SITTINGBOURNE 1

SPALDING UTD 0

DML SE DIVISION

Saturday 22nd January 2000

A win at last for the Brickies. You could almost feel the relief around Central Park as referee Mr I Bentley blew the final whistle and brought to an end to what must have been one of the worst sequences of results that the club has ever had.

The Brickies had not achieved a point in six games and had only scored points once in the last thirteen games, (that was also a win against Spalding). This return fixture was almost a six pointer as, if the Lincolnshire side had won, they would have leapfrogged the Brickies and left them in the relegation zone.

The game was delayed for fifteen minutes, not unfortunately because of crowd congestion but because Spalding were held up in traffic congestion, an echo of Sittingbourne's trip to Lincolnshire in early December when they only just arrived in time for the kick off.

Spalding are the new boys of this division having joined the DML as Winners of the United Counties league. They have struggled this year but new cash seems to have been injected into the club and two players, Michael Brough and Dean Howells, are currently on loan from Notts county. They did well to reach the third round of the FA Umbro Trophy and only went out in midweek in a replay against Bishop Auckland.

The Brickies started brightly and it was good to see the Brickie web sponsored player Neil Miller looking fit and sharp in only his second game back after a lengthy injury spell. The team had a more familiar look about it, although Tom Berry, Stuart Harrison and Damien Hodge are still on the injured list.

Tyrone King lasted just twelve minutes before he was replaced by Michael Cassar for what must have been an injury. The Brickies had the first real effort of the match a minute later as the hard working Darren Smith, (my man of the match), had a rasping shot that Spalding's keeper Kevin Cross spilled but then held.

The game was one of few chances and Spalding's first chance didn’t arrive until the 27 minute when they were awarded their first corner and Andy Barkess, in a perfect position, could only head over the Brickie bar. This was immediately followed by Michael Cassar having a twenty yard shot but this time Cross easily gathered.

Spalding began to have more of the ball but James Creed in the Sittingbourne goal was never really threatened. The half ended with Mark Miller combining well with Michael Cassar to lay on a cross to Darren Smith whose first time shot just went wide.

The second half began with Spalding looking much livelier and after just two minutes of the half Dave Gilbert picked up a throw half way inside the Brickies half and produced a spectacular shot which Sittingbourne Captain James Creed tipped over the bar with a marvellous reaction save.

The best chance of the match so far fell to Brickies Mark Miller in the 63^rd minute. Good midfield work by Roy Clarke found Karl Rolls, the ex Sheppey player in just his second start for the Brickies. He produced a marvellous cross right onto the head of Miller standing just three yards from the centre of the goal but somehow he headed wide. Despite this miss Mark Miller's bustling style always looked likely to unsettle the Spalding defence.

A minute later it was another great Rolls cross which led to the all important goal. This time the ball found Robert Owen, who had had a quiet game to that point, Owen produced some superb skill to find space and whack the ball past a despairing Cross.

Spalding sensing time running out made two substitutions in the 71^st minute as Darren Cundy and Nick Keeble were replaced by Neil Featherstone and Dominic Revill, Sittingbourne made their second substitution by replacing substitute Michael Cassar with Gene Clout.

Featherstone was quickly in the action as he found himself through on the Brickies goal but his shot was saved at a stretch by James Creed. The irony is that Featherstone seemed to bring the ball down with his arm but the referee didn't seem to see it and it is just such incidences as these that have ended in goals against the Brickies in the past, perhaps their luck is changing for the better!

Sittingbourne brought on one of the returning injured in the 80^th minute in the shape of Paul Carlton who replaced Julian Taylor who was struggling to make an impact.

The game was now drawing to a close and Hughie Stinson was loudly urging his players not to give the ball away, and although they didn't fully follow his instructions they played out the last minutes to record one of their most important victories of the season.

A glance at the league table will explain how important this game was. The results of the other games in the Division were mixed for the Brickies, Fleet Town having beaten crisis club Raunds Town but Baldock losing, see results grid.

The quest for both of these clubs is probably not to finish bottom as it is likely that only the bottom club will be relegated this season, (see news), however Sittingbourne can hopefully build on this important victory and start climbing the table especially as their injury crisis seems to be abating.

Report by Peter Pitts

TODAY'S TEAMS

Sub used *

Attendance: TBA

Referee: Mr I Bentley

Assistants: P Gorrie, G Mawby

Conditions: Cold, Damp, Windy