Sittingbourne came from behind to beat a rugged Hythe Town side in midweek as Ryan Maxwell’s side closed to within seven points of leaders Ramsgate. 

After going behind early on to an Ellis Brown scrambled effort after Roco Rees had magnificently saved the same players penalty, Mitch May levelled with just his second goal of 2025 but his twenty-fourth of the season levelled before May saw a penalty brilliantly saved by James Dillon as the visitors began to dominate. 

They deservedly went in front after half time when May turned provider for Herny Sinai to smash home his fifteenth goal of the campaign and the Brickies eased to the points as the home side didn’t really trouble Rees and his defenders bar from one free kick. 

Hythe took advantage of a generous decision from Mr. Joss as Kieron Agbebi went down in the box. Brown stepped up to take the kick, but Rees anticipated magnificently to save. Brown though was first to react and despite the keeper’s best efforts the home side had bagged themselves a shock lead, and one that they should really have built on. 

But the Brickies didn’t give them a chance to and were soon level. Ryan Kingsford angled a brilliant through ball for May to run onto and as Dillon started to advance, the Brickies top scorer arrowed the ball into the net. 

It should really have been two for May shortly afterwards and two for Sittingbourne, but the striker’s penalty (given after Ade Azeez was brought down) saw Dillon perform heroics low to his left to keep the spot kick out. 

May was rampant and but for a late assistant’s flag, Azeez would have surely joined his strike partner on the scoresheet after some super play again down the Brickies right side.  

Azeez found Kingsford who was only denied by an incredible block by Hythe skipper Lex Allan, and just before the break, a Kingsford cross caused mayhem in the home box and Donvieve Jones will have been disappointed not to hit the target with a piledriver. 

The visitors finally got their noses in front just after the break, as May raced clear of a defender and his pullback was met first time by Sinai who blasted home. The goal really knocked the stuffing out of the home side and the Brickies went looking for more – sub Richie Hamill shot inches past the post with his right foot; May got in behind the defence again but couldn’t find a pass for Azeez; Hamill was denied by Dillon at the base of his right post, before Liam Smith returning to Reachfields for the first time since leaving in the summer sent a header from a corner just the wrong side of the post. 

The home side enjoyed some possession during the half but will be disappointed that their best effort saw Rees comfortably catch an Alex Laing free-kick under his bar.  

The win means that Sittingbourne close to within seven points behind leaders Ramsgate each with six games to play before that last day showdown at Woodstock whilst the defeat leaves Hythe staring at a return to the SCEFL league – eight points adrift of safety with seven games left and staring at the relegation trap door! 

HYTHE TOWN – Dillon, Young, Allan, Adesite, Splatt, Laing, Brown (Heath), Curtis, Taggart, Blackwood (Elito), Agbebi (Ogboe) 

Subs – Etumnu, Addotey 

SITTINGBOURNE – Rees, Jones (Fischer), Graham, Woodward (Hamill), Smith, Arthur (Gordon), Sinai (Boachie), El-Mogharbel, Azeez, Kingsford, May 

Sub – Howard 

REFEREE – Mr. Joss