Mitch May’s last gasp equaliser kept Sittingbourne in line for the play-offs after Merstham looked like they would leave the Staxson Stadium with the three points. 

After an extended first half littered with injuries – there were three long stoppages – the half didnt end until just before 4pm from the 3pm start, at least there were chances in the second period with Louie Theophanous brilliantly powering home a cross from Dapo Olugbodi to give Merstham the lead with one of their first attacks of the game as both sides struggled.

The home side huffed and puffed and an equaliser just didn’t seem to be coming before in the final minutes of stoppage time, May was on hand to hammer the ball into the Merstham net as the Brickies grabbed a point that for long periods seemed so, so unlikely! 

In a first half that will not live long in the memory, Darren Foxley couldn’t take advantage of Merstham defensive hesitation with the side’s clearest chance whilst Lew Lewis fired wide and Matt Drage over the home goal, and that was the first half taken care of!

It was hard to say that the Merstham goal was against the run of play as before Theophanous thumped home Olugbodi’s cross, the game really struggled to engross the near four hundred crowd! 

Given the boost of the goal, Merstham went looking for a second and only an excellent low save from Rex Porter denied them. Theophanous then turned provider as his threaded ball across the box was just too far out of reach of the stretching Ollie Khinda at the back post. 

Porter was again alert to keep out Olu Lawal’s late effort with his feet and as the game entered stoppage time the home side had their best chances.

Antonio Morgan’s downward header leapt up off the solid surface and was magnificently saved by keeper Max Folkes before the home goal arrived as a deep ball into the box was superbly headed down by Gavin Hoyte for May to power the ball over the line to grab a point that the home side just seconds before had seemed so far out of their reach. 

SITTINGBOURNE – Porter, Crowhurst (Henderson), Graham, Hamill (Woodward), Hoyte, Swift, Sinai (Smith), Theobalds, May, Fischer (Asamoah), Foxley (Morgan).

MERSTHAM – Folkes, Khinda, Stallard, Drage, Djadja, Allen, Theophanous, Lewis, Lawal, Olugbodi, Hamilton-Downes (Healy). 

Subs – Johnson, Dada, Basquinne, Henry.

REFEREE – Mr. Joss