Trophy tie left in the dark

Faversham Strike Force’s Friday-night lights went out prematurely as their Kent Senior Trophy clash with West Wickham was abandoned after a floodlight failure.

The match was five minutes into extra-time when Salters Lane was plunged into darkness with the sides locked at 1-1 - and with no quick fix possible, they now face a replay.

In a portent of what was to come, the Force also failed to spark in the first half and couldn’t complain about going into the interval a goal down, although some late chances hinted at a revival.

They came out much improved but struggled to make their pressure tell until the 85th minute when Tom Barton latched on to Adam Benfield’s cross to equalise - much to the delight of a crowd of 156, which was their second-biggest home gate this campaign. The lights then went out, leaving boss Stuart Benfield to rue what might have been. “We were lucky to come into half-time only one down but the character of the boys came through and it was gutting that the lights failed,” he said. “I would like to thank everyone for their support. It really helps, having a 12th man.”

A new date for the Trophy tie is yet to be confirmed.

A tough afternoon saw Canterbury City exit the Kent Senior Trophy, losing 5-3 at Croydon.

City took the lead with a fine Harry Bradford header on 26 minutes but the hosts equalised just before half-time when Ryan Palmer sneaked the ball in from a near-post corner.

The visitors regained the lead just a minute later, however, when Dan Haastrup fired home and they maintained that advantage into the break. Croydon started the second half poorly but equalised out of the blue with a cracking effort from David Green, making the score 2-2.

With extra-time looming, City were reduced to 10 men with Luka Radojevic red-carded, which gave the hosts a firm advantage and they capitalised on it with two quick goals, as James Ayetine firstly chipped the City keeper and then forced in another at the far post. Rob Lawrence pulled Canterbury back into it at 4-3 but, in the last minute of extra time, City were reduced to nine men when a last-man challenge by Luke Illsley was red-carded, with Ayetine stepping up to dispatch the resulting penalty for his hattrick.

City manager Dan Lawrence was rueful after the game. He reflected: “It’s a really difficult place to go and, for an hour,

I thought we were very good. “We had a game plan and the boys stuck to it but, when they scored a bit out of the blue, we went into our shells a bit and stopped doing the right things. We are disappointed we didn’t go on to win the game but one thing I can’t fault is the effort and commitment of our players.

“Even with 10 men, we stayed in the game and always had a chance.” Canterbury return to Division 1 action on Saturday when they host play-off occupants Larkfield & New Hythe at Margate’s Hartsdown Park, while Strike Force are scheduled to be at home to struggling Greenways.