Sittingbourne remained top of the Isthmian South East after edging a Christmas cracker in a battle of the division’s form teams as they twice came from behind to win 3-2 at Broadbridge Heath.
Yet the home side took the early on after Brad Peters bundled the ball home after a header crashed off the bar. The visitors fought back really well and levelled with Joe Boachie’s fine angled drive into the bottom corner for his tenth of the season.
The home side were back in front instantly after the break courtesy of a Mason Doughty 25-yard screamer before Jack Steventon continued a remarkable recent scoring run with the central defender equalising as he turned home a Boachie cross. The game was won seven minutes from time when full back Liam Smith hit a sensational angled drive from Henry Sinai’s magnificent ball to send the travelling Brickies behind the goal wild with delight as their heroes won League game number fifteen in a row since a draw at Sevenoaks in mid-October!
After an even start where the home side showed just how they had matched the Brickies recent form winning six in a row, Broadbridge gave Ryan Maxwell’s side a real wakeup call inside nine minutes as, from a corner, a bullet header crashed off the visitor’s cross bar, and Peters reacted quickest to force the ball over the line. It was the first time indeed that Sittingbourne had trailed in a League fixture since going 2-1 behind at Beckenham on October 12.
The Brickies gradually got into the game, with the battling Richie Hamill letting fly with a drive – after a great ball in from James Bessey – that was possibly hit too well as it swung just too much and clipped the bar with keeper Alfie Hatfield motionless.
The home side’s goal had a real escape just before the half hour as Hatfield and his defenders got in a real tangle with Mitch May and Ryan Kingsford both having shots blocked.
That warning wasn’t heeded by Broadbridge and as Kingsford recycled the ball the equaliser arrived as Kingsford threaded a fine ball releasing Boachie behind the full-back and he brilliantly drove into the bottom corner for the net for his tenth goal of the season – the fourth Brickie into double figures in the scoring charts this season.
The home side flew out of the traps after the break and spectacularly retook the lead seconds after the restart as Doughty’s pile driver flew into Harley Earle’s net before many of the travelling support had retaken their places for the second period.
Just as in the first half, the visitors were made to dig in and respond. They created half chances and had a huge penalty appeal waved away by referee Spain as Codey Cosgrave’s shot appealed to be handled, but had to wait until the midpoint of the half to draw level as Hamill’s teasing free-kick drew Hatfield from his line and with the keeper in no man’s land, Boachie knocked the ball back across the goal and with the keeper stranded, Steventon turned home his sixth goal for Sittingbourne and his eighth of the season.
The home side were rattled and took every chance they could to slow the game down as the Brickies went searching for the goal that would their three-point lead at the top of the table, and when it came eight minutes from time it was truly worth waiting for.
Hamill played a terrific ball wide to Sinai, who in turn weighted a ball for the overlapping Smith brilliantly and as the skipper controlled the ball into his stride at full pace, he curled a simply sensational shot round Hatfield and into the bottom corner sending the bulk of Sittingbourne’s travelling support wild with delight.
At the final whistle, the visitors’ cheers would have been heard long and loud as the Brickies who had made the trip acknowledged that their side had been tested on this last football Saturday more than they have been for weeks, and passed with flying colours that will propel Sittingbourne into 2025 and a year that could be a very significant one in the Club’s long history!
BROADBRIDGE HEATH – Hatfield, Sim (Moteane), Chesworth (Terry), Marino, Bromage, Peters, Dowdell, Parmiter, Goldson (Waddingham), Doughty, Berry (Archard)
Sub – Croal
SITTINGBOURNE – Earle, Cosgrave, Smith, Hamill, Steventon, Arthur, Bessey (Howard), El-Mogharbel (Beckford), May (Sinai), Kingsford, Boachie
Subs – Jones, Graham
REFEREE – Mr. Spain
Images courtesy of Paul Golding