Kentish Football 
Faversham Town 2-1 Maidstone United - We weren't at the races, admits Jay Saunders
Tuesday 29th November 2011
FAVERSHAM TOWN 2-1 MAIDSTONE UNITEDRyman League Division One South
Tuesday 29th November 2011
Mike Green reports from Salters Lane
August the 23rd was the last time that Maidstone United lost a Ryman League Division One South League game, and it was probably the last time that they produced such a lack lacklustre display.
Second half strikes from Adrian Stone and Justin Ascheri ended the Stones unbeaten League run leaving Ray Turner, the Faversham Town boss possibly the happiest man in Swale as he was obviously delighted at his sides triumph whilst Stones boss Jay Saunders was at a loss to explain his sides poor display, although he was full of praise for the victors on the night.
He said, "Fair play to Faversham on winning tonight - they fully deserved the points. I don’t know what was wrong with us tonight as we really weren't at the races.
“Yes, we were a bit lopsided in midfield but I didn't think that we'd miss Alex (Flischer) as much as we did tonight.
“We had a couple tonight carrying knocks - Baff (Addae) would have started but hurt his back yesterday, but whether or not I try to paper over what went wrong tonight the truth is that we were beaten by the better side and fair play to them - they deserves the win.
“I said after we lost at Whitstable that I'd like us to go on an unbeaten run. Well that got to 14 before tonight - so I'll issue the players with the same challenge, and here's hoping that we can do something."
Naturally enough Turner's response was that of a very happy man.
"It’s certainly our best result of the season," the Faversham boss said, "though I do think that we've played better.
“We were immense all over the pitch tonight but I thought Matt Bourne was immense at the back for us. Bearing in mind that he was up against arguably the best forward in this league (Shaun Welford), I asked to have a leader in there tonight and Matt was certainly that.
“People have said to me just how good we can be. In a way we could have answered that tonight by ending their run - a run incidentally that I'm certain there's no reason that we can go on. We're playing every Tuesday and Saturday in December so without doubt it’s going to be a big month for us."
The game itself was remarkably open for a Kent derby, and Faversham had the first real chance of the game inside the opening five minutes when Matt Bourne who was one of the best players on view on the night glanced a header wide of Kelvin Jack's right post when the games first corner found him.
The Stones first chance came a couple of minutes later when the industrious Michael Phillips curled a free kick beyond the Faversham wall only for Faversham keeper Rob French to pull out a very fine save away to his left.
Set pieces continued to produce the games best chances as on 17 minutes Adrian Stone was unmarked on the end of a deep corner from the right but couldn't keep his header down.
The Stones thought they'd taken the lead on 23 minutes when Alex Waugh headed home a Phillips free kick but the assistants’ flag was raised much to the disgust of the visiting Stones fans, and the Maidstone players who were convinced that the decision was wrong.
Yet within a minute, Faversham new signing and Maidstone old boy Danny Hockton forced Jack into a smart save with a thumping header.
On the half hour, there was a nasty collision between French, Bourne and Welford which left the Faversham keeper on the floor needing treatment that lasted fully three minutes. From the resulting corner, the naturally groggy French could only punch the ball half away, and the ball eventually found its way to Sam Bewick and the midfielders first time drive was just too high.
The Stones thought they'd broken the deadlock for a second time on 38 minutes and this time very few in the ground really disagreed - sadly for Saunders and his side, referee O'Keefe, who didn't have the best of games as he struggled at time to make ground on the vast surrounds of Salters Lane, deemed that the tackle made by Phillips that cost Tom Hickman possession on the right edge of the home box as a foul. Welford not realising curled in a gem from 25 yards and was only thwarted by the late whistle of the official.
The visitors finished the first half on top and on the stroke of half time Ellis Green, who didn't have the best of games compared to his usual high standards, broke through on the end of Phillips' pass, and was only denied by French's right boot as he shot.
The second half though began almost unexpectedly as the home side took the game to the Stones and within six minutes were in front.
Aaron Quain crossed deep from the left, Hockton headed the ball down for Acsheri, who's shot was only parried by Jack and Stone duly prodded the ball home his tenth goal of the season. Whilst his team mates celebrated, Stone simply raised an arm - an indication of the affection he has surely for the Maidstone fans following his spell at the club.
The lead was doubled on 65 minutes when the Stones couldn't cope with Quain down the left and his deep cross found its way through to Ascheri who then drilled the ball beyond Jack's despairing dive and into the bottom corner.
Two down and the unbeaten record teetering, the Stones upped the tempo - Bewick had a free kick fabulously tipped over but by pressing forward gaps developed at the back. And Quain and then Ascheri were both then denied by Jack as they missed chances to seal the points.
And those misses began to possibly look like that they may come back and haunt the home side as Bewick did finally deservedly reduce the arrears nine minutes from time by curling home a free kick.
But try as they might the closest that the Stones came to levelling was when Green's driven cross was only parried by French and just for a split second the goal was gaping but sadly for the visitors it was Bourne who hacked clear.
Indeed but for a near miraculous goal line clearance from Tom Mills, Faversham would have won by more - substitute Simon Brown beat Jack to a clearance only to see his lob cleared off the like by the acrobatic Mills. But by then the damage was done, and Faversham had the points.
Faversham Town: Rob French, Shane Hamshare, Sam Gore, Tom Hickman, James Peacock, Matt Bourne, Justin Ascheri (Simon Brown 85), Dave Botterill, Adrian Stone, Danny Hockton (Ashley Brown 88), Aaron Quain (Dale Skelton 85).
Subs: Tom Axford, Dan Ellis
Goals: Adrian Stone 51, Justin Ascheri 65
Booked: Justin Ascheri 34, Sam Gore 68, Matt Bourne 76, James Peacock 80
Maidstone United: Kelvin Jack, Tommy Osborne, Tom Mills, Danny Lye, Graeme Andrews, Michael Phillips (Baff Addae 64), Ellis Green, Jay Saunders (Sean Johnson 88), Shaun Welford, Alex Waugh (James Pinnock 61), Sam Bewick.
Subs: Karl Knight, Marc Powell
Goal: Sam Bewick 31
Booked: Michael Phillips 63
Attendance: 268
Referee: Mr Michael O'Keefe (Hildenborough)
Assistants: Mr Benjamin Wesley (Dover) and Mr Nicholas Harnett (Ramsgate)
Red Dragon I.T. Ltd