Anvils wow new fans
Luke Blewden, right, celebrates a goal with Fraser Logan
Ryman League
Division 1 South
Crawley Down 3
Faversham Town 1
By Mike May
AFTER qualifying for the Sussex Senior semi-finals on Tuesday evening Anvils returned to the bread and butter of league football when meeting up with Faversham Town.
In cloudy gale force wind conditions the teams tentatively set off with the swirling wind causing problems in trying to pass the ball around, anything off the floor was anyone’s guess as to where it might land.
An initiative to increase attendances worked well with a Kids For Free scheme on Saturday saw the crowd swell by 30.
Manager Darren Guirey said: “In the first 15 minutes we were woeful but we improved and dominated the second half. As well as our three goals we had several other chances.”
A mix-up between Hassan Nyang and keeper Mark Zawadski in the first minute nearly let in Faversham’s Adrian Stone but he could only screw across the face, then from the first visitors’ corner Danny Hockton headed over.
The Anvils were battling hard against the headwind and it took 20 minutes before they threatened with an Anthony Storey cross being taken by Rob French, followed by Miles Mitchell blasting over from a Luke Blewden cross, there followed chances for both sides but by half-time there was only one winner - the gale force wind.
After facing those conditions in the first half the Anvils had the advantage of the elements in the second plus of course the slope toward the Kop End, thereby hopes were high with Fraser Logan having his corner cleared, on 54 minutes Ben Swetman after a heavy tackle was replaced by Gaby Odunaike whose first shot was turned away by keeper French.
With Storey orchestrating things from midfield, Anvils were getting on top, but were rudely shaken when from a quick counter midfielder Matt Bourne shook off a tackle to penetrate the Anvil box and prod home.
But it was to be shortlived as the homesters quickly levelled when a Logan corner was missed by Blewden but found predator Tom Burton who rifled home through a packed penalty area.
Now it was game on and next to strike was the quicksilver Miles Mitchell on 75 minutes with a surge down the Anvil left flank swopping passes with Storey before putting the ball wide of the advancing French.
By now the home support had found their voice and started to roar home their favourites as the opposition started to fall back, though given credit they still fought hard to salvage something from the wreckage.
With five minutes to go Odunaike regained the ball and fed Blewden whom with the wind behind him was able to lob the keeper for the winner.
DOWN: Zawadski, Mustafa, Mitchell, Jones, Nyang, Burton, Logan, Storey, Cade, Blewden, Swetman (Odunaike).
ATTENDANCE: 101
COSTERCUTTER SHELL MAN OF THE MATCH: Miles Mitchell
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Weather for Crawley
Sunday 27 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 10 C to 27 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
Wind direction: South east
Tomorrow
Light showers
Temperature: 13 C to 25 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: North west
