An amazing afternoon at Salters Lane saw Sittingbourne do the League double over Swale neighbours Faversham Town courtesy of defender Joe Tyrie’s first half goal. But that only tell half the story of the drama…
With the Brickies leading by a Tyrie’s goal, the home side were awarded a stoppage time penalty that seemed to present veteran striker Bayo Akinfenwa his first Faversham goal, especially as Brickies keeper Harley Earle was stretchered off after conceding the spot kick.
With no reserve keeper on the bench, Harrison Pont “volunteered” to face “The Beast” from twelve yards. The young defender guessed right, dived full length to his left to magnificently palm the spot kick away and seal the win for Ryan Maxwell’s side, leaving Sammy Moore’s home side staring at the relegation trap door.
It was never going to be a classic football match played on a horribly bobbly pitch and it was little surprise that both sides opted for a lot of long ball.
The home side had the first real chance and Shola Ayoola will have been disappointed not to have tested Earle with a free header from a corner before former Brickie Toby Ajala’s free kick brough a fine save out of the young keeper.
What proved to be the game’s only goal arrived just before the break. Correy Davidson’s deep free kick was played into the box, Donvieve Jones then did well to turn the ball back across the face of goal for Tyrie to react quickest as he steered the ball beyond Bailey Vose in the home goal.
The visitors almost made it two on the stroke of half time – Harry Hope burst into the box and his low drive smacked off the left post and the rebounds bounce in the end beat the following up Jones and the chance was cleared.
At the start of the second half, the hard working Chaynie Burgin went down in the box under a challenge, and referee Woodman waved appeals away although perhaps on another day…
With the introduction of Akinfenwa for Ayoola, the home side desperate for points went longer and longer and it was the Brickies who created the best chance with the Sittingbourne back three of Tyrie, Joe Ellul and Bagusan Graham repelling most balls forward.
Vose reacted bravely to deny Hope from Simo Mbonkwi’s through ball before the clock ticked into stoppage time.
Another ball was played through into the Brickies area and keeper Earle was “beaten” by a horrible bounce and collided with a Faversham man leaving both on the floor, with the young keeper motionless before he was carried off on a stretcher leaving a gaping hole in the Brickies net to face Akinfenwa’s spot kick.
Enter from the bench, substitute Pont who use to cheer the giant striker on in his Gillingham days, and the rest is history.
Undoubtedly though the shine was well and truly taken off Swale bragging for Sittingbourne by the horrendous injury to their young keeper who was later diagnosed with a broken cheek bone and fractured eye socket – injuries that will end the young man’s season and require surgery!
Victory for the Brickies means that Faversham can now only match their points total with five games left but still has Maxwell’s side too close to comfort to the relegation Play Off places – five points ahead of VCD who they face at Woodstock Park next week.
Their position is better that that of the home side who remain marooned in the bottom two still eight points adrift of the automatic relegation line and eleven short of safety.
FAVERSHAM TOWN – Vose, Kpohomouh, Shaw, Anidugbe, Gray (Ademiluyi), Phillips, Ajala (Parsons), McCann, Ayoola (Akinfenwa), Sithole, Campbell
Subs – Christian-Law, Byford
SITTINGBOURNE – Earle (Pont), Jones, Davidson, Ellul, Tyrie, Graham, Hope, Warren, Burgin, Eyoma (James), Mbonkwi (Singh)
Subs – Follea, May
REFEREE – Mr Woodman
Sittingbourne have set up a “Fund-Me” page for Harley Earle and if you would like to contribute please go to: