Sittingbourne got back on track in the Isthmian South East play-off battle with a three-goal cruise past bottom Club East Grinstead Town as they built a six-point cushion ahead of neighbours Faversham Town in the race for post season action.
By losing at Ashford United on Good Friday, Faversham Town knew that they had opened the door for both Jersey Bulls and Sittingbourne to stretch their cushion and after the Bulls did just that at VCD Athletic on Saturday lunchtime winning 4-0, Reece Prestedge and his players duly followed suit at the divisions rock bottom side with first half strikes from Darren Foxley and Derek Asamoah being added to after the break with Foxley’s deflected effort for the most comfortable of three-nil wins you could wish to see as the Brickies remained ahead of Faversham and neck-and-neck with the Bulls in the race for post season!
The Brickies were on the front foot early on as Richie Hamill shot wide and Derek Asamoah fired over before the visitors got the early goal that they were looking for. Antonio Morgan did well to find Jean-Baptiste Fischer whose touch was delightful for Foxley who scampered through to open the scoring.
East Grinstead almost equalised immediately as Jhon Murrillo-Castillo’s cross deceived Rex Porter and came back off the far post.
It was to prove a slight respite in the Brickies dominant opening half as they piled forward looking for goals – Hamill’s corner was allowed to bounce through the penalty area; Foxley forced keeper Harry Howes into a wonder save after Jaden Crowhurst found Foxley; and a Hamill lofted free kick caused chaos and a coming together from Jack Steventon, the keeper and Steve Smith leaving all three floored.
Mason Saunders had an unexpected chance for the home side as a long ball was allowed to bounce in the Sittingbourne area, but Porter had raced from his line to block the chance.
The visitors finally doubled their advantage on the stroke of the break as Asamoah raced onto Hamill’s clipped pass to slide the ball past Howes as the defence waited for a flag that didn’t come!
After the break it was more of the same – Asamoah fired wide from Hamill; Hamill’s touch released Fischer who shot wide and Dsean Theobalds hit an effort too high.
Eventually it did become three-nil as Hamill’s free-kick to the back post wasn’t properly cleared and Foxley’s first time shot deflected over a rooted Howes and in at the back post.
Howes made a decent save to keep out Crowhurst’s low drive and the game’s final chance fell to Harvey Smith who fired over.
So, it finished three-nil – it could and perhaps should have been more but in the cold light of day at the business end of the season, you only get three points for winning, and if the Brickies can keep winning their next half dozen games, the promised land of promotion will be theirs…
EAST GRINSTEAD TOWN – Howes, Vowles, Jeffrey (Cryer), Gayler, Smith, Spittles, Marshall (McDonnell), Leppard (Grant), Perry, Murillio-Castillo (Wigmore), Saunders (Covus)
SITTINGBOURNE – Porter, Crowhurst, Graham, Hamill (Woodward), Steventon (Sinai), Swift, Morgan, Theobalds, Asamoah (May), Fischer (Smith), Foxley
Sub – Hoyte
REFEREE – Mr. Spain