Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Keeper grabs dramatic winner
Ryman League
Keeper Will Godmon scored a last-minute winner from his own half to keep Faversham Town’s promotion hopes alive.
With 90 minutes on the clock and the Lilywhites drawing 1-1 at home to Chipstead in Ryman League, Division 1 South on Saturday, Godmon stepped-up to take a free-kick from five yards inside his own half.
The high ball drew Chips keeper Anthony Kozakis from his line but under pressure from Town players as well as his own defenders, the keeper was beaten by the flight and the ball bounced into the net to spark wild scenes at Salters Lane as Town completed a comeback from 1-0 down with 18 minutes to go.
After the first half was dominated by the home side, it was the relegationbattling Surrey side who took the lead on 70 minutes when a goalmouth scramble allowed Derek Tieku to slot past Godmon from close range.
However, two minutes later, Kozakis was beaten by another high ball as a deep free-kick from Charley Robertson deceived the keeper and found the net.
The crucial three points left Town sixth, one point outside the promotion play-off places ahead of last night’s (Wednesday) trip to South Park.
Fourth-placed Herne Bay’s playoff hopes were hit by a 4-2 defeat to Dorking Wanderers, which allowed the chasing pack to close the gap.
Bay took the game to Dorking and within five minutes keeper Slavomir Huk had to keep out a corner. Dorking’s first attack on nine minutes resulted in a goal when Dan Johnson was adjudged to have brought down Ben Dyett in the area allowing Tom Tolfrey to fire past Jack Delo from the spot. Bay continued to press in search of a leveller and just before the break, James Turner netted from close range after a Danny Walder corner.
Dorking started the second half strongly and on 49 minutes Tolfrey turned Michael Turner before firing past Delo to restore Bay’s lead.
Bay tried to find a second but could not find a breakthrough and on 65 minutes it was 3-1 when sloppy defending allowed Dean Gunner to slot past Delo.
Mark Lovell headed over a Walder corner with the goal at his mercy 10 minutes from time and Wanderers added a fourth seven minutes later when Jake Beecroft spotted Delo off his line and lobbed him from 35 yards before a last-minute penalty consolation from Walder reduced the deficit.
Whitstable produced a battling display in new manager Scott Porter’s first game but fell 1-0 to Worthing courtesy of a penalty early in the second half.
The Oystermen included new signings Craig Thompson, Jamie Collado and Michael Yianni and piled on early pressure, although Liam Dawes and Ira Jackson caused problems and Matt Piper and Dawes shot over at the other end.
The Rebels had one cleared off the line after the break before Ben Pope went down in the box allowing Dawes to beat Dan Eason from the spot.
Jackson was crowded out in the box and Worthing keeper Rikki Banks kept out several shot as Town finished the stronger, although they couldn’t prevent a 32nd defeat in 38 games.