The Cannons were awarded three penalties in their 2-1 win over a lively VCD Athletic at a bitterly cold Reachfields on Tuesday evening.

The game started at “break neck” speed as VCD tested Hythe keeper Will Godmon as early as the first minute as a cross come shot from Kamari Duncan was eventually caught underneath the bar. Hythe had their first opportunity on two minutes as Dean Grant turned on the edge of the area but his shot was deflected wide. Soon after the visitors had a golden opportunity as Tony Martin fed the ball to Jonathon Adebayo who missed the target from close range.

The game was going from end to end as Jordan Johnson-Palmer played the ball through to Kieron Campbell who passed into Sid Sollis whose shot went just over the bar. On 12 minutes VCD took the lead with a superb dipping shot from Omar Lawson that passed just under the cross bar and into the net. The visitors had the opportunity to increase their lead four minutes later as Ellis Brown played the ball back to Martin whose shot sailed into the arms of Godmon.

Hythe were level on twenty minutes as Charlie Webster was brought down in the penalty area by Siao Blackwood. Up stepped Sollis whose penalty was slammed straight at VCD keeper Joe Mant who blocked well. Lucky for Sollis the ball rebounded back to him and he made no mistake with second effort as he slammed the ball home.

Sollis was soon in the action again as he fed the ball to Webster who rasping shot was well saved by the ex Hythe favourite Mant. One more chance for VCD as Lawson blasted over on the stroke of half-time.

The Cannons started the second half the brighter as Campbell hit a shot from 25 yards that was deflected twice before it ended up in the arms of Mant and then at the other end Lawson blasted a shot that deflected wide.

Campbell, who was causing problems for the VCD defence down the left hand side pulled the ball out to Johnson-Palmer whose attempt went over. Hythe were awarded their second penalty as Sollis had a cross handled by Marc Gorbell however Sollis was this time to be denied by Mant at full stretch who pushed the ball against the post and away.

Johnson-Palmer fed the ball to Campbell who was again denied by Mant who blocked well and then Jerson Dos Santos played the ball out to Webster who slammed the ball into the side netting. The pressure was now coming from the hosts as they looked for the winner. Ryan Johnson got on the end of a Ryan Palmer cross but his effort looped over the bar.

Hythe were to get the winner on 81 minutes as Campbell broke in again from the left and forced Gorbell to handle the ball. The referee pointed to the spot and showed Gorbell a red card for deliberate hand-ball to reduce the visitors to ten men.

This time Dos Santos neatly placed his penalty into the corner just out of the reach of Mant and into the net. Due credit to VCD who did not give up and did push for the equaliser as Alistair Gordon curled the ball just wide and then Lawson had two attempts as firstly he hit a rasping shot into the arms of Godmon and then forced the Hythe keeper to punch away under pressure.

Hythe were to hang on for all three points. It wasn’t the prettiest win but did give the Cannons the win that takes them back up to fifth place as they prepare for Saturday’s home game against Hastings.

Hythe Team: Will Godmon, Jerald Aboagye, Ryan Palmer, Ryan Johnson, Mitchell Chapman, Jordan Johnson-Palmer, Dave Cook, Charlie Webster, Dean Grant, Sid Sollis (Jerson Dos Santos 68 mins), Kieron Campbell (Ashley Miller 87 mins).

Scorers: Hythe Town – Sid Sollis 20 mins , Jerson Dos Santos 81 mins (pen). VCD Athletic – Omar Lawson 12 mins.

Attendance 116