A youthful Sheppey United side came from behind to knock Sittingbourne out of the Kent Senior Cup on Tuesday – their third different cup exit in eleven days and all after the Brickies took the lead for the third time in those games. 

Previously, in the FA Trophy and FA Cup’s, Sittingbourne’s lead had been bigger than the half time advantage Solomon Uwandu’s first goal for the club had given the visitors in this Kent Cup tie. 

But Sittingbourne’s recent failing of conceding sloppy goals then reared its head early in the second period as first Harry Lawrence equalised before Damon Adjei-Hersey’s low drive gave the Ites a lead that they just about held onto with young keeper Jobie Farr, named home player of the match, despite being extremely fortunate to stay on the pitch late on after hurling Joe Boachie to the ground in a move more associated at WWE than the KSC! 

Both sides made changes from the weekend, although Sheppey undoubtedly started the brighter. Simon Kabamba tested Doug Yates on his Sittingbourne debut in goal, and Yates was relieved to grab the ball at the second attempt. Jack O’Neill then whipped a ball into the box that the keeper looked very unsure of as it flew no more than inches past the far post. 

The visitors then took a surprise lead as Uwandu beat Farr with a low drive after a corner fell to the Sittingbourne winger on the edge of the box.  

Back came Sheppey and Yates did well to stand up to Kaelem Sobhee-Turner’s effort but from the resulting corner, the keeper went on a “fishing expedition” as the ball yet again flashed across the face of the Sittingbourne goal. 

Boachie went close with a super drive and in the run-in to the break, the visitors enjoyed their best spell and had their best chances – two of which involved Bagasan Graham. From the first one, Graham’s angled drive fizzed just too high whilst from the second – a low swerving shot – the young keeper made a tremendous save. The clearest though fell to Boachie, who’s strong run, took him past the keeper but he shot straight at a defender positioned on the goal line. 

Boachie went even closer at the start of the second half with a long-range dipping volley, which followed a poor clearance from Farr – the Sittingbourne man reacted quickest and the keeper was the most relieved man on the Island as the ball dropped agonisingly (for the visitors) a yard wide. 

Lawrence then levelled the scores with a glancing header from a free kick and when Adjei- Hersey hammered a low drive past a helpless Yates into the bottom corner, the turn round was complete and Sittingbourne were chasing their tails yet again… and it could have been even worse had an offside flag not saved the Brickies from conceding a third after the ball was hammered home after melee! 

The introduction of Darren Foxley seemed to lift the visitors as finally they started to play the ball around and threaten the Sheppey back line. 

Tensions though were begining to rise as the visitors finally realised that they were heading out of the competition and they exploded when Foxley and Kabamba collided for a corner.  A kerfuffle broke out that saw red and yellow shirts alike converge after the assistant has given a corner to the disgust of the home side. In the ensuing melee, Boachie tried to wrestle the ball away from Farr, only for the keeper to blot an otherwise excellent evening by throwing Boachie to the floor WWE style and being very fortunate that referee Gordon only producing the yellow card to both players. 

Sittingbourne threw everything they had at their hosts and twice, Farr came off his line to make crucial blocks as balls were played into the box, with the keeper being backed up by his defenders who literally threw their bodies online to keep their side ahead. 

Sheppey move onto the next round, whilst Sittingbourne after this third Cup exit in the past week and a bit truly can now concentrate on the Isthmian League for the rest of the season! 

SHEPPEY UNITED – Farr, Lawrence (Freeman), Wisson, Clark, O’Neill (Salako), Kabamba, Sobhee-Turner, Cole, Andrews, Hilden, Adjei-Hersey 

Subs – Spencer, Santry, Linkson 

SITTINGBOURNE – Yates, Hoyte, Graham, Woodward, Peter, Salmon (Reiss Greenidge), Williams (Foxley), Theobalds. Agbebi, Boachie, Uwandu 

Subs – Smith, Nwosu, Jordan Greenidge 

REFEREE – Mr Gordon