Faversham Town 0-3 Dulwich Hamlet - We haven't put a performance in today, admits Ray Turner

FAVERSHAM TOWN  0-3  DULWICH HAMLET
Ryman League Division One South
Saturday 10^th December 2011
Stephen McCartney reports from Salters Lane

FAVERSHAM TOWN boss Ray Turner says he was disappointed with his players after they failed to live up to expectations as they slumped to defeat against high-flying Dulwich Hamlet.

The south Londoners remain in second place in the Ryman League Division One South table, albeit on goal-difference with Bognor Regis Town, after goals from Dean Carpenter, Ishmail Kamara and Kevin James ensured it was a day to forget for the Salters Lane faithful on a bitterly cold afternoon.

“No excused with the result.  I thought they deserved their win,” said Turner afterwards.

“Obviously the last twenty minutes they were able to really enjoy the game with lots of possession.  We had to chase it a little bit at 2-0 down but I’m disappointed with the reaction of the players’ with the goals going in because we were having plenty of periods of the game.

“I’m disappointed with the players’ today for the first time in a long time.  I think we haven’t put a performance in, where we have put a lot of good performances in recently.”

When asked why, Turner replied, “I need a bit of time to perhaps to put my finger on it, but the levels were well below what is expected of the players’.

“I think the endeavour was there with some of the players’, but our decision making wasn’t up to it today.  We lost a bit of shape in the second half but again that’s through chasing the game, but I’ll have a bit of time to think about it and see if I can put my finger on it and we have to go again (at home to Walton Casuals) on Tuesday.”

Dulwich Hamlet should have opened the scoring with only 28 seconds on the clock when striker James was released down the right flank and his cross was met by his strike partner Kamara, who powered a header over from eight-yards.

But the Faversham manager rued missed chances at crucial moments during the first half.

Tom Hickman fed the ball into Danny Hockton’s feet, who shielded the ball in front of the Dulwich Hamlet penalty area, before cutting the ball back for Hickman, but his left-footed drive from 25-yards flashed agonisingly wide of the right-hand post.

But they were made to pay for that miss, as Dulwich Hamlet grabbed the lead with 09:13 on the clock.

Gangly central midfielder, Ethan Pinnock, played the ball inside to left-back Carpenter, who whipped in a cross with his left-foot from the touch-line from 40-yards, but the ball sailed over Rob French’s head and all the struggling keeper could do was tip the dropping ball into the roof of his own net.

Turner, however, refused to blame his goalkeeper for his miss-judgement.

He said: “Their first goal, which flew in from wide where he tried to cross the ball, we just need to react better to things.

“For a keeper he’s probably set up for a cross as everyone was and it’s flown in, dipped over his head into the far corner.

“I’m sure he’ll be disappointed but I’m not pointing the finger at him.  He’ll go again on Tuesday and I’m sure he’ll be fine.”

However, just 129 seconds following their set-back, Faversham missed an excellent chance to claw themselves back into the game.

Winger, Justin Ascheri, played a delightful through ball which was brought under control by Adrian Stone’s chest, before the striker drove a right-footed drive across visiting keeper Phil Wilson and also agonisingly past the foot of the far post.

Another chance fell the home side’s way in the 16^th minute when Aaron Quain touched a short free-kick to Dave Botterill, who floated in a cross towards the far post but central defender James Peacock’s looping header was clawed away by Wilson.

Faversham have scored only 19 league goals in 18 league games (including today) and it’s the lack of a finishing touch in front of goal that is causing a concern for the boss.

Turner said: “That’s a bit of a story what’s happened for us in recent games and in recent weeks.  Yes, we create chances and we create good chances and we played well in the opening period of the game against a strong side and one has flown in from them from a cross and we haven’t taken ours so it’s no excuses.  We have to take our chances!”

Dulwich Hamlet called French into making a smart save in the 24^th minute when midfield playmaker Peter Adeniyi stabbed the ball forward for Kamara, who turned and unleashed a left-footed drive from 20-yards, which was headed towards the far corner, albeit French dived full-length to his right to tip the ball around the post.

And they had the last chance of the first half when James sent a curling right-footed free-kick from 28-yards over a four-man wall and just past the near post as the striker attempted to find the near corner.

Turner admitted losing central defender, Matt Bourne, to a groin injury just before the break was a blow.

He said:  “That’s a bit of a worry because he suffers and it caused him to miss the end of last season so we have to make a quick assessment on that and see what we can do.

“I don’t think he’ll be available for Tuesday.  He picked up his fifth booking today anyway so it looks like he’s out for a couple of games at least.”

