Faversham Town 0-5 Kingstonian - In order to compete at that next level we've got to be able to convert chances, says Faversham Town boss Ray Turner

Faversham Town 0 – 5 Kingstonian
Location	War Memorial Sports Ground, Colston Avenue, Carshalton, Surrey SM5 2PW
Kickoff	06/04/2016 19:30

FAVERSHAM TOWN  0-5  KINGSTONIAN
The Alan Turvey Trophy Final (Sponsored by Robert Dyas)
Wednesday 6^th April 2016
Stephen McCartney reports from Colston Avenue

FAVERSHAM TOWN manager Ray Turner admits losing their first Ryman League Cup Final by five goals is a hard one to take.

Kingstonian went into The Alan Turvey Trophy Final (Sponsored by Robert Dyas) in seventh-place in the Ryman Premier League table with 21 wins, 9 draws and 11 points and at the close of play tonight are two points adrift of Dulwich Hamlet, who occupy the final play-off berth.



CLINICAL CHAMPIONS: Kingstonian are crowned The Alan Turvey Trophy (Sponsored by Robert Dyas) winners after beating Faversham Town 5-0 in the Lilywhites' first Ryman League Cup Final.
Photo courtesy of Kingstonian Football Club

Faversham Town are also chasing a play-off spot in Ryman League Division One South and arrived at Carshalton Athletic’s Colston Avenue in sixth-place in the table, having won 23 games, drawn 8 and lost 11 and are level on 77 points with fifth-placed Hastings United, with four league games left.

This was Turner’s second Final whilst in charge, they suffered a 3-0 defeat at Maidstone United in the Ryman League Division One South play-off final in 2013.

Faversham Town started the game on the front foot on the slick artificial playing surface but Kingstonian were gifted the lead through Ashley Brown’s thirteenth-minute own-goal.

Faversham Town were to be denied an equaliser through a controversial offside decision that cost striker Dean Grant a headed equaliser.

Kingstonian, who defeated title-chasing Bognor Regis Town just 48 hours earlier, doubled their lead on the stroke of half-time through Dan Bennett’s fine strike.

Tommy Williams' side went on to score a flattering three goals in the final 10 minutes of the game, which was harsh on Faversham Town.

The K’s next two goals found the top corner from Bennett (taking his goalscoring tally for the season to 16 goals) and substitute Sean Bonnett-Johnson, before Andre McCollin, who had earlier missed a penalty, swept home a fifth at the death to score his 15^th goal for Kingstonian following his switch from Cray Wanderers, where he scored 14 times for the Ryman League Division One North club.

“You’ve caught me just after the game, obviously very disappointing for the players more than anything because I thought the scoreline certainly has a very flattering one from their perspective.  Take the score a face value it doesn’t look very good but for the ones that were there up until the third goal went in I thought the game was very, very even,” said Turner afterwards.

A crowd of 488 would have seen Faversham Town take the game to Kingstonian and the writing was on the wall as early as 48 seconds in when Faversham Town missed one of their many openings.

The Lilywhites hit Kingstonian on the break and the buzzing Liam King played the ball to Grant, whose left-footed drive sailed over the crossbar from 25-yards.

“The one thing I did speak to the players about is the lesson in finishing,” said Turner.

“We’re trying to aspire to the next level and in order to compete at next level we’ve got to be able to convert our chances. That was the stand out difference on the night.”

Kingstonian’s first opening saw Bennett play the ball out of his own half up to Harold Odametey, who released McCollin down the left and his cross was cut out by goalkeeper Will Godmon, plucking the ball out of the air to his left.

But Kingstonian grabbed the lead following their second corner of the game, the goal timed at 12:03.

Tyron Smith drove in the corner from the right and Faversham left-back Brown sliced his clearance across Godmon, saling into the far corner.

Turner said: “At the start you’re really pleased with the way we’ve started the game. It's a bit of an error. Ashley’s done all he can, he’s got in the way of a corner and he’s played it into the back of the net.”

The Lilywhites won the corner count by 10-5 and George Monger failed to keep his shot down from the edge of the box after the ball came out to him after winger Charley Robertson swung in the ball from the left.

Faversham Town central midfielder Daniel Carrington played a one-two with Grant outside the corner of the penalty area but his left-footed drive sailed over the crossbar.

Robertson’s sixth and final corner of the first half was also cleared out to Monger, who took a touch and skied his left-footed shot high over the crossbar from 25-yards.

Turner said: “You can’t win much at this level if you don’t take your chances!

I’m pleased with the way we played. I think if you look after the first goal we put them under a little pressure and we responded very well.

