After one of the most bizarre and ridiculous FA Trophy ties in the club’s history, Sittingbourne crashed out of this season’s competition on Friday night in a tie that had just about everything against Aylesbury United.
In an incredible evening, the Brickies looked to have sealed a place in the next round after going three goals clear through Jaiden Brown’s towering header and two smart finishes from Jordan Greenidge in the opening forty minutes.
Even when Ike Okwusogu pulled one back for United just before the break, it just seemed as though there wasn’t too much to worry about for the Brickies who went into the game unbeaten thus far in four games. What followed though for the sizeable Sittingbourne contingent in the crowd, was the horror shows of all horror shows as Aylesbury ran in five without reply in the next forty minutes as the visitors back line simply disintegrated; – it really was a most disastrous half of football and to cap it all off Skye Salmon was sent off as well.
Remarkably then and for the fifth game in a row, Sittingbourne netted after the ninetieth minute – Joe Boachie heading home Darren Foxley’s corner – but by then the damage had been more than done and the Brickies were out of a competition that just two seasons ago they reached the last eight in!
It’s still staggering to comprehend how this game went so wrong for the Brickies after it started so magnificently well. Harvey Smith went close with an early curling effort from distance, before, from a pinpoint Bagasan Graham free kick, Jaiden Chang thumped home a header past the motionless Jack Hopwood in the home goal.
Jordan Greenidge then headed narrowly past the post but in the next attack the big striker got on the end of some sensational play down the Sittingbourne right from Salmon and Kieron Agbebi to gracefully touch home the second at the near post.
Ike Okusogu fired a shot wide in a rare Aylesbury attack before Jordan Greenidge made it three nil with a sumptuous shot on the turn and into the bottom corner.
Okusogu learned from his earlier miss to put Aylesbury on the board with a low drive, before Salmon produced a remarkable goal line clearance to deny George Cleveland – the only two clear chances the home side had in the half.
The Brickies still ended the half well on top and perhaps should have been further in front – Smith was superbly denied by a Hopwood block, and D’Sean Theobalds blasted just wide from a corner.
Whatever was said in the Aylesbury dressing room should be bottled and sold as after the break they came out looking like a different team and definitely had a purpose missing in that opening half.
Sonny French reduced the deficit to one with a thirty yard screamer; half time sub Finlay Reeves then cut in from the right to equalise before Cleveland sprinted free and crashed the ball past a bemused and hopelessly exposed Jamie Grossart to put the home side incredibly ahead – within seventeen minutes of the restart all the good work from the opening half had disappeared and the visitors were now chasing the game.
The Brickies night went from bad to worse as referee Friend showed Salmon a second yellow to leave Sittingbourne chasing with ten men. Yet in another twist, Reiss Greenidge went close to levelling from a corner as a falling shot flashed wide. But Aylesbury was not to be denied now in front and Okwusogu was on hand to make it five with a low drive. Sittingbourne’s defences woes were complete when they conceded a late penalty that Cleveland despatched with some aplomb!
When Boachie headed home Foxley’s corner in the final minutes of stoppage time, it was far too little far too late, and Sittingbourne were out of the Trophy for another year!
AYLESBURY UNITED – Hopwood, Buanga, Bewley, Wood, Matthew, French (Jellal), Turner (Reeves), Bircham (Martin), Cleveland, Daffeh (Bone), Okwusogu (Stobbs)
SITTINGBOURNE – Grossart, Salmon, Graham, Chang (Foxley), Hoyte, Reiss Greenidge, Agbebi (Boachie), Theobalds, Smith, Williams (Mongoy), Jordan Greenidge
Subs – Woodward, Uwandu
REFEREE – Mr Friend