Faversham Town 0-2 Ramsgate - Justin Luchford slams Jim Ward over penalty miss bust-up

FAVERSHAM TOWN  0-2  RAMSGATE
Ryman League Division One South
Tuesday 22^nd March 2011
Mike Green reports from Salters Lane

A GOAL in each half meant the points from this Kent derby headed back down the Thanet Way to Southwood, as Jim Ward’s Ramsgate inflicted Faversham Town’s first defeat in a League Kent derby this season.


But the Rams boss left Salters Lane with his ears ringing after a stinging post match attack by his opposite number Justin Luchford which followed Jack Baldwin’s 86^th minute penalty miss for the home side. 

Luchford said, “I’m so disappointed in Jim Ward that its unbelievable!  I said to our lads beforehand that you’ve got to give their manger respect for all the trophies he’s won and done well at Ramsgate, Maidstone etc., and I take all that back! 

“We’re two nil down and a young lad (Baldwin) has the nerve to stand up and take a penalty at 17 years old.  He misses the penalty as penalty takers do from time to time, and as he’s gone up the other end, the games now won (by Ramsgate); three minutes to go and he’s turned round and said to that lad “good penalty son!”  Does a seventeen year old need that from an opposing manager at that point of the game?  I don’t think so!  I don’t think so.”

 The Rams boss on the other hand spoke before Luchford had emerged from the dressing room and said: “Were on a bit of a run since Boxing Day – we’ve lost one against in my opinion the best team in the League – and we’ve come here tonight really thin on the ground (the oldest of the players on the bench was nineteen along with two seventeen year olds.  So we knew that the eleven on the pitch had to finish the game – I’m really pleased – I thought we defended well with the only saves that our keeper having to make all night was one-on-one and some dangerous free kicks that their left back kept putting in.  The boy put in some lovely free kicks and then made a hash of the penalty!  It’s sad for him but its our three points!”

 It was a strange night at Salters Lane as for the first half hour the game was controlled by the home side with the visitors always looking to strike on the break. 

On 16 minutes, Justin Ascheri fired a low drive into the side netting before five minutes later he received a poor clearance from Rams keeper Jack Smelt and was unlucky to see a 35 yarder sail just past the post! 

Michael Scott, on his full debut for the home side after a season threatening operation before Christmas, then fired in a dipping shot that just didn’t dip enough before the visitors opened the scoring with their first real sortie on goal. 

A long ball forward found Lovell still with plenty of work to do, but in a flash he was past two defenders before firing high beyond the well beaten Simon Overland in the home goal from the edge of the box – Dad Steve the former Welsh international striker looking on looked suitably impressed.
 

Then just ninety seconds later came the moment that turned the game.  A throw down the Faversham left found Dane Luchford who clashed with Rams full back Curtis Winnett and resulted in Winnett falling to the ground. 

Referee Mr Baker, who was perfectly placed it has to be said, immediately brandished a red card to the Faversham player – even if the decision did mystify many of the crowd who were close by. 

When questioned after the game about the sending off, perhaps understandably the two managers opinions differed! 

Rams boss Ward said, “From where I was I saw the guys elbow come up and saw my player go straight down and his nose was all over his face so – the referee’s seen it and he’s off.  It looked like an elbow to me – whether he meant it or not; I’m too far away to know.”

Faversham boos Luchford wasn’t happy as he explained, “I went to the referee’s Respect meeting that we all went to the other week and Neale Barry – the head of the referees - stood up and described the incident where a player should be sent off for using an elbow,” as he demonstrated by raising his arm. 

“Whatever Dane’s done his arms aren’t raised – that’s for starters and he’s tried to protect himself as he’s getting the ball.  That’s a weak sending off for me!” admitted a clearly frustrated Faversham boss. 

“And then after that there’s got to be six or seven times when the referee’s given a free kick for them having their arms raised for a header.  Now, by the laws of the game he should be booking the first one – it’s not a sending off offence.  But when you get the same player doing it time and time again there’s a lack of consistency and I really thought that the referee was awful tonight I really did.  And I don’t think his linesmen have helped either.  The sending off changed the game no two ways about it.”

For all the controversy, the home side could and perhaps should have been level before the break as on 43 minutes, Tom Hickman’s driven pass released substittue Dan Ellett who raced clear only to be denied by the legs of Rams keeper Smelt. 

And the home side even went close from the resulting corner as a startled Smelt just about kept out Matt Bourne’s header.

After the break both sides tried to cancel each other out and there were few clear chances, although the best of them did fall to the visitors. 

On 46 minutes, Stuart Vahid was unlucky to see a header drop wide after he’d beaten Overland to Winnett’s cross. 

The game was effectively won on 74 minutes and this time Lovell turned provider as he raced clear down the right to deliver the perfect cross for Mitchell Sherwood to powerfully head past Overland – a move and a goal that left their manager purring. 

Ward admitted, “I haven’t seen him (Lovell) do that for us yet – the breakaway past their two centre halves for the first goal; go on a run – I’ve seen him finish like that but all that pace?  He reckons he’s been running up and down ladders all week – it really was a great goal.  And then the cross was right on Sherwood’s head – the Dynamic Duo!” said the canny Scot with a huge grin on his face!

Then on 86 minutes came the penalty that began the chain of events that so incensed. 

Hamshare was ”adjudged” to have been fouled by the otherwise fault less James Gregory, only for Baldwin to see his spot kick saved by Smelt – justice in the eyes of the visitors boss, “I thought the penalty was soft, but then I would as I’m the manager of Ramsgate!” Ward said. 

There have been many this season who have compared the impact that Faversham have made in their debut Ryman League season to that of Ramsgate’s own – a comparison that Ward agreed with. 

He said, “There are comparisons aye – they get the ball forward quick they support very well – doing what they do they do it very, very well!”

Faversham Town:  Simon Overland, Shane Hamshare, Jack Baldwin, Tom Hickman, Ashley Brown (Dan Ellett 16), Matt Bourne, Dane Luchford, Dave Bathgate, Justin Ascheri, Jake Leberl, Michael Scott.
Subs: Richard Sinden, Dave Boterill, Dean Grant, Rob French

Booked:  Dave Bathgate 52, Shane Hamshare 58

Sent Off:  Dane Luchford 32

Ramsgate:  Jack Smelt, Curtis Winnett, James Gregory, Ollie Gray, Liam Quinn, Ben Laslett, Mitchell Sherwood, Warren Schulz, Mark Lovell, Simon Pettit, Stuart Vahid.
Subs: Joe Taylor, Brett Mills, George Amber, Jack Kirkby, Luke Furness

Goals:  Mark Lovell 30, Mitchell Sherwood 74

Booked:  Warren Schulz 39 

Attendance: 170
Referee:  Mr Neil Baker (Welling)
Assistants:  Mr Nicholas Dunn (Deal) & Mr Michael Marsh (Herne Bay)