Before the game was the Official opening of the facilities that was part funded by The Football Stadia Improvement Fund, with local dignitaries invited.

The ribbon was cut by Philip Smith Head of the Kent FA, with all the celebrations going on the team did not seem to carry out the victory that would have capped the day of.

Bearsted started the game the quicker & within five minutes they had taken the lead when a long ball forward saw Peter Williams out jump Aaron Lee-Wharton who came out of his area & then from 15 yards he stroked the ball into the net.

Five minutes later & James Bessey-Saldanha was put through into the area but from an acute angle his shot was saved by Lee-Wharton & cleared. In the 12^th minute Bearsted should have increased their lead when Williams passed forward into the path of Bessey-Saldanha who saw his low cross met by Sam Flisher & from 5 yards his shot was brilliantly saved by Lee-Wharton.

As the match continued it seemed that the Sheppey players were on the beach as they did not have much to play for then in the 22^nd minute Emmanual Fernandez picked up a clearance & from 25 yards his shot was saved by Scott Andrews, their first effort on goal. In the 28^th minute Bessey-Saldanha running toward goal laid the ball into Jon Rogers & he controlled it & shot but Lee-Wharton saved it then in the 33^rd minute Sheppey equalised when Dan Bradshaw chased down a long ball on the left & then cut inside & laid it into the path of William Thomas who from 8 yards smashed the ball into the net.

Three minutes later Bessey-Saldanha got to the by-line & crossed to the back post for Williams who headed down for Flisher but under pressure he shot over the bar. In the 41^st minute Bearsted nearly took the lead when Jono Richardson had his clearance blocked by Jon Rogers who passed straight away to Williams who from 18 yards saw his curling shot go just past the post.

Right on half time Bessey-Saldanha on the right crossed into the area where Williams was & his first time shot went just over the bar, then in the first minute off added on time Sheppey could have been in front when Tarik Ibrahim on the right wing crossed low to Hicham Akhazzan in the area & from 7 yards on his own he mis kicked the ball when it seemed easy to shoot & score.

The second half started with Bearsted in the ascendancy & in the 55^th minute Reece Collins on the right passed inside for David Baronowski who from an acute angle saw his shot saved by Lee-Wharton. In the 57^th minute Sheppey were inches away from taking the lead when Bradshaw broke down the left wing & his low cross was tipped away from Ibrahim 6 yards out. Eight minutes later Baronowski went into the area & his shot was saved again by Lee-Wharton.

Two minutes later George Sheminant passed forward for Bessey-Saldanha who crossed to the near post for Williams & his shot was deflected just past the post for a corner. In the 71^st minute Scott Andrews came to Bearsted’s rescue when a low cross into the area found Ibrahim & from 3 yards Andrews blocked it. Two minutes later & Sheppey did take the lead when good interplay out on the left side saw the ball end up at Ibrahim’s feet & from 6 yards he shot home.

Bearsted nearly equalised in the 77^th minute when from a throw in to Charles Noyelle 15 yards out saw his snap shot hit the side netting. A minute later & it could have been game over when Akhazzan on the left cut in & passed sideways to Bradshaw but he hit it over the bar from 15 yards.

The game was over for Bearsted in the third minute off added on time when a breakaway saw Rob Lyall let the ball go under his feet & Ibrahim capitalised on it & his low cross into the 6 yard box found Bradshaw who controlled it & smashed it in.

The final whistle went & the Bearsted management must have been disappointed in the game as they had more chances but were not clinical enough while Sheppey were more clinical with fewer chances so the day started with celebration but ended up in disappointment.

Bearsted:

1. Andrews    2. S,Flisher   3. G.Sheminant (85)   4. A.Foster   5. R.Lyall    6. J.Rogers   7. J.Bessey-Saldanha
2. R.Croucher 9. P.Williams   10. D.Baronowski (73)    11.  R.Collins (57)

Subs Used:  14. C.Noyelle (57)  15. C.Scarlet (73)  16. G.Andrews (85)

Subs Not Used: 12. M.Weller  17. C.Croucher

Bookings:  None

Sheppey United:

1. Lee-Wharton 2. K.Oshilaja   3. W.Thomas  4. E.Fernandez   5. J.Richardson  6. L.Girt  7. T.Ibrahim
2. G.Batten (70) 9. D.Bradshaw  10. I.Batten  11. H.Akhazzan

Subs Used: 12. D.Botterill (70)

Subs Not Used: 14. R.Golding  15. K.Rowland  16. R.Lewis  18. R.Freeman

Bookings:  8. G.Batten (39)

Referee: Mr R.Mortimer

Assistants:  Mr W.Horsfall  & Mr D.Geary