Sittingbourne claimed another scalp in the FA Trophy as they comfortably eased past Cray Valley Paper Mills. 

Goals from Henry Sinai and Jean Baptiste Fischer (with the help of a defender) gave the Brickies a lead that was never really threatened despite Matt Vigor’s stoppage time penalty. 

The home side went close early on as Derek Asamoah went close firing a drive narrowly wide. Valley keeper Shaun Rowley made a stunning save to deny Fischer after Sinai had sprinted clear down the left wing before returning skipper Bagasan Graham, who had been out since the first week of September and was only starting because Jaden Crowhurst had got injured in the warm up (the unlucky Crowhurst having to “settle” for Graham’s scheduled place on the bench), and the skipper was inches away from a comeback goal as he saw his drive clip the bar in a half that the Brickies dominated. 

Valley were clearly struggling and given their lengthy injury list, boss Steve McKimm would have been happy to reach the break with a blank scoreline, but the home side had other ideas and deservedly went ahead after quick thinking from Richie Hamill at a free-kick on half way released Troy Howard who centred for Sinai to side foot home. 

Moments later Sinai and most of the crowd thought he’d returned the favour in a swift break as Howard raced onto his pass to net, but the flying winger was “beaten” by the assistant’s flag. 

Not that it mattered as moments into the second period, the home lead was doubled when Fischer and Jerry Puemo went for a Hamill free-kick and the ball ended in the Valley net. Now who got the final touch wasn’t completely clear, but it did seem that the defender may have inadvertently steered the ball past his statuesque goalkeeper! 

The second period was threatening to peter out completely until Jack Steventon was adjudged to have handled and sub–Matt Vigor sent keeper Mitch Beeney the wrong way to give the scoreline somewhat of a flattering view as such had been the home side’s dominance and excellent performance, the keeper and his back line will have felt aggrieved not to have secured a deserved clean sheet! 

For the Brickies, that’s now eight sides from a higher level beaten in the last fourteen months as their love affair with the Trophy continues!

Indeed, after reaching the last eight last season this was Sittingbourne’s thirteenth game since the start of last season – just three less that the Club managed in the previous decade! For Valley, they must hope that their injury crisis starts healing and soon… 

SITTINGBOURNE – Beeney, Hoyte, Hamill (Theobalds), Steventon, Arthur, Howard, Woodward, Asamoah (El-Mogharbel), Fischer (Ambroisine), Sinai, Graham (Brown) 

Sub – Crowhurst 

CRAY VALLEY PM – Rowley, Williams, Lema (Kpakpe), Cumberbatch (Barrington), Black, Waldren, Adebiyi (Vigor), Shomotun (Aileru), Puemo, Akanbi (Holness), Ajakaiye 

REFEREE – Mr. Smith