Faversham Town 1-2 Dulwich Hamlet - We're not getting the breaks, admits Justin Luchford

He said: “I’m a little bit lost for words if I’m honest!  I only saw one team on the pitch trying to win the game tonight.  Yes they were quick up front but apart from the two goals I don’t think that Frenchie (keeper Rob French) has had to make a save. 

“We’ve had opportunity after opportunity and their keepers made three great saves – we’ve missed on open goal – but things aren’t going for us at the moment; I cant ask much more than that of my lads.
 
“We probably didn’t work their keeper enough in truth.  We got into decent areas but he’s made the saves from Dane (Luchford) in the first half; he’s then tipped another one from Tom (Hickman) where Shame (Hamshare) missed the open goal, and second half he’s made that save from Danny Lye – we had a few ricochets in the box that didn’t quite get there. 

“We’re not getting that bit of a break – I’m gutted tonight.  Saturday when we drew 2-2 with Worthing I was fuming, and tonight we’ve done enough to win the game and got nothing – this league is madness!”
 
And to be fair to the Faversham boss, he couldn’t have asked much more – maybe a better final ball at times, but apart from that the home side more than held their own against awkward opponents.
 
Indeed the home side were only inches away from a dream start on only 4 minutes. 

Dave Boterill’s free kick was headed back across goal by Lye and Matt Bourne was inches away from heading the ball home, but the ball just eluded him. 

On 12 minutes Hickman’s hustling released Luchford who brought a smart save out of Hamlet keeper James Dunn, before the home side took the lead on 16 minutes. 

Hunt powered his way into the box past Dulwich player boss Gavin Rose only for his initial shot to be well saved by Dunn.  But the Faversham number nine was not to be denied as he bundled the rebound home.
 
The response from Dulwich was swift and decisive.  With Clunis beginning to show the pace and trickery that has attracted the interests of clubs higher up the Ryman League, it was the young winger who levelled on 23 minutes. 

Kevin James whipped in a super ball from the left and Clunis nipped in front of the home defence to shoot, but his shot was brilliantly saved by French – the rebound too was blocked by Clunis was not to be denied and eventually managed to force the ball over the line.
 
On the half hour the home side should have been back in front.  Hunt’s flick found Luchford on the edge of the box and his curling shot forced Dunn into a brilliant low save to his left.  The ball though ran straight to Hamshare who blazed over when it was perhaps easier to score! 

Then on the stroke of half time the visitors took the lead.  Sol Pinnock got on the end of a long Dunn clearance before French did as the Faversham keeper hared off his goal line, and whilst the striker was flat on his back the ball dropped apologetically into the home net. 

When asked where the blame lay, the Faversham boss was in little doubt.  He said: “Both goals are avoidable again tonight – we haven’t cleared the first one properly twice, and for the second one Ashley (Brown) lets one bounce, Rob doesn’t have to come that far out as the balls going away from goal – the lads got to get it under control with our quickest defender only a year behind him, and Frenchie still comes hurtling out of his box.  He’s lucky too because if he’d have collided with the fella and the ball doesn’t go in, he gets a red (card) and its game over! 

“We’ll work on it in the week, and have another chat at training – he’s young and still learning, but he then went and did it again in the second half, and you just think that he doesn’t have to come as to beat Frenchie it has to be one hell of a goal, but he doesn’t realise that! 

“We’ve now conceded nine goals in the League and I reckon that eight of them have been from individual errors.”  Smiling the Faversham boss went on, “We cut them out and we win near enough every game!”
 
To do that though, Luchford will know deep down that his side will have to do better than they did in the second half, for although they almost laid siege to the Dulwich goal, Dunn was only really tested twice. 

On 74 minutes, the keeper did well to hang onto Lye’s low drive as both Hunt and substitute Sam Callender bore down on goal, and then just three minutes from time, Hunt saw his flicked header bring the very best out of Dunn’s reflexes as the keeper turned the ball aside.
 
Deep into stoppage time Dulwich should really have put the icing on this particular cake, only for sub Tom Lancaster to be denied by a near miraculous goal line clearance from Richard Avery after Clunis had got away from the defence and taken advantage of French’s walk about as the keeper missed a clearance outside of his penalty area.
 
After the game, the Faversham boss was philosophical enough to admit.  “Every team in this league will have a good run and a poor one,” he said.  “Met Police may win six or seven on the bounce but there isn’t a team in the league who won’t have a lull at some point. 

“I’m just hoping that this is ours and once we get a win we can put a couple together back to back because we’ve already seen in the league that if you win two you fly up the league.  Win three or four and you’re in a play off place!  And that’s what makes me even more disappointed tonight.”
 
Faversham Town: Rob French, Ashley Brown (Sam Callender 57), Dave Botterill, Tom Hickman, Richard Avery, Matt Bourne, Shane Hamshare, Jake LeBerl (Dave Bathgate 59), Danny Hunt, Dane Luchford, Danny Lye.
Subs: Tommy Hill, Dale Skelton, Giga Zulmatashvilli

Goal: Danny Hunt 16
 
Dulwich Hamlet:  James Dunn, David Moore, Dean Carpenter, Kalvin Morath Gibbs (Osa Obamwonyi 90), Francis Duku, Justin Bowen, Nyren Clunis, Gavin Rose, Jason Pinnock (Tom Lancaster 87), Kevin James, Sol Pinnock (Gerry Gonella 90).
Subs: Ellis Wilson Joseph, Michael Owsto

Goals: Nyren Clunis 23, Sol Pinnock 44
 
Booked: Gavin Rose 79
 
Attendance: 142
Referee:
Assistants: