Chatham Town eased into the Fifth Round of the Robert Dyas Ryman League Cup with a comfortable win on their first visit to Woodstock Park which condemned Sittingbourne to a second successive disappointing home defeat – the third reverse in the last four games for Matt Wyatt’s side.
In all fairness, Chatham bossed the game from start to finish with young striker Alfie May scoring both goals either side of half time was the least that Kevin Watson’s side deserved as they eased into the next round on a bitterly disappointing night for the home side.
With both sides suffered poor results at the weekend (the Brickies losing 0-4 at home to Walton Casuals as the Chats went down 1-5 at Soham Town Rangers), fans of both sides wanted a response from their favourites – it was the Chats fans who returned to Medway still in the competition.
“We asked them to answer Saturday’s performance,” Chats assistant boss Keith Levett said afterwards, “and I think that that’s what we got! It was a very good all round team performance and everyone contributed. I’m the first to admit that the last couple of performances haven’t been what we expected – but that changed tonight.”
“It was a difficult pitch to pass on and so we’re obviously pleased with the result. After a bad performance and a bad result we were looking for an improved performance, and that’s why it was important – no one was happy; the players weren’t happy as well – although I don’t think Saturday’s scoreline reflected the game as we were well beaten! So we were looking to bounce back tonight and that’s exactly what we did!”
Chatham dominated for long periods as Sittingbourne struggled to get going but early on didn’t really trouble Brickies keeper Adam Molloy. Indeed, for all their early possession, the Chats only had half chances from Alfie May and skipper Austin Gacheru to show for their efforts – and they both went straight at Molloy!
The only real surprise was that it took the Chats 37 minutes to break through, and when they did May finished clinically after being released by Kalvin Morath-Gibbs who pounced as a Sittingbourne corner was cleared. The through ball was tremendous whilst the finish – across Molloy and in off the far post – was clinical.
May almost got a second shortly before half time as Greg Benbow took advantage of a defensive mix up to thread a ball through to the striker, who’s lob beat Molloy but bounced harmlessly past the left post.
As you would expect, the home side were a lot quicker out of the blocks at the start of the second half and in the opening quarter had the chances to level. But Hicham Akhazzan was twice denied – once by a fabulous save from Lee Kidman after beating the offside trap, and then watched on agonisingly as a free header flew over the bar after the keeper (under pressure from Nick Tredwell) failed to deal with a free kick.
Then on 63 minutes came the move that summed up the home sides night. The ball fell to Ryan Golding in the box only for the normally prolific marksman to screw his shot into Akhazzan and the ball flew a yard past the post.
It really was a night to forget for Sittingbourne – a point that was rammed home with 20 minutes left as May raced clear from Kieran McCann’s through ball to loft the ball over the advancing Molloy and into the net. The keeper then prevented a third by brilliantly denying May’s brother Luke – on as sub – with a great block but by then the job was done and the Chats advanced into the last eight.
SITTINGBOURNE – Molloy, Ibrahim, Ulph, Davis, Crimmens, Dunsden, Okoh (Taylor 55), Girt, Golding, Treadwell (Folkes 71), Akhazzan (West 83)
Subs not used – Loynes, Brunt
CHATHAM – Kidman, Watson (Potter 71), Hickey, Solly, Alderman (Luke May 75), Crush, Morath-Gibbs, McCann, Gacheru, Alfie May (McDonagh 83), Benbow
Subs not used – Holder
Referee – Mr D Spain
Assistants – Mr A Lukauskis & Mr A Bakalarz