Attendence:89

Holmesdale: Chick 43

Holmesdale finally played against Faversham Town in the league after a number of postponements earlier this season. The teams of course had met in the League cup over two legs with Faversham narrowly going through 2-3 on aggregate to the semi final. With the top 6 or so places in the league looking tighter than ever, except for leaders Hythe and the Dalers themselves, no doubt all the other teams had one eye on this tricky fixture. The Lilywhites had thrashed lowly Beckenham town 2-7 in their last game and Holmesdale were coming off certainly one of their worst, if not the worst, performance against Greenwich Borough. The football gods had been kind and that match was drawn despite the unconvincing play of Holmesdale Unquestionably this tie was going to take a lot more to ensure something from the game. There was not only a change of personnel but also a change on formation to the line up as the visitors attempted to stay in touch with league leaders Hythe Town.

With an extra man in midfield and wide men Chick and Hatt, Holmesdale wasted no time in applying what had been planned before the game. Central to this was the returning Thompson in midfield who as soon as he was on the ball looked to release Chick in particular to run at the full back. At just the second attempt this was executed well and Chick won a corner. The home side, who are strong at set pieces, managed to clear but were on the back foot moments later as they conceded a free kick just in the last third. Jason Thompson fired it towards the box in what has now become his trademark fashion. The home side cleared to the left and Chick wasted no time in delivering again only for another Lilywhite header. The attack finished with Maloney trying from outside the box. His effort went way over the bar.

Town had their first meaningful attack after a spell of pressure by the visitors. Craig Thompson and Hamshare for the home side played a one two and were on the edge of the box when Nicoli made his intervention. The ball was kept in and Hamshare’s cross fortunately beat everyone in the box. In an attempt to come back into the contest the Lilywhites were competitive and turned the game into a bit of a scrap. For a short spell it was more like head tennis than football as no one had time or space to create much. The Dalers’ next chance came when the lively Chick made something out of nothing. He won the ball back from a hesitant midfield and was back on the gas going at his opponent.

He beat the first and then his cross was slightly deflected by a second defender and Semakula was on his heels and just did not react. In failing to attack the ball he missed out on a chance to at least force a save out of Readings. The pressure was starting to show a few cracks in the Faversham defence. Semakula nicked the ball on the half way line and Corneille joined in and another attack was on. Paul tried a shot from the edge of the box, it hit a defender, Corneille followed up and it fell to Thompson, whose strike was also blocked by Lilywhite bodies. Then, in the closest thing to a contentious moment in the half, Maloney brought down his man as Town tried to break. He was just beaten to the ball and the collision flattened both players, Faversham supporters and their bench wanted blood. The frustration was just a sign that they had not really been in the game and they should have been behind moments later.

Thompson found Chick and he resumed the now frequent torment of the full back. He fired a cross in and it was just away from Semakula who tried to get something on it and did divert it into the path of Hatt. Some how he put it over from just two yards out, when surely it was easier to score. A little bit of luck for the Lilywhites and they went on to have their best chance after winning a free kick. The chance fell to Abel and Harwood blocked his effort at the far post. Holmesdale were on the attack again from the keepers throw. Hatt played it up towards Greaves and Semakula and the centre forward spun his man and burst forward. He stretched his legs and had options but only had eyes for goal. Readings began to close the angle and defenders were also closing in as Greaves got the ball out of his feet. It was over run just a moment and he managed to flick across into the path of Chick, who calmly tapped it in for a deserved lead.

0-1 43 mins.

The half ended with concern for Corneille who was carried off with a injury after a very heavy, but fair challenge in midfield. Stares was introduced to see the visitors to the break with their advantage.

0-1 45 mins.

The second half saw changes for the Lilywhites as they tried to make an impact in the game. The Dalers were giving away free kicks and Town wasted no time in loading the big guns forward to challenge in and around the box. The home team continued this tactic from throw ins, corners and other soft fouls given away but this was the defence that has been mean in allowing goals against them. Harwood did make a last ditch tip around the post from a flick on after a long throw but it may have been creeping wide. In truth he had very little to do unlike his opposite number who was unquestionably busier and made a string of excellent saves to keep the home side in with a shout. Harwood threw out releasing Stares on the break who set the ball for Chick and his cross was cleared but Town did not get control of the ball and the Dalers forced a corner. It was played short and Thompson had two efforts on goal, the first was blocked and the second was well over.

He was purely finding his range as on the next attack the home side were pulled apart again. Another Chick cross came in but this one was to long for everyone, it was retrieved by Hatt and his ball in was headed out a good 25 yards. Thompson hit a peach of a strike that was top corner bound. Kevin Readings tipped it onto the cross bar, an incredible save. It should have inspired his team mates, however they could not keep hold of the ball long enough to stretch the visitors. The Lilywhites had never been able to find a way through the extra man in midfield and a solid looking back four. Greaves was to narrowly miss out on two chances to increase the score as he was played through by a Semakula and Hatt combination. Reading was quickly off his line to make another quality telling stop. Perhaps his play earned him some luck on the next key moment. The ball was cleared by Maloney and Greaves looked favourite to get there. Readings had decided to come out and he did force the striker wide towards the side line.

The striker kept the ball and came inside a defender to shoot from thirty yards plus at an open goal. Readings was still running back as Greaves’ effort curled away from the empty net and just wide. There was relief for Town supporters who must have realised there was more chance of a second goal than an equalizer coming. And there were more indicators of this with yellow and green shirts every where. Chick chased anything that looked like a lost cause and often pinched the ball. Greaves too was on hand and had run his socks off all night looking for his 16th league goal of the season. Readings made one final stop from a counter attack which Chick took on and turned his man only to find the big frame of the keeper at his feet.

Faversham never looked like they could make the visitors pay for missing chances and to be fair were well beaten despite the final score line. A well earned three points which put the Dalers top of the league with Deal snatching a win at home to Hythe.

0-1 90 mins.

Holmesdale

DANNY HARWOOD (C) (7.0), RUSSELL BEDFORD (8.0), CHRISTOS NICOLI (8.0), JOHN MALONEY (8.0), TOM McQUADE (8.0), JASON THOMPSON (7.0), CHARLIE CORNEILLE (7.0), PAUL SEMAKULA (7.0), JOEL GREAVES (8.0), BEN CHICK (8.5), CHRIS HATT (7.0)

Substitutes: R.PACEY, M.STARES (6.5), L.M SANGA (6.5), S. O’ROURKE (6.5) 17 R. MITCHELL (gk)

HJ Sullivan 26/02/2009