“We showed composure and I thought we played some really good stuff and the amount of chances we had and the amount of corners against a side from a higher level, we’ve got to take some credit for that.”

But Faversham Town were to be denied a deserved equaliser in the 31^st minute when assistant referee James Hurst made a big mistake.

Ryan Cooper launched a trademark throw-in into the penalty area and yellow-shirted Kingstonian defender Max Hustwick rose to plant his header back from 10-yards, unchallenged at the near post and the ball was headed in by poacher Grant, who was clearly onside, from inside the six-yard box.

Turner was asked his thoughts on the controversial incident.

“I’ve spoken to the ref about it, he ignored the linesman.  The explanation I got from the linesman was different from the explanation he gave on the field,” claimed Turner.

“it takes no time at all for him to go and consult him and the linesman said to me he felt ‘it came off an attacking player, which would’ve made him offside’ – but it certainly didn’t!

“I still don’t know why the goal wasn’t given and I think at the time goals are always crucial and we were well on top and no doubt about it!

“I still can’t really work out why the goal wasn’t awarded!”

Kingstonian played some nice sweeping football which saw striker Reece Beckles play the ball out to winger Bennett, who cut the ball back to Aaron Goode, who whipped in a first time cross which flashed across McCollin inside the penalty area and went behind for a goal-kick.

Clinical Kingstonian doubled their lead with 43:54 on the clock, which gave Faversham Town a mountain to climb.

Goode played the ball up to McCollin, who played a lovely through ball to put Bennett through on goal and he swept his left-footed drive high above Godmon’s left-shoulder to crash the ball into the roof of the net.

Turner admitted: “It summed their night up! I thought their finishing was excellent!

“It's probably the only goal I’m disappointed about actually. I thought the other ones we started trying to get a goal back towards the end of the game and they came on late.

“I’m very disappointed about the timing, it was bad for us just before half-time and I felt we switched off a little bit down our left hand side allowing their full-back to come forward and he slotted the guy in.

“Again, a lapse of concentration and the timing of that goal was really poor for us.”

Turner was asked his thoughts at half-time.

He said: “I was proud of what they did first half. I’ve been proud of what they’ve done all season!

“There’s some young players out there who have done themselves no harm at all in terms of their development and I just felt as though we didn’t want to dwell on the decision. It was a difficult one because it was so pivotal.

“I tried to not let the boys dwell on it and try to play in a positive way and the next goal was crucial. It always is at 2-0 down and we probably should’ve scored it!”

Faversham Town would have played all night without scoring and they went agonisingly close to pulling a goal back inside the opening five minutes of the second half.

Robertson was chopped down on the edge of the penalty area and Monger stroked his left-footed free-kick from 22-yards (on the edge of the D in a central position) which caressed off the top of the crossbar and behind for a goal-kick.

Kingstonian were awarded a penalty in the 55^th minute when McCollin went down under Matthew Bourne’s challenge and referee Ryan Atkin pointed to the spot.

McCollin stepped up and rolled his left-footed penalty past the foot of the right-hand post.

“It was a reflection of the referee. I just felt he was very (quick) to give anything,” said Turner.

“Sometimes it sounds a bit of sour grapes but Charley was debatable in the first half in terms of a penalty. He said he was obstructed in the box and I thought Bourney competed for the ball and when you take that kind of challenge outside of the box, he wasn’t giving those sort of free-kicks and I think he gave it too softly.”

Faversham Town took 59 minutes to get their first shot on target when Kingstonian keeper Rob Tolfrey caught Monger’s left-footed free-kick from 25-yards, as the midfielder tried to find the right-hand corner.

Turner added: “It’s easy for a goalkeeper of that quality, very comfortable for him. It ended up being a very comfortable night for them but I don’t think they had a really comfortable night certainly up until the 60-70 minute mark.”

Man-of-the-match Bennett worked wonders down the right and he laid the ball inside for Goode to drill his shot past the foot of the near post.

Faversham Town missed another great chance to score with 65 minutes on the clock.

Right-back Cooper clipped a long ball out of defence over the top to put Grant through on goal, but the strikers’ right-footed chip sailed past the far post when he only had Tolfrey to beat.

“That was a really good opportunity. I felt had he controlled that the keeper was stranded, that was the story of the night,” admitted a frustrated Turner.

“You could go on all night about the opportunities we created and every single one they’ve created they’ve generally converted!”

Faversham Town continued to press for a crucial goal and substitute Luke Harvey met Bourne’s long ball with a hooked volley from inside the box, which deflected wide.

