Sittingbourne’s miserable September ended on Saturday with a 3-1 drubbing by newly promoted Horley Town.
The Brickies racked by injuries were without at least five potential starters and with midfielder Luke Woodward playing central defence were caught out in the opening minutes when Joe Bell scored unopposed from a corner.
The visitors had chances on a dust bowl of a pitch but the final ball just wasn’t right – a Joe Boachie effort wide and a Kharvan Williams cross that home keeper Fred Bromley misjudged completely closest that they came.
The second period went the same way especially after Adam Allen had doubled the home lead with a low shot. The home fans were really enjoying the sunshine and when Coby Acquaye was brought down, Kavalli Heywood rolled home the spot kick.
Sittingbourne finally got their act together in the final third and Boachie netted his third goal in two games, but the damage had already been well and truly done and in fairness, the 3-1 defeat could have been a lot worse!!!
There were some in the crowd who hadn’t even taken their seats when Bell headed the home side in front on six minutes. With the home side well and truly on the front foot, Yaw Antwi-Boasiako should have done better but only hit the side netting before the same player teased Brickies keeper Jamie Grossart with a tremendous ball in but the keeper was able to keep it out.
The visitors struggled to test the home goal – Boachie stung the hands of Bromley with a drive; Harvey Smith fired in a shot that ran down the back of the net on the outside and Bromley was relieved keeper when he missed a regulation Williams cross with no yellow shirt on had to turn in the “goal” – but that was it for a disappointing Sittingbourne.
The home sides were on top, and the visitors just could work out a way through and with less than twenty minutes left, the Brickies defence made a terrible hash of a clearance allowing Allen to pick his spot. Two then became three ten minutes from time and the game was well and truly over – Acquaye brought down and the penalty converted by Heyward.
The visitor’s heads dropped as Horley went for the kill and missed several chances including three in very quick succession as Grossart made brave saves and blocks to deny Acquaye, Harry Swann and Ben Dyson all being denied.
Sittingbourne did get on the scoresheet in the last ten minutes through Boachie’s header but by then this game had gone and its now five defeats in the last seven for the Brickies as memories of a terrific start have all but gone.
HORLEY TOWN – Bromley, Moody, Olaniyan (Green), Bell, Carrington, Abdulazeez (Swann), Colman, Low (Acquaye), Allen (Dyson), Antwi-Boasiako (Heywood), Gyeabour
SITTINGBOURNE – Grossart, Samuel, Graham, Boachie, Salmon, Woodward, Mongoy, Smith, Jordan Greenidge, Williams (Uwandu), Agbebi (Foxley)
Subs – Anderson, Malik, Nwosu
REFEREE – Mr Capping
Images courtesy of Paul Golding