Dulwich Hamlet doubled their lead four-and-a-half minutes into the second half and there was to be no way back for Faversham Town.

Former Welling United winger, Sanchez Ming, released James sprinting down the right and after cutting inside he centred low towards the near post and Kamara smashed a low right-footed first time shot to beat French at his near post.

Turner said he was disappointed with the decisive goal, considering that they have worked on that kind of move in training.

He said: “We started the second half well.  That was their first attack of the second half.  They broke well down the right-hand side and they attacked the near post particularly well – something we’ve been trying to do offensively from our point of view but they’ve executed it very well and scored from it.”

Faversham striker, Danny Hockton, shrugged off Francis Duku’s attentions for the first time in the game to latch onto Botterill’s ball over the top but the much-travelled striker stroked a left-footed shot straight into Wilson’s arms.

A quality through ball from Adeniyi, in between central defenders Ashley Brown and Peacock, to release substitute Frankie Sawyer through on goal, wasn’t tucked away as the striker’s right-footed shot sailed wide of the far post.

Faversham pressed for a little while and after Botterill steamrolled his way through the visiting defence, the ball fell into Quain’s path, but all he could do was send a left-footed drive from 30-yards straight at Wilson, who made a routine catch.

A sweeping Faversham move involving Botterill, Hickman and substitute Simon Brown found Ascheri on the right-hand side and after seeing Wilson off his line, the winger tried his luck with a left-footed drive from 35-yards, which appeared at first to sail over Wilson’s head but the back-peddling goalkeeper recovered to tip the ball over at the last minute.

Turner added: “You’ve got to score goals.  You can see from our record that we’ve not scored enough over the season but I don’t think it’s because we’re not creating chances.

“I think Dulwich Hamlet are a strong side.  They look like they’re going to maintain a really good push for promotion, but as I say when you have your good periods of the game you have to take advantage of it.”

But Dulwich Hamlet wrapped up a clinical victory with twelve minutes remaining.

Kamara’s flick forward released Sawyer, who won a foot-race with Simon Brown, down the right and his cross was initially dummied by Kamara at the near post and the ball fell nicely for James to rifle a right-footed shot across French and into the far corner.

Dulwich Hamlet created a couple more chances towards the end of a comfortable victory in Kent, as Faversham Town slipped down a couple of places to fourteenth place with 23 points from 18 games.

Substitute, Junior Kadi, bent a right-footed free-kick from 25-yards around a three-man wall and the ball caressed the foot of the side-netting and Kamara’s shot was cleared off the line by Faversham substitute defender Ashley Brown after some good work by James.

Faversham endured a miserable journey to league leaders Bognor Regis Town in midweek, as an accident and road closure caused chaos and resulted in the kick-off being put back twice and having to borrow a kit from the West Sussex side and starting the game with a bare 11 men at the ground as they waited for Botterill, Peacock and Ascheri to arrive at the ground, before going down to a 2-0 defeat at Nyewood Lane.

When asked who is the better side of the two title challengers, Turner said: “Difficult to say!  Dulwich were able to enjoy the game because we were much more open at home trying to chase it, where as the Bognor game was really only settled in the last ten minutes. 

“I think Bognor have some really good technical players. Both sides are very strong and very good going forward.  They commit a lot of players’ going forward and I think Dulwich today were very clinical, so they deserve the win.”

Faversham Town: Rob French, Shane Hamshare, Sam Gore (Simon Brown 66), Tom Hickman, James Peacock, Matt Bourne (Ashley Brown 45), Justin Ascheri, Dave Botterill, Adrian Stone, Danny Hockton, Aaron Quain.
Subs: Tom Axford, Dan Ellett, Lewis Craddock

Booked: Matt Bourne 33, Dave Botterill 85

Dulwich Hamlet: Phil Wilson, Kalvin Morath-Gibbs, Dean Carpenter, Peter Adeniyi, Francis Duku, Lewis Goncalves, Sanchez Ming (Junior Kadi 76), Ethan Pinnock (Omarr Lawson 82), Ishmail Kamara, Kevin James, Andre Costa (Frankie Sawyer 62).
Subs: Charles Ofusu-Hene, Michael Chambers

Goals: Dean Carpenter 10, Ishmail Kamara 50, Kevin James 78

Attendance: 178
Referee: Mr Chris Phillips (Carshalton Beeches, Surrey)
Assistants: Mr Patrick Shanahan (Romford, Essex) & Mr Kirk English (Romford, Essex)