Match Report: Worthing 3-0 Faversham Town

Worthing beat ten-man Faversham Town 3-0 in the play-off final on Saturday to secure promotion to the Ryman Premier Division.

Rebels took the lead in just the sixth minute when Brannon O’Neill curled in directly from a corner before Luke Harvey was shown a straight red card in the 19th minute.

Gary Elphick tapped in from close range as Worthing doubled their lead midway through the first half and it remained 2-0 until half-time.

The second half was tense like the first, but Jordan Maguire-Drew fired in from ten yards in the 69th minute to effectively seal promotion before Rikki Banks saved a penalty.

Worthing were unchanged from the side who beat Hythe Town 7-0 on Tuesday night while Sam Carrington, cousin of Rebels legend Ben Carrington, started for the visitors.

Within five minutes of the start Maguire-Drew curled a free-kick from the same position he scored from in midweek, but William Godman tipped over his goal-bound effort.

It was controversial, but Worthing took the lead from the resulting corner when O’Neill’s in swinger was adjudged to have crossed the goal-line by the assistant referee.

In the 19th minute there was another controversial moment when Will Hendon fouled Harvey and the Faversham forward was sent-off for his aggressive reaction.

Worthing looked dangerous every time they got a set-piece and when Omar Bugiel’s header from O’Neill’s free-kick was saved, Elphick was on hand to turn in the rebound.

Faversham looked dangerous throughout the first half, even after going down to ten men, but were unable to seriously test Banks.

After a tense first half, things were much the same at the start of the second, Zack Newton shooting straight at Godman on the hour mark.

Rebels made it 3-0 in the 69th minute when Pope’s shot was deflected through to Maguire-Drew who fired in to effectively seal the victory.

Four minutes later the visitors were awarded a penalty when Steve Metcalf fouled Kieron Campbell, but Banks dived low to his left to deny Charley Robertson from the spot.

Faversham hearts seemed to drop after that and Worthing held onto their clean sheet to seal promotion back into the Ryman Premier Division.

Worthing: Banks, Hendon, Metcalf (c), Bugiel, Elphick, Heath, Maguire-Drew (Axell 76’), O’Neill, Pope (Edwards 90’), Newton (Piper 81’), Sparks.

Subs Not Used: Fagan, Quirke.

Goals: O’Neill 6’, Elphick 24’, Maguire-Drew 69’.

Booked: Hendon 19’.

Faversham Town: Godman, Cooper (Grant 54’), Tenyue, Carrington, Scarborough, Bourne, Robertson, Monger, King (Brown 83’), Harvey, Stanford (Campbell 54’).

Subs Not Used: Maxted, Dowadu.

Booked: Monger 56’, Bourne 67’, Campbell 89’.

Sent-off: Harvey 19’.

Attendance: 1,889

Match report by Sam Skilton. Photo by official club photographer Studio IV.

Updated 18:10 - 3 Sep 2019 by User 1903369