Robertson swung in Faversham’s eighth-corner of the game from the left towards the near post which was met by Grant’s glancing header, which flashed across the face of goal and no one could get the touch to steer the ball over the line as it went behind for a goal-kick.

Faversham Town knew their luck was out when John Scarborough came up from the back to head against the near post after Monger delivered a deep corner from the right.

At this point, with Faversham Town pressing, you would have bet against K’s scoring three goals in a clinical final ten minutes.

Kingstonian hit Faversham hard, scoring their third goal in the 80^th minute.

McCollin and Bonnett-Johnson linked up well down the right and the ball was played inside to Bennett, who drilled his shot into the top right-hand corner.

“He bent it in to the corner. It was a little bit too easy of the throw-in from my perspective,” said Turner.

“As I say, I’m not going to get too bogged down with the last three goals. I think we’ve got to take a lot of heart out of what we’ve done out of the previous 80 minutes.”

Bennett then played a big part in Kingstonian’s fourth goal in the 85^th minute, bringing the ball under control before cutting into the penalty area with pace to reach the by-line to cut it back.

Peter Dean’s near post dummy rolled into the feet of Bonnett-Johnson, who lashed his first time right-footed drive into the top right-hand corner from 12-yards.

Turner added: “They were able to enjoy the night by then weren’t they?

“Just disappointed in the scoreline because I don’t think it was a reflection of the game, even from a biased point of view.  Most people would accept that it was a pretty competitive, decent game up until that point so doesn’t really do the fella’s justice. 

“I’m disappointed because the scoreline is a hard one to take!”

Clinical Kingstonian added a flattering fifth with two minutes and 49 seconds into time added on when McCollin found space on the left hand side of the penalty area and his low shot deflected off Bourne to find the back of the net to the delight of the celebrating K’s fans behind the goal.

Turner added: “I went to see them play on Monday and he scored two goals out of nothing and he’s done that all his career so it doesn’t surprise me he’s got himself a goal.”

Faversham Town will know if they secure promotion alongside champions Folkestone Invicta that they are to come up against quality like Kingstonian on a weekly-basis in the Ryman Premier League.

“I realised the side we have to improve on is chance conversion and as you go higher and higher you get even less and less opportunities in front of goal,” acknowledged the Faversham Town boss.

“It’s that quality, what it does do it highlights to the players, without me having to say it, it’s the live lesion if you like to the players tonight, they realise now what it will take for us to compete at the next level.

“It will be a big step-up but we’ve also got some young players. I’m really proud of this year and we’ve still got a lot to play for.”

Faversham Town host sixteenth-placed Walton Casuals at Salters Lane on Saturday, before a trip to bottom-seven neighbours Sittingbourne on Tuesday 12 April.

Fourth-from-bottom side East Grinstead Town then host Turner’s men, who could face a make-all-break home showdown against fellow play-off  chasing Hythe Town on the last day of the season.

“Yes, it’s going to be a tough run in, there’s still some quite a few teams in there,” said Turner.

“We’ve done it before. I’ve got full faith in these players to get us in there again. Mathematically we need three wins and a draw to make certain. I think three wins will make us very close to secure that spot.

“We have to keep our discipline, stay focused, really go out and express ourselves and we’ve got plenty to play for and hopefully the chances we’ve created tonight we convert them on Saturday.”

Faversham Town: Will Godmon, Ryan Cooper, Ashley Brown, Daniel Carrington (Luke Harvey 71), John Scarborough, Matthew Bourne, Charley Robertson, George Monger, Dean Grant (Jack Sellens 90), Liam King, Renford Tenyue.
Subs: Jamie Maxted, Bola Dawodu, Daniel King

Booked: Matthew Bourne 55, Charley Robertson 89

Kingstonian: Rob Tolfrey, Aaron Goode, George Wells, Tyron Smith (Lee O’Leary 46), Max Hustwick, Alan Inns, Dan Bennett, Harold Odametey (Ryan Newman 86), Reece Beckles (Sean Bonnett-Johnson 75), Andre McCollin, Peter Dean.
Subs: Sam Page, Ben Dudzinski

Goals: Ashley Brown 13 (own goal), Dan Bennett 44, 80, Sean Bonnett-Johnson 85, Andre McCollin 90

Booked: Andre McCollin 89

Attendance:  488
Referee: Mr Ryan Atkin (Sydenham, London SE26)
Assistants: Mr James Hurst (Peckham, London SE15) & Mr Manny Nketiah (Thamesmead, London SE28)
Fourth Official: Mr Neil Davies (West Hampstead, London NW2)