Full-time Report

Report by Peter Pitts

Saturday 24th August 2002

ATT : 177

Roy Guiver's 63rd minute dismissal for kicking a Stamford player turned the game Stamford's way after the Brickies had played their best football of the season so far.

Sittingbourne dominated the first half and got off to a promising start when Clint Gooding fired in a 30 yard thunderbolt just over the "Daniels" bar.

Sittingbourne were coming forward well and on 12 minutes the lively Andrew Drury's shot was spilled by Stamford keeper Darren Horrigan but the defence scrambled the ball away.  Stamford were being restricted to long range efforts which didn't worry Gavin Hopper in the Brickies goal.

The Brickies were well up on Stamford with the corner count but couldn't take advantage of them, meanwhile at the other end Danny Steadman sneaked clear of the Sittingbourne defence and crashed a terrific shot against the crossbar, however generally Sittingbourne had the better of the half.

The second half began with the same pattern as the first with the Brickies having more of the play. On 51 minutes Roy Guiver found Andrew Drury but Drury's shot was blocked. Drury had another good shot just after this but Horrigan got down well and turned the ball round the post. Then Andre Deleon found John Ovard but his shot too was blocked. At this point a Stamford fan was heard to say " Stamford don't look as though they are going to score!".

The game completely changed on 63 minutes as Roy Guiver aimed a kick at a Stamford player and after consulting his assistant, Referee Mr McPherson showed Guiver the red card.

Stamford immediately gained the initiative from the Brickies ten men who held out for another 11 minutes when Gareth Pritchard beat Gavin Hopper to a flighted left wing cross and nodded the ball into the net to give Stamford an undeserved lead. Ironically Roy Guiver had been tracking back Pritchard throughout the game but with Guiver off the field Pritchard was able to make the most of the chance.

Sittingbourne replaced Deleon, Cunningham, and Berry with Kieran Marsh, Tyrone King, and John Guest. on 78 minutes but Stamford now had their tails up.  Danny Steadman had a golden opportunity to put Stamford further ahead but Hopper came out well to make a magnificent save.

The pressure was now on the Brickies and a John Guest clearance was more like a shot on his own goal but Hopper caught the ball well.

Trouble nearly flared when Ben Taylor  and Kevin Ainstie went for the same header and Ainstie ended up on the floor, then James Campbell and Malcolm Ndekwe clashed.

Sittingbourne's defence went missing on 89 minutes as a far post cross found Richard Thompson who set up Danny Steadman to rifle a shot past Hopper to put the game beyond the Brickies. But the action wasn't quite over  as in the 5th minute of injury time Stamford cleared a corner:- but only as far as Kieran Marsh  who crashed the ball home from just outside the area to give the Brickies a consolation goal.

Despite the score-line this was a good Sittingbourne display and they must be going into the Bank Holiday local derby with Chatham Town with a lot of confidence. It should be well worth coming along on Monday to see the new ground and witness the vast improvement over last seasons performances  by the Brickies.