Davey times it right again to lift Fareham

For the second week in a row, Chris Davey was on hand to steer in a late winner in Fareham's 2-1 victory over Cheltenham.
Chris Davey. Picture: Neil MarshallChris Davey. Picture: Neil Marshall
Chris Davey. Picture: Neil Marshall

Fareham left it until the last minute to wrap up the points and now move up to fifth in National League conference west.

With five games remaining, just two points separate second place down to fifth, making the runners-up spot a realistic target.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Performance director Ben Barnes is delighted with the way his team are performing this season.

The late goal master Chris Davey. Picture: Neil MarshallThe late goal master Chris Davey. Picture: Neil Marshall
The late goal master Chris Davey. Picture: Neil Marshall

He said: ‘With it being so close in the table, three points can make quite a big difference.

‘Mathematically we can still finish second and that’s very much in our grasp.

‘I’m really proud of the team.

‘When Cheltenham pressed us, we kept our nerve.

The late goal master Chris Davey. Picture: Neil MarshallThe late goal master Chris Davey. Picture: Neil Marshall
The late goal master Chris Davey. Picture: Neil Marshall

‘Mentally we’re looking stronger.

‘And we’re finding a way to win and play through the tough times’

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Cheltenham had two or three chances in the first half, as did Fareham.

But neither side could find the target and the score remained goalless at half-time.

Fareham felt they should have been in the lead after controlling most of the play in that period.

‘We bossed the first half but struggled to break them down,’ added Barnes.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

‘In the second half, Cheltenham were a lot more aggressive and pressed a lot harder.’

The match came to life on 45 minutes when James Seager hit a well-struck shot from a penalty corner to make it 1-0.

Then the game became quite frantic, with neither side really controlling the play.

Cheltenham threw caution to the wind.

They adopted a full court press which opened up the game for both sides.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

On 56 minutes the hosts won a penalty corner and Johnny Bryan converted for the equaliser.

But it was down to Davey to make his mark two minutes from the end with almost a mirror image of the previous week’s winner against Isca.

Ben Hibberd put a cross in from the right, which took a deflection from Josh Godfrey only for the defender to stop the ball on the line whereby Davey popped up to the rob the defender of the ball and knock it in from less than a metre out.

Then in the dying seconds Josh Godfrey almost made it 3-1 but his shot was cleared off the line.

Fareham travel away to Chichester next Saturday (1.30pm).