Faversham Town’s Play Off hopes lie hanging by a thread after Will Moses stole in to grab the only goal of their Good Friday derby with Ashford United at the Green Box Stadium. 

In a game that was dominated by a difficult chilly swirling wind coming across the Romney Marsh, the visitors went into the game desperate to recover from their surprise home drubbing at the hands of Merstham in their previous game and for 24 hours at least jump back into the Play off places of the Southeast division. 

And for long periods, it seemed as they would as the home side frustrated Faversham although the visitors were indebted to keeper Jocob Russell who made one brilliant reflex save from a corner to keep the scores blank. 

And ironically it wasn’t long after the visitors’ best two chances of the game – one brilliantly cleared off the line and one magnificently tipped round the post by Ashford keeper Roshan Greensall – that the home side netted the only goal as Jack Dixon’s free-kick held up in the wind and in the ensuing scramble, the ball fell to Moses who stroked the ball home for his fourth goal of the season. 

Both sides took time to come to terms with the swirling wind with Greenall the busier keeper, saving well from the impressive Nathan Wood – the first from a shot which was set up really well by Eniye Amgbaduba; the second a defected cross which the keeper clawed out from under the bar brilliantly! 

Kareem Isiaka was denied by a brave Russell save as he was played through as Ashford started to play and they had loud penalty appeals waved away by referee Cutler after Ollie Bate went down in the box. 

The closest that either side would come though saw a low corner for Ashford headed back towards his own goal by a crouching Amgbaduba and Russell was somehow able to get the ball over the bar! 

Faversham came out of the blocks after the break having the impetus of needing points – Wood had two efforts blocked; Ben Gorham rose highest to meet a Wood free-kick that beat Greensall but not a flying Barry Fuller on the line who cleared with a flying header, before Greensall was very nearly caught out by a long ball into the box from Tariq Ossai which swung and dipped and forced the keeper to clatter into a post after just about keeping the ball out. 

The game’s only goal arrived sixteen minutes from time – Dixon’s free-kick wasn’t dealt with, and Moses drilled the ball home. 

Faversham piled forward desperate now for a point and in a scramble in their very next possession neither Mikey Salako nor Amgbaduba could get a shot away.  

The game for the first time became stretched – Gary Lockyer went close for Ashford, sub-Kieron Campbell went close for Faversham, Campbell had another effort well cleared by the head of Sam Hasler and Lockyer was denied a magical goal when an angled chip beat Russell all ends up but didn’t dip enough landing on the roof of the net. 

The defeat potentially leaves Faversham having to make up six points from their final four games as both their main play off rivals – Sittingbourne and Jersey – play teams in the bottom four on Easter Saturday and both, at kick off, have a three-point lead on the Lillywhites. 

ASHFORD UNITED – Greensall, Scarlett, Lewis, Isiaka (Garrett), Moses, Dixon, Lockyer, Collins (West), Bate (Barnes), Fuller, Hasler.

Subs – Brooks, Mccarthy.

FAVERSHAM TOWN – Russell, Ossai, Frankie Smith (Kwayie), Ethan Smith (Newman), Peter, Gorham, Wood, Salako. Amgbaduba, Fagg, Ajay (Campbell).

Subs – Pont, Parter.

REFEREE – Mr Cutler.

Pictures supplied by Glen Parkes.