Sittingbourne snapped a three-game losing streak in the Isthmian Southeast with a come from behind win at Crowborough Athletic in Reece Prestedge’s first game in charge.
Behind to a first half strike from Marcus Goldsmith, the Brickies netted twice in six second half minutes either side of the hour through Chris Arthur and Henry Sinai, although in the final analysis it took a stunning full-length save late in stoppage time from keeper Andrew Reascos to seal the win.
This was the third time that the two sides have met at the Sussex side’s Charles Century Community Stadium in the last sixty days – Sittingbourne winning 6-1 in the FA Trophy in September and Crowborough winning 4-0 in the Velocity Trophy in October.
The Brickies faithful travelled to greet the returning Prestedge who had been a coach at the Club last season before leaving in the summer but had returned as manager at the weekend, and the new boss looked on from the dugout as his side battled to gain something during a tight opening as the visitors tried to pick themselves up after the weekend’s titanic FA Trophy defeat at National League Ebbsfleet United.
The home side had the ball in the net early on, but the flag was raised against Elliott Duncan. Despite calling to the referee that the ball was flat, home keeper Martin Grant found Harry Forster with a long goal-kick only for the striker to drag his clear shot wide – yes, the ball was subsequently replaced!
The home side then did take the lead as a shot crashed off the Brickies crossbar and sat up nicely for Goldsmith to side foot home.
Finally, Sittingbourne got into their stride and Jean Baptiste-Fischer’s drive was too high as the first half ended – the Brickies midfielder latching onto a Derek Asamoah lay off from Gavin Hoyte’s pass.
After the break, it was a different Sittingbourne that emerged from the dressing room, and they took the game to the home side restricting Crowborough whilst finally looking dangerous themselves.
They duly levelled was a Jaden Crowhurst corner was recycled and as the ball dropped to Arthur on the edge of the box, the central defender hammered the ball home wrong-footing Grant in the process.
The Brickies grabbed the lead moments later and again, Crowhurst was deeply involved. Running onto a delightful inside out ball from Asamoah, Crowhurst bulleted a low ball into the box for the late arriving Sinai who slammed home from six yards.
The home side fought desperately to get back into the game but Arthur and Yannis Ambroisine stood firm at the heart of the Brickies defence, and it was only in stoppage time that the goal was threatened.
Harrison Mayhew fired the ball out of the ground at the back post as a cross dropped to him in the box and with the final chance of the game, Reascos saved magnificently to his left to turn Edd Mbango’s drive round the post.
Three points then for Prestedge in his first game back in the manager’s hotseat, and the new boss will have surely realised on his drive back to Kent, his side, although they are down in twelfth place in the table, only seven points separate the Brickies from fifth placed Herne Bay with the men from Woodstock having two games in hand!
CROWBOROUGH ATHLETIC – Grant, Reed, King-Bassett (Zabaden), Turner, Mayhew, Muggeridge, Goldsmith, Pring, Duncan (Lambden), Forster (Ajao), Mbango
Subs – Boddy, Holmwood
SITTINGBOURNE – Reascos, Hoyte, Graham, Woodward (Hamill), Ambroisine, Arthur, Sinai, Theobalds, Asamoah (Smith), Fischer (Salako), Crowhurst (Foxley)
Sub – Steventon
REFEREE – Mr. Jolliffe