Goals either side of half time saw Sheppey United edge past local rivals Sittingbourne in the FA Trophy. 

Jacob Lambert and Josh Wisson were the Ites goal scorers (Javaun Splatt officially pulling one back for the Brickies though Ayman El-Moghaebel claimed the touch home). Sheppey keeper Aidan Prall was the real hero for the home side with two magnificent saves to deny Jake Goodman and then sub Mitchell May in the closing stages. 

Indeed, Woodwards header from a Dsean Theobalds corner was the first chance and Prall sprung to his right to keep the ball out. The home sides first real opportunity when Mamadou Diallo’s ball in found Dan Bradshaw who completely missed his kick. 

Lambert was then denied by the feet of Brickies keeper Bobby Mason before the keeper had to sprint outside his box to head clear from Bradshaw who was looking get onto a long through ball. 

Josh Osude then mesmerised the home defence but fell to the ground, no hint of a penalty whilst at the other end Maliq Morris had a low drive turned round the post by Mason. 

Into stoppage time, and there were away concerns for Donvieve Jones who thumped into advertising boards behind the goal and was treated for several minutes, and it was during the time that Sittingbourne were down to ten men that Sheppey struck as Lambert cut in from the right and planted a shot beyond an unsighted Mason into the bottom corner. 

The lead was doubled minutes into the second half as Wisson rose to power home a corner and Sheppey seemed set to ease through just as they had done the previous week in the FA Cup.

But full credit to the Brickies and they began to push back into the game and as another Theobalds corner was powered goalwards by Splatt, it was unclear if Ayman had prodded the ball home or had just distracted Prall, whatever the fact, the Brickies had a deserved lifeline. 

The closest they came though was a great chance for substitute May who came on for his first Brickies appearance in nearly a month due to a broken wrist. May did well to bring an awkward ball down and his shot seemed destined for the top corner, but Prall did magnificently to touch the ball over the bar. 

Sheppey then grab the Swale bragging rights and more importantly a place in the draw for the next round. 

SHEPPEY UNITED – Aiden Prall, Frankie Del Morgan, Maliq Morris, Richard Hamill, Danny Leonard, Connor Wilkins, Dan Bradshaw (Oscar Housego 82 mins), James Bessey-Saldanha, Jacob Lambert, Mamadou Diallo, Josh Wisson 

Subs not used – Jamie Graham, Oladipo Durowoju, Nikolai Krokhin, Hadley Glock 

SITTINGBOURNE – Bobby Mason, Donvieve Jones (Casey Nolan-Samuel (45 mins), Bagusan Graham, Gabriel Piorkowski, Joe Tyrie, Jake Goodman, Josh Osude (Jean Baptiste-Fischer 46 mins), D’Shaun Theobalds, Javaun Splatt, Ayman El-Moghaebel, Emmanuel Osei-Owusu (Mitchel May 70 mins) 

Subs not used – Sergio Uyi, Luke Woodward 

REFEREE – Mr Goldup 

Att: 550

Images courtesy of Paul Golding