Report by Peter Pitts

Saturday 21st December 2002

ATT : TBA

Sittingbourne secured their third double of the season but were somewhat fortunate to bring away all three points from a St Leonards' team who fought well throughout the match but squandered a host of good chances. This was an all action game where both sides gave of their all on a damp and dismal Christmas Saturday.

The game was made something of a lottery by a glue pot of a pitch that was only just playable. The conditions worsened in the second half as incessant fine rain fell and players from both sides had problems staying upright.

Sittingbourne started the game well with the lively Roy Guiver, what a good player he is turning out to be, having his effort turned round the post by the Saints keeper Peter Newstead after 4 minutes, but then the Saints began to exploit acres of space on the right side of the Brickies defence and a minute later Brickies keeper Lee Hook did well to kick the ball off the line from Sean Ray. Then Cliff Cunningham almost scored a bizarre own goal as he inexplicably seemed to fire a shot at his own unguarded goal but thankfully the ball went wide of the far post.

St Leonard's should have taken the lead on 11 minutes when a  Ray free kick whistled across the Brickies goal but somehow eluded the unmarked Richard Callaway and  Ray.

It was no surprise when the home side took the lead 4 minutes later as a Saints free kick was headed goal-wards but the ball rebounded straight to the dangerous Sean Ray who lashed it past Hook.  Ray was in action again straight after the restart when he had two more efforts, both well saved from Hook.

Sittingbourne were looking stretched so it came as a complete surprise when from a corner Andrew Drury crossed the ball into the centre where it rebounded to the feet of Tyrone King, King seemed to wait an age sizing up the situation, (or perhaps waiting for the off-side whistle as he and two other Brickies looked suspiciously off-side!), before he lashed the ball past Newstead to bring the Brickies level.

This goal settled Sittingbourne and St Leonards began to look less of a threat and on 35 minutes they took the lead when King's glancing header from a Paul Campbell corner gave Newstead no chance. Sittingbourne had their  tails up now and 4 minutes later Bradley Spice had the first of a number of break-away chances but sent his shot wide. He repeated the effort just before half time, this time forcing a save from Newstead. Then in the last minute of the half both sides went close to scoring, firstly for the Saints Paul Henderson latched onto a  Ray pass and powered past the Brickies defence but his shot was magnificently saved by Hook. Then right on half time Kieran Marsh had just the keeper to beat but his shot skewed off target.

The second half began with rain falling and the conditions steadily getting worse. St Leonards had the first effort of the half with Jimmy Elford forcing a good save from Hook, then Paul Henderson and Roy Godden both went close. Despite this early second half pressure from the Saints Sittingbourne didn't look as vulnerable as they had done at times in the second half.

On 60 minutes Spice again outpaced the Saints defence and passed inside to to the better placed Roy Guiver but Guiver's shot was blocked. Then at the other end  Ray should have equalised but he sent his shot wide.  Just as in the first half St Leonards  went on to rue this miss as just four minutes later Roy Guiver found Kieran Marsh who cleverly lobbed the out-rushing Newstead to extend the Brickies lead. This was a huge blow to the Saints and Sittingbourne then had a period of dominance. Again Spice outran the Saints defence and passed inside to Guiver but Newstead managed to block the shot. Spice had another shot on 82 minutes but this time Newstead caught the effort at the second attempt.

St Leonards were not yet finished and on 86 minutes Godden forced a great save from Hook, whilst at the other end Andrew Drury walked around  Ray and Elford before passing inside to Marsh who in a good position fired wide.

That was the end of the breath taking action and Sittingbourne came away from the Firs with a somewhat fortunate three points, but in these conditions the whole team deserve praise for keeping on plugging away and making the chances....what a tremendous start to the Christmas fixtures!