUBS NOT USED:  15. F.ROGERS  17. D.HOCKTON  18. R.PERKINS

BOOKINGS; 7. W.WILSON (43)

 

WESTFIELD:

1. C.BRADSHAW  2. D.BURNHAM   3. J.HOLLING (75)  4. M.BEARD (78)  5. R.SHERIDAN  6. J.MARINER 7. L.PARRINGTON  8. L.BEALE  9. B.PALITO  10. S.LYDON (65)  11. S.ELLIOTT

SUBS USED: 12. N.ADAMS  15. A.ROSE (75)  14. A.JOYNER (78)

SUBS NOT USED: 13. D.HILL  16. A.BLAKE

BOOKINGS:  2.D.BURNHAM (32)  14. A.JOYNER (90+4)

 

REFEREE:Mr A.STACCHINI

ASSISTANTS: Mr R. O.SULLIVAN & Mr O.BENTLEY

ATT: 139