Faversham Town KYL U13’s delivered a stunning performance at Faversham Town Football Club on 27 October 2024, securing an emphatic 8-1 victory over Herne Bay FC U13 KYL. The match kicked off at 3:00pm and showcased the home side's attacking prowess and tactical superiority throughout the contest.
Faversham Town lined up in a 3-1-4-2 formation, designed to provide a solid defensive base while allowing for fluid attacking transitions. Owen Ross took his place in goal, shielded by a back three consisting of Connor Midgley on the left, Olivier DeLemos in the centre, and Freddie Critcher on the right. Charlie Lyonette operated as the lone central midfielder, tasked with linking play and providing support to the attacking quartet ahead of him. On the flanks, Ryan Cairns and Oskar Gurney occupied the right and left attacking midfield roles respectively, while Vinnie Rule and Asher Adisa played centrally behind forwards Nikolai Hualca Da Silva and River Faulkner.
The substitutes for Faversham Town included Liam Rich, Timmy Adenji, Bobby Davin, Toby Lovell, and Harrison Holbrook, who would later play pivotal roles in the match.
The game began with an early setback for Faversham Town as Herne Bay FC took the lead in the 8th minute, scoring with a header that caught the home defence off guard. However, the home side responded swiftly, with River Faulkner equalising in the 16th minute. Faulkner met a precise cross from Ryan Cairns, directing a powerful header into the net to level the score.
Just two minutes later, Faulkner struck again, showcasing his clinical finishing ability and putting Faversham Town ahead. The momentum shifted firmly in favour of the hosts, who continued to press for more goals. In the 19th minute, a substitution was made due to injury, with Liam Rich replacing the unfortunate Freddie Critcher. With Oskar Gurney returning to his usual position, Rich provided strength in the midfield with Vinnie Rule, creating a flurry of scoring opportunities throughout the fixture.
As the first half progressed, Faversham Town maintained their dominance, and River Faulkner completed his hat-trick just after the break, scoring again in the 36th minute. The relentless pressure from the home side was evident, and they extended their lead further when Nikolai Hualca Da Silva found the net in the 43rd minute, assisted by Timmy Adenji, who had just come on.
Da Silva was not done yet, as he added another goal in the 47th minute, this time with an assist from Vinnie Rule. Faversham Town's attacking display was relentless, and River Faulkner added his fourth goal of the match in the 48th minute, leaving Herne Bay FC reeling.
With the scoreline at 6-1, Faversham Town made further changes in the 55th minute, bringing on Asher Adisa for Ryan Cairns and Bobby Davin for Oskar Gurney. Just two minutes later, Toby Lovell replaced River Faulkner, who had put in a remarkable performance.
The substitutions continued as Harrison Holbrook came on for Nikolai Hualca Da Silva in the 59th minute. The fresh legs continued to add energy to Faversham Town's attack, and in the 61st minute, Toby Lovell scored, assisted by Asher Adisa, further extending the lead to 7-1.
Harrison Holbrook capped off the scoring in the 68th minute, netting the eighth goal for Faversham Town with another assist from Asher Adisa. The match concluded with a resounding 8-1 victory for Faversham Town, a testament to their attacking flair and cohesive team play. The home side's performance will surely be remembered as one of their finest displays of the season with River Faulkner walking away as man of the match.
