Holmesdale picked up a hard earned point against pre-season favourites Faversham thanks to a late equaliser from Jack Church in an entertaining game at Oakley Road on Saturday. 

Faversham got the game off to a perfect start when early pressure saw Nathan Wood brought down in the box by Tony Musoke and Samuel Hasler stepped up to send the ball high into the top left hand corner of the net putting Town 1-0 up.

The visitors continued to press from there with a corner being eventually scrambled away and Halser firing over from range. The Dalers first chance came midway into the first half when DeAndre Williams had a shot saved by Jacob Russell low down to his right after a god run into the area. As the game opened up, Callum Davies headed over from corner for the visitors and Kie Douglas had a free kick saved at the other end.

Late in the half Dale keeper Cam Hall made a brave save on the edge of the area at the feet of Tashi-Jay Kwaiye as he broke clear of the home defence and keep the score at 0-1. 

The second half started with Faversham pressing again, Kwaiye heading chance against the post from a long throw and Halsler driving wide from range.

The game evened out as The Dalers battled their way back into things, Lewis Heywood heading wide. Dale keeper Hall had to undergo treatment after being caught by Kwaiye as he made a clearance. Kieron Campbell had a shot tipped over by Hall soon after, before Holmesdale rallied again and came back into things. After a spell of pressure Jack Church fired a free kick over from 25 yards, before both sides created chancea as the game headed into the final fifteen minutes.

Kwaiye had a shot saved by Hall, before at the other end Russell made a good save to deny Tom Osel from a corner at close range. Osel had a shot blocked as Dale pressed for an equaliser, before their efforts were finally rewarded on 86 mins, when a long ball into the box from Macaulay was knocked down by Osel and volleyed home by Church from ten yards out to make it 1-1.

Faversham tried to press late on, but Dale held out and in the end the points were shared in an enthralling game.                    

Holmesdale: Hall, Macaulay, Musoke, Evans, Smart, McNamee, D Williams, Ward, Heywood, Douglas, O Williams. Subs: Bayford, Brown, Aldous, Osel, Church. 

Faversham: Russell, Ossai, Simms, Hasler, Davies, Gorham, Wood, Kwaiye, Thompson, Bennett, Campbell. Subs: Collin, Muggeridge, Newman, Rooney, Piper. 

Goals: FTFC – Halser 2min pen. HFC – Church 86mins  

HT 0-1 FT 1-1

Att:    70