The Lilywhite’s climbed to second spot in the Ryman League One (South) with this soggy Salter’s Lane win, bouncing back in emphatic style following their reverse at Chipstead last time out.

The opening exchanges were fast and furious as one might expect from a local derby and it was Faversham who emerged victorious.

Former Bay player Dean Grant might have put Faversham ahead as early as the 3^rd minute when his drive came back off Jack Delo’s right hand upright.

4 minutes later an intricate move ended with Marsden, another former Blue, side footing against Delo’s body. Sandwiched in between, Joe Nelder blasted above Overland’s crossbar from Hasler’s free kick.

But Dean Grant edged Faversham ahead in the 14^th. Jordan Casey, back helping to defend a Josh Stanford corner on the left, attempted to clear but jumping with Grant only succeeded in cannoning the ball onto the latter’s head and in to the net.

Bay might have equalised but for Overland’s block of Turner’s right sided drive and his push round the post of a Hasler fizzer. Back came Town. Matt Bourne, up for a corner on the left, rose unchallenged to nod home at the back stick, doubling Faversham’s advantage within the space of 11 minutes.

Herne Bay were not done yet though. Within 2 minutes they pulled a goal back. Michael Turner blazed a trail down the right and his cross was swept home by Ben Brown. Indeed, the visitors might have levelled just before the break. Turner was again the provider for Stuart King to beat the offside trap but his shot from an acute angle struck the base of the right hand post.

On this evidence, the second period promised to be entertaining but Faversham found another gear after the restart and put the game to bed with two goals in five minutes.

The first, and Faversham’s third, came just two minutes after the turnaround. Jack Harris pounced on a defensive slip, threaded his way through, and slid the ball under the advancing Delo. In the 52^nd, Wayne Wilson thumped the ball home from the penalty spot after Liam Quinn earned a yellow card for his challenge in the area.

To their credit, Herne Bay continued to push forward but the game was beyond them. Sam Hasler curled a shot wide on 72 but that was their only serious attempt of the half as they slumped to their third successive defeat, plummeting down the league table, whilst the Lilywhites advance upwards.

Bay lost Dan Parkinson to a second yellow card on the stroke of the final whistle; it mattered not by then.

“We were very disappointed with our performance against Chipstead and this was a nice way to bounce back,” said Faversham Town manager Ray Turner, “we looked very solid, created numerous chances, it was comprehensive and considering it was a derby game which are always difficult, it’s a nice way to bounce back from Saturday. Four wins out of six is alright!”

 

Faversham Town: Simon Overland, Aiden Sherlock, George Monger (David Botterill 66), Sam Bewick (Daniel King 74), Matt Bourne, Freeman Rogers, Wayne Wilson, Darren Marsden, Jack Harris, Dean Grant (Renford Tenyue 66), Josh Stanford..

Subs Not Used: Luke Harvey, John Scarborough.

Cautions: None             Sent Off: None

Herne Bay: Jack Delo , Dan Parkinson, Dan Johnson, Michael Turner, Nathan Eastwood, Liam Quinn, Samuel Hasler, Ben Brown (Sam Staunton 75), Jordan Casey (Elliot Cutts 85), Stuart King, Joe Nelder (Steven Ita 58).

Subs Not Used: Harry Brown, James Brown.

Cautions: Liam Quinn, Dan Parkinson     Sent Off: Dan Parkinson (2^nd yellow)

Man of the Match: Matt Bourne (Faversham Town)

Referee: Phillip Rowley Assistants: Karl Sear, Kane Dempster

 

Faversham Town (2) 4

Grant 14, Bourne 25, Harris 47, Wilson 52 (pen).

 

Herne Bay (1) 1

Brown B 27.

 

at Salter’s Lane

Attendance: 178

(Picture supplied by Mark Downs – Faversham’s Dean Grant – white shirt – challenges for the ball)