After reaching the last eight last season, Sittingbourne began the new FA Trophy campaign with a deserved hard-fought win over neighbours Faversham Town on derby day at the Staxson Stadium. 

The Swale sides went into the tie top two in the Isthmian South East but there is something about Ryan Maxwell’s players when it comes to the “FA Cup for Non-League sides” and last season’s Quarter Finalists eased into the next round after Harvey Smith’s sublime finish and Eman Robe’s brilliant individual effort gave the Brickies a lead that they were not to lose. Tashie-Jay Kwayie’s sixth of the season meant a nervy finale but the Brickies love of the Trophy remained intact. 

Eniye Amgbaduba fired over for Faversham and Smith had a shot beaten out by Jacob Russell early on and as Ellis Brown recycled the ball, the big striker glanced his header wide. 

Smith though was not to be denied and before the half hour, he raced onto a great ball from Jaden Crowhurst to clip the ball home for his first home goal in Sittingbourne colours. Amgbaduba lobbed wide as he took advantage of a wayward defensive header as the visitors looked to level and the half finished with Brown being denied by Russell who then looked on as Yannis Ambroisine’s header looped wide. 

The home side had loud penalty appeals turned down early in the second half when Bradley Simms got between Smith and a dropping ball, whilst Robe was a yard wide from the edge of the box. Robe then couldn’t force the ball home after Russell had spilled a high ball into the box, but the new Brickie wasn’t to be denied as he gloriously sent the Brickies through with a shot in off the post after an unstoppable run into the box. Picking the ball up twenty-five yards out and surrounded it seemed by defenders, Robe on his Brickies debut endeared himself immediately to the home faithful as his shot beat the Lilywhite’s ‘keeper. 

Kwayie ensured a nervy finale with another fine finish, whilst skipper Jack Steventon expertly turned home Troy Chiabi’s low ball into the box only to be denied by an assistant’s flag.  

In stoppage time, Faversham did have an opportunity to take the game to the dreaded shoot-out but after great work from former Sittingbourne striker Johan Caney- Bryan, former Brickies midfielder Tommie Fagg blazed high over, sending the ball on its way back to Faversham, when well-placed but it would have been tough on the home side and the referee’s final whistle started another Brickies campaign on the FA Trophy trail again. 

SITTINGBOURNE – Beeney, Crowhurst (Woodward), Hoyte, Ambrosine, Steventon, Arthur, Brown (Parish), Hamill (Phipps), Smith, Theobalds (Foxley), Robe (Chiabi) 

FAVERSHAM TOWN – Russell, Simms, Parker, Smith (Newman), Davies, Pont, Ossai (Saunders)(Caney-Bryan), Kwayie, Amgabduba, Fagg, Campbell (Collin) 

Sub – Burford 

REFEREE – Mr. Olol 

Images courtesy of Gracie Joines