Sittingbourne won this local derby and progressed in the Alan Turvey Trophy but it took until the 86th minute for them to take the bragging rights and a red card helped them as Chatham saw Charles Ofusa-Hene get sent off.
The game started with Chatham starting the better of the two teams & in the first ten minutes they had two half chances when in the 6th minute Joe Loft running forward went into the area before slipping the ball to Austin Edwards but his shot was deflected for a corner, then in the 10th minute the ball was played from left to right leaving Edwards 15 yards out but he flashed his shot wide.
Two minutes later Sittingbourne had their first half chance when substitute Jack Steventon went into the area before passing to Adam Williams who flicked it on for Miles Cornwall but his shot went wide.
The game went quiet for 14 minutes as both teams seemed to give the ball away & not create any chances until the 26th minute when Omari Hibbert found himself on his own 18 yards out centrally & his shot went over the bar & in the next minute a ball forward saw Nathan Tchie in on goal but from 15 yards shot wide, five minutes later Tchie running forward saw his curling effort from 18 yards easily saved by Adam Molloy.
In the 34th minute the best chance of the game so far came when Williams latched onto a long ball forward went into the area beat the defender but from an acute angle saw his shot put out for a corner by Ryan Nicholls’s legs.
Half time arrived & both sets of supporters would be happy but would want a bit more effort from their players.
Chatham just edged the first half but it seems like an ever ending record they cannot score when on top.
The second half started with Sittingbourne coming out with more purpose & in the 48th minute Conrad Lee running forward went into the area got a lucky rebound back to him & then his shot was pushed round the post by Nicholls.
Another chance came Sittingbourne’s way in the 58th minute when a corner was half cleared to Captain Tom Brunt & from 20 yards his shot went wide of the post.
Two minutes later Bourne could have taken the lead when a cross into the 6 yard box saw Hicham Akhazzan nip in before the defender but his weak stabbed shot was easily saved by Nicholls.
Chatham were soaking up the pressure & relying on counter attacks & in the 64th minute they nearly scored when Jack Sullivan running toward the area before slipping the ball to Edwards but his snap shot went wide.
Time was running out for both sides & with penalties looming both sides tried to get the winner & in the 71st minute Akhazzan on the left cut inside & passed to Ollie Brown whose shot from 20 yards forced Nicholls to save at the second attempt.
Another glorious chance came in the 75th minute when a corner into the 6 yard box was headed over the bar by Bill French.
In the 81st minute the game kind of changed when Ollie Brown mistimed his tackle on Ofusu-Hene & he reacted & then a 16 man brawl occurred, when the players had calmed down the Referee called Ofusu-Hene over & sent him off for his reaction to the tackle but Brown only received a yellow card.
The game was now drifting towards penalties but in the 86th minute Sittingbourne got the winner when Akhazzan running toward goal went into the area & unopposed shot past Nicholls, the remaining time saw Chatham try to get an equaliser but to no avail as they huffed & puffed without causing Bourne any problems.
CHATHAM TOWN:
- NICHOLLS 2. J.SULLIVAN 3. J.LOFT 4. C.HOLDER 5. L.KNIGHT 6. K.OSEI 7. C.OFUSU-HENE 8. A.EDWARDS (88) 9. N.TCHIE (61) 10. O.HIBBERT 11. S.BLACKWOOD
SUBS USED: 18. A.ABRAHAMS (61) 15. J.BRAY (88)
SUBS NOT USED: 12. L.COLLINS 16. T.WEBB 17. J.HUMPHREY
BOOKINGS: NONE
SENT OFF: 7. C.OFUSU-HENE (81)
SITTINGBOURNE:
- MOLLOY 2. T.BRUNT 3. C.LEE 4. B.FRENCH 6. J.RICHARDSON 6. O.BROWN 7. S.WRIGHT (11) 8. A.GONELLA (73) 9. M.CORNWALL 10. A.WILLIAMS (67) 11. H.AKHAZZAN
SUBS USED: 12. J.STEVENTON (11) 14. F.OBASA 15. J.WISSON (73)
SUBS NOT USED: 16. N.DAVIS
BOOKINGS: 6. O.BROWN (81)
REFEREE: Mr J.HORNE
ASSISTANTS: Mr J.OSOFA & Mr J.GODFREY
ATTENDANCE: 127