Faversham Town were rated as big favourites for the Southern Counties East Premier Division following their recruitment of some highly impressive players who wouldn't look out of place in Step 3 and Step 4 sides. Manager Sammy Moore's side started the season with two defeats in three games including a 4-1 defeat at Lydd Town who were promoted as Division One play-off winner's last season.
Since then they have won 8 league games in a row scoring 28 goals in the process. Yesterday they won 1-2 at Bearsted in front of 187 people with Billy Bennett and Warren-Hughes Mfula scoring the goals.
Billy Bennett won promotion with Sheppey United from Step 5 in 21/22 and was with Isthmian South winner's Chatham Town for the beginning part of the 22/23 season before moving to SCEFL Premier Division champion's Erith & Belvedere for the second half of the season.
Mfula joined for an "undisclosed record signing" in the summer. He had been with Sheppey United since December 2021 and helped them to promotion from Step Five. He scored 28 goals for the Isthmian South-East Division side last season and 34 in their 21/22 SCEFL title winning season.
The Lillywhites won 0-4 at Horsham YMCA is the Isuzu FA Vase First Qualifying Round in August but it was ruled they played an ineligible player in the game and were subsequently removed from the competition by The Football Association. The FA Vase rules state that 'no short-term temporary players are permitted to play' with the club not believing this was the not the case as they had a player on a dual registration/long term loan permitted to play for them for the 2023/24 season.
Their team last night included former Dagenham & Redbridge, Crewe Alexandra, Gillingham and Bromley midfielder Billy Bingham who has recently signed for the club. The 33 year old brings with him a host of experience with 198 football league appearances (8 goals) along with 117 National League games and 5 goals. He was part of the Bromley side which famously won the 2022 FA Trophy against Wrexham at Wembley Stadium in front of 46,111 people.
Another highly experienced player in their team is striker Stefan Payne who start the season in the Vanarama South side Tonbridge Angels. The 32 year old striker has played for a huge number of clubs during his career which has included 146 football league appearances and 19 goals.
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They are closely followed by Glebe who have 7 wins, 4 draw and just one defeat in their 12 league games so far. They won 5-0 at home to Sutton Athletic last night and drew 2-2 last Friday evening in a local derby against Stansfeld in front of 218 people. Both James Philpot and Malachi Morris have 8 goals each in the league. Philpot was with Millwall as a full time professional from 2015 to 2018 where was also an academy player - He made nine appearances in League One and the Championship for The Lions. He has also played for Barrow, Bromley, Maidstone United and Dartford. Last season he scored 48 goals in 53 games for Glebe!! Morris is a former Merstham and Dulwich Hamlet player.
Corinthian (relegated from the Isthmian South-East Division alongside Faversham Town last season), Fisher and Erith Town follow Glebe before a five point gap to Punjab United.
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It's great to see The Fish having a good season under the management of former Tower Hamlet's boss Ajay Ashanike. He has been in charge of the Rotherhithe based side since October 2019.
There are two games tonight featuring Lydd Town (18th) hosting Lordswood (14th) and Snodland Town (10th) hosting Kennington who are bottom of the table and still awaiting their first win of the season.
On Saturday there are no league games on Saturday with the DFDS Kent FA Senior Trophy First Round games taking place including Faversham Town hosting NRG Gym Kent County Premier side Kent United and Glebe hosting Corinthian.
Faversham Town's next league games come on Tuesday 24th October at home to Lydd Town where they will get a chance of avenging the early season defeat and then on Saturday 28th October when they travel to Tunbridge Wells.
FORTHCOMING FIXTURES
WEDNESDAY 11th OCTOBER
Lydd Town v Lordswood
Snodland Town v Kennington
SATURDAY 14th OCTOBER
THE DFDS KENT FA SENIOR TROPHY ROUND ONE
Faversham Town v Kent United
Canterbury City v Rusthall
Deal Town v Snodland Town
Fisher v Stansfeld
Glebe v Corinthian
Greenways v Kennington
Hollands & Blair v VCD Athletic
Lewisham Borough v Lordswood
Lydd Town v Larkfield & New Hythe
Sporting Club Thamesmead v Bearsted
Sutton Athletic v Erith Town
West Wickham v Welling Town
Whitstable Town v Tunbridge Wells
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