In what was boss Ryan Maxwell’s one hundredth game in charge, Sittingbourne came from behind to win on opening day against a hard-working Deal Town side. 

The home side finished last season winning seven out of eight and started well and a flying Ben Chapman put the home side in front with a header. But the Brickies hit back with two headers of their own – both from Jean-Baptiste Fischer inside a few minutes just before the half hour – to lead at the break. 

A fiercely competitive second period saw the home side relying on breaks as the visitors pressure grew. From one such break Chapman was denied by a superbly timed Jack Steventon tackle, and as the Brickies broke to the other end Luke Woodward magnificently sealed the victory from 25 yards. 

Played under baking blue skies but with a blustery win, Maxwell gave six of his summer recruits their competitive debuts and early on it showed as the Hoops took the game to their opponents with much of the same side that ended that season so well. The took the lead inside the opening quarter as Ben Chapman did really well to throw himself to meet his sides long throw that wasn’t cleared to power the header beyond Mitch Beeney. 

The visitors were stung into life and from Rio Phipp’s angled free kick, Baptiste rose to power a downward header past James Tonkin in the Deal net to level the scores. They didn’t say level for long as from a huge Steventon throw-in, Baptiste sent a looping header over a motionless keeper and the Brickies had turned things around in what seemed like an instant! 

The second period saw Sittingbourne on top and Deal relying on breaks into the swirling wind. One corner was scrambled away by the home defence, Ellis Brown almost marked a good personal debut, but his rising shot disappeared into the car park, before Baptiste was inches away from the match ball as a fierce drive was somehow deflected wide by a last-ditch defensive challenge. 

The game was decided ten minutes from time. Chapman raced away and it took a sensationally timed Steventon challenge to deny him. With the home fans howling for a penalty, referee Harrison waved the protests away and Sittingbourne broke. Brown got to the line, pulled the ball back which Baptiste dummied with Woodward arriving late behind him, the shot smashed beyond the keeper and sealed the points. 

Sub Danny Parish was denied by two late brilliant saves from the keeper as the striker so nearly marked his return to the club with a late appearance off the bench. Parish reacted quickest after a header from a corner bounced towards him, but Tonkin’s reactions were faster as he clawed the ball away. Then in the final minute of stoppage time, Tomkin again pulled off a stunning save to dent the Brickies sub. 

Game one hundred for boss Maxwell in charge of the Brickies and this was win number sixty-three for the boss, he will hope number 64 is only a few days away. For Deal meanwhile, they travel to face SCEFL Champions Faversham Town on Tuesday as they look to press on from what was a decent first ninety minutes of the season against a side who many believe will go one better than finishing second last season. 

DEAL TOWN – Tonkin, Hammond (Page), Foster, Murray, Ben Chapman, Smith (Tom Chapman), Niblett, Paxman, Green (Palmby), Miller (Oni), Hennessey 

Sub – Gannon 

SITTINGBOURNE – Beeney, Hoyte, Graham, Woodward (El-Mogharbel), Arthur, Steventon, Brown (Crowhurst), Phipps (Theobalds), Chiabi (Parish), Fischer, Isaka (Davidson) 

REFEREE – Mr. Harrison