A header from Jack Midson seven minutes from time sent Sheppey United top of the fledgling SCEFL table and salvaged Ernie Batten’s side’s unbeaten start to the season as they drew 1-1 at K Sports.
Sports spent most of the contest with a yellow wall across their own last third of the field with Joe Lewis, Tom Montgomery and Peter Huggins outstanding against a lively Sheppey front line and indeed it was Lewis who drove Sports into the lead just after the break – drilling a penalty high into Adam Molloy’s net after Bradley Large was sent crashing in the box.
The visitors pushed and probed with bucket loads of possession and they thought they’d levelled when only to have a “goal” chalked off before eventually from arguably the move of the night finally reaped rewards as Midson headed home Harrison Carnegie’s deep cross following some great play from the two full-backs – Connor Wilkins and Danny Devine.
The first half largely belonged to the visitors, but the home side stood firm and restricted the chances – Warren Mfala fired over before Wilkins clipped the bar with a header from Richard Hamill’s corner.
The home side started the second period with extra purpose which was rewarded within five minutes as Lewis converted from twelve yards following the foul on Large.
Sheppey weren’t though going to let their unbeaten start to the season go lightly, but time after time, wave upon wave of Sheppey attacks floundered on the yellow wall the home side placed on the edge of their box.
Yes there were chances – Midson was twice denied after another great pull back from Devine; Mfala had a free header over the bar; and there were countless occasions where the home players blocked and tackled as though their lives depended on it.
When the goal did arrive with seven minutes left, you wondered whether if the home would finally succumb – but to the full credit to Paul Atkins’ side they didn’t, even though there were still the chances – Mfala had an effort cleared off the line and the lively Renford Tenyue missed a golden chance in stoppage time as he couldn’t hit the target with a free header.
It would have been tough though on K Sports if Sheppey had won the game as they defended magnificently for the 90 minutes. The consolation for Ernie Batten and his Sheppey side is that they do top the table before the rest of the midweek action and go into the weekend’s FA Cup tie with Welling United still unbeaten.
K SPORTS – Lawrence, Lewis, Montgomery, Foreman (Morris), Huggins, McLaughlin, Killick, Martin, Jackson (Dunn), White (Itachum), Large
Subs – Abbott
SHEPPEY UNITED – Molloy, Wilkins, Emptage (Divine), Birch, Howlett-Mundle, Hamill, Bennett, Mfala, Midson, Carnegie, Tenyue
Subs – Mezaine, Freeman, Webber, Lennard
REFEREE – Mr Cox