A goal in each half from Frankie Sawyer gave Hythe Town a 2-0 win over Sittingbourne, whose awful form continued at Reachfields.
Hythe came into the game as favourites, helped by a 2-1 win at Chatham the previous week they found themselves placed 16th in the Ryman League Division One South.
Their visitors however, were not on such a good run; after a successful start to the season they had failed to win in the league since the 19th of September and began the afternoon one place outside the relegation places.
There was one change for Hythe from the side which won in Chatham, Ben Wilson took the place of Craig Cloke whilst Nick Davies made four changes. Tom Brunt, Hicham Akhazzan, Miles Cornwell and Josh Wisson were replaced by Dane Luchford, Peter Smith, Stephen Ita and Adam Williams as the Brickies search for their best starting eleven.
Despite Hythe not playing at home for over a month, a churned up pitch resulted in a lacklustre first half. After nine minutes a long ball forward from Hythe’s Joe Mant gave Alfie May a chance to score the opener, but his flick over Adam Molloy went inches wide. It was another twenty minutes before Hythe had their second chance of the game when May found Frankie Sawyer on his right, but Sawyer’s effort went straight into the chest of the goalkeeper.
Finally, with only five minutes remaining in the first half Hythe were able to take the lead when a retaken free kick from Sawyer evaded Adam Molloy, scoring the opening goal of the day.
This gave Hythe the momentum for the remainder of the half, and they were quick to look for another to expand on their lead. First Ben Wilson’s low cross from the right was missed by every oncoming player, giving Alfie May a chance at the far post, only for his effort to be blocked. Moments later a long range effort from May clipped the top of the bar, meaning Sawyer’s goal was the difference at half time.
Much like the first half, the second period of player offered very little for either set of fans to cheer about. Both sides needed a goal to give them points from the game, and Sittingbourne began to work their way into the match after 67 minutes when a long ball over the Hythe defence allowed Dane Luchford through on goal, but he sliced his half volley as the ball flew left of the goal.
Their pressure continued when, just two minutes later, Luchford put a cross from the left side back into the penalty area, only for George Crimmen to head the lofted ball over.
Hythe soon came back with a chance of their own when Sawyer and May broke through on goal, but after the former passed the ball across Molly, May was only able to fire a shot over the open goal
Despite their opponent’s search for an equaliser, it was Hythe who scored the second goal of the afternoon. With only eight minutes remaining a long ball from the Cannons’ defence flew over the Sittingbourne back four, allowing Frankie Sawyer to get onto the loose ball and chip a shot over Molloy to confirm that all three points will be staying on the coast.
Those point lift Hythe up to 15th in the table, nine points above the relegation places which Sittingbourne have now dropped into. The Brickies will now look to improve their league position when they welcome Worthing to Woodstock Park. Hythe’s next game is on Saturday when they will make the short trip to Faversham.
Hythe Town: Mant, Wilson, Burchell, Johnson, Stevenson, Reeves, Cook, Morrish, Sawyer, May (Thompson), Marsden (Collado)
Subs not used: Butcher, Hood, Thomas
Sittingbourne: Molloy, Wright (Brunt), Lee, Davis (French), Crimmen, Richardson, Luchford, P Smith, Williams (H Smith), Ita, Bankole
Subs not used: Cornwell, Akhazzan