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Faversham Town boss Tommy Warrilow eager to match the club’s off-the-field ambitions on the pitch as new scoreboard and club shop are introduced at Salters Lane

05:00, 04 October 2024

updated: 09:30, 04 October 2024

Further off-the-field progress was marked by Faversham on Saturday - and boss Tommy Warrilow admits it’s vital his title-chasing players match the club’s lofty ambitions on the pitch.

A crowd of 375 were at Salters Lane, including Mayor of Faversham, Josh Rowlands, as the Lilywhites drew 2-2 against Southern Counties East Premier Division promotion rivals Corinthian.

Faversham boss Tommy Warrilow. Picture: Ian Scammell
Faversham boss Tommy Warrilow. Picture: Ian Scammell

Mr Rowlands helped open the club’s new shop and marked the introduction of their new scoreboard while Faversham’s recently-formed women’s team won 2-1 in South East Counties Kent Division 2 Mid East at home to Woodcoombe Sports Development through goals from Summer Davenport and Skye Brenchley on Sunday.

While there’s been plenty of talk around the Lilywhites’ first-team playing budget, the latest developments show the work being undertaken to support the community.

“It’s a club that’s evolving,” said Warrilow. “It’s key that we do that on the pitch, as well.

“The women’s side got a good result on Sunday. The Mayor was there on Saturday and we opened the new scoreboard.

“It was a shame we got one point, not three, but everyone knows the club is going in the right direction.

Henry Muggeridge - the versatile midfielder has rejoined Crowborough Athletic this week. Picture: Marc Richards
Henry Muggeridge - the versatile midfielder has rejoined Crowborough Athletic this week. Picture: Marc Richards

“We just need to make sure we follow suit on the pitch.”

A repeat of last season’s play-off semi-final proved a topsy-turvy affair.

Having trailed to an early goal, Faversham were ahead by half-time following goals from captain Callum Davies and in-form Tashi-Jay Kwayie. But Corinthian came back to equalise with 12 minutes left.

Warrilow reflected: “It was probably the right result.

“I sort of said afterwards that we were a little bit lethargic.

“We started slowly and they scored within the first five minutes, which wasn’t ideal. But we showed a bit of character to get a couple of goals.

“They had a couple of chances, we had a couple (to win it), but it’s not a bad result because Corinthian will be there or thereabouts this season. I think everyone knows that.

“It felt like a loss after the game - even though we weren’t awful, we weren’t quite at it - but we’ve still come away with a point.”

Kwayie’s goal was his sixth in as many games.

“He’s played for us before,” said Warrilow. “He knows us, so it wouldn’t have taken him too long to pick up how we play. He’s playing in the pocket and scoring goals.

“Everyone that knows Tash knows that his work-rate is second-to-none. He cashed in with another goal on Saturday.

“But it’s the overall team performance that we look at. There was another really good crowd, which was a massive plus.

“The expectation levels we have on ourselves - let alone what everyone else has on us - are right up there.”

Kwayie struck after Davies netted from a corner with his third goal of the campaign.

Warrilow said: “I think all my centre-halves should be scoring goals. They’re all good aerially and the deliveries have been right.

“The fact that all the team have been coming up with goals shows that we’re going in the right direction.”

Next is a league trip to Fisher on Saturday, Faversham already having edged past them 1-0 in the FA Vase in August.

But Ajay Ashanike’s team have won six of their nine fixtures in all competitions since then.

“I’ve got a lot of time for the guys there,” said Warrilow. “They have done brilliantly.

“It’s no surprise they have got on a mini-run and they’re in and around it. When we played them in the Vase, they had not won but they have done well.

“We know what to expect. What we cannot afford to be is lethargic.

“We need to make sure that we do the ugly stuff, as well as the other side of it, because they’re a team that is capable of upsetting a lot of teams on their day.”

A busy period continues as they visit Snodland on Tuesday but Warrilow, who had to leave striker Dan Thompson out of his squad entirely against Corinthian, is happy for the fixtures to come thick and fast.

He said: “That’s quite nice for us. The winter is creeping in - the pitches change and the mentality has got to change.

“Sometimes, you’ll play on a 3G pitch but, sometimes, you’ll need to roll your sleeves up and get on with it. As a club, we have got to adapt.”

Midfielder Henry Muggeridge has re-signed for Southern Combination Premier Division outfit Crowborough.

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