Rochester United missed a massive chance to up the pressure on SCEFL One leaders SE Dons as they were thumped four nil by a Sheppey Sports side who still have their own play-off dreams.

For the Spartans from Medway however it’s been three days to forget in the challenge for honours as with the leaders not playing at the weekend or this midweek, Rochester had the chance to close a nine-point gap to just three still with three games in hand. But after surrendering a three-one lead at Lydd Town on Saturday, they came face-to-face with a Sports side on Monday night who themselves are still just about clinging to dreams of a Playoff place.

It was a haunting Monday night at Holm Park – quite literally as the mist drifted across the marshes from the Swale estuary and at time made visibility very limited indeed for players, officials and spectators alike especially in the first half. After the visitors had the “clearest” early chances, Jack Marsh put the home side in front just past the half hour and when the same player doubled the lead early in the second period, the visitors hope had literally disappeared into the mist. Frankie Maciocia made it three with ten minutes left the points were safe and the same player then rubber stamped the win in stoppage time with arguably the goal of the night!

Rochester did start the brighter and Mack Reilly should really have done better in front of goal when found by Liam Watkins, but shot wide of the post, before Reilly was denied by home keeper Hugo Webb who was relieved to see his defenders clear. Seeing was the big task for everyone in the opening half, but one shining light was the finish of Marsh for the opening goal as he was played in by Maciocia, and the shot on the turn flew into the bottom corner of Chris Swifts net.

As the second half began, the mist continued to swirl, but for a time away from Holm Park and in a brief all seeing moment the home side doubled the lead – again Maciocia was the provider galloping away down the right before a super through ball was powered into the net.

The visitors were desperate to get back into the game and created two golden opportunities but could not take either! Firstly, Tony Whitaker headed over from a free kick after Lucas Payne had headed the ball on and then from Swift’s huge clearance, Jack Church was denied as he raced onto the keeper’s massive kick.

Rochester was left to rue those chances as Sheppey sealed the points ten minutes from time as Dan Bradshaw’s fine ball was superbly finished by Maciocia.

Rochester then had their best chance of the night when Bobby Parkers effort beat Webb but saw his effort cleared off the line by sub-Reece Griffiths.

As referee Amber, who along with his assistants – to be fair the players too – must all be commended for firstly even starting the game and the persisting with the contest even when the mist threatened to totally engulf Holm Park, began the nine minutes of added time at the end, Maciocia scored an absolute cracker as he cut in from the left and buried a shot low past the keeper ay his near – right – post to put the icing on what had been a very good nights work from the home side!

A weekend that started with huge optimism for Rochester ends in near disaster as the SE Dons now are even former favourites for promotion and possibly the Championship too – their lead over the Spartans is now still eight points although the Medway Club do still have three away games in hand, whilst for Sheppey that flicker of a Play Off dream is still very much alive even through a very misty and murky Monday night on the Island!

SHEPPEY SPORTS – Webb, Ganiwa (O’Neill), Riches (Barnes), Simmons, Spencer (Griffiths), Graham, Linkson, Bates, Marsh (Abrahams), Maciocia, Bradshaw (Flynn)

ROCHESTER UNITED – Swift, Currie, Loynes (Dos Santos), Payne, Whitaker, Bray, Wilkins, Adams, Reilly (Nkwocha), Church (Parker), Akhazzan (Lott)

Sub – Cheek

REFEREE – Mr. Amber