Tuesday 24 August 2010.
Ryman League, Division One South.

Following their fine win on the opening day Swans soon suffered a reality check in their second match as they played the league newcomers and first-time opponents Faversham Town. On their maiden visit to the home of the Kent League champions their performance tailed off badly after a good first half an hour which they dominated, forcing a series of corner-kicks, but creating only half-chances.

The game really slipped away from Swans after the home side made a couple of tactical substitutions just past the hour, swinging the match in their favour. Not surprisingly John Crumplin kept faith with the side that had done so well on the opening Saturday, the only change being the now available Dean Ruddy replacing stop-gap David Wilkinson in goal.

Bernard Asante was soon causing problems in the right of the box, his cross almost reaching Adrian Butler in space on the left, the ball being cleared behind for a corner. Butler then did well on the right before crossing to the left of the box, where Avun Jephcott got in a volley, but he did not get a clean strike and home keeper Rob French completed an easy save.

Another good attack initiated by Asante won a free-kick just outside the box, but the kick was taken quickly and nothing came of it. A fine run forward by Scott Todd created him an opening, but his effort with his left-foot from the edge of the box was both high and wide. With half an hour played Faversham created their first opening, and it was a good one.

Dale Skelton found himself in a lot of space from a right-side corner, but his glancing header sent the ball wide of the far-post. With ten minutes left to the break Asante again led a good Swans’ build-up, and when Troy Oham-Strachan crossed from the right, Ray Powell just failed to get in a shot and the ball ran to Butler, who put wide at the near-post. Two pieces of slackness straight after the resumption could have cost Swans dearly, the second leading to the ball being driven over from the left and Faversham’s Richard Sinden volleying over from close-in.

Swans won another corner on the right, and from Ryan Lake’s kick Jephcott got in a downward header, but again keeper French saved easily. They had a better chance when Antonio Simeone played Todd down the left, and he made space before putting over a fine cross to pick out Asante at the far-post, only for him to plant a good heading chance across goal and wide. A fine move then led to Powell having a shot blocked and the ball pin-balling around the Faversham box.

The home side then made the substitutions that were to prove decisive, particularly the introduction of Danny Hunt. Hunt was soon showing what he could do as he made a terrific run to the line on the left before pulling the ball back to Jake Leberl, who drove an acceptable chance wide of the far-post. But when Swans lost the ball in midfield with just over a quarter of an hour left, Hunt broke clear before lobbing the ball over the onrushing Ruddy.

The ball dropped agonisingly against the left-post and Hunt just beat Ruddy in a race to get to the rebound and poked the ball home. Swans were then always in danger of getting caught on the break, and with three minutes left Faversham outnumbered them as they broke forward, Hunt’s fellow substitute Justin Ascheri driving a shot wide of the far-post from the right. But in the final minute of normal time Hunt got clear just outside the left of the box to easily beat Ruddy and make it 2-0.

Todd tried a shot from 30 yards, but French saved easily, and Swans could well have conceded again as another breakout by Faversham saw Hunt get clear on the right to cross to the far-post, where a header was put wide.

Swans’ Team: Dean Ruddy, Bernard Asante, Ryan Lake, Troy Oham-Strachan, Matt York, Antonio Simeone, Scott Todd, Louis Clark, Ray Powell, Adrian Butler (Nick Barnes 45’), Avun Jephcott (Will Jenkins 75’).

Subs. not used: David Baker, Frank Wilson, Felipe Marques De Lima.

Faversham Team: French, Hamshare, Larkin, Hickman, Avery, Bourne, Skelton (Ascheri 61’), Leberl (Lye 72’), Sinden (Hunt 61’), Luchford, Botterill.

Subs. not used: Hill, Ellis. Scorer: Hunt (73’ & 90’).