It was a cruel result for 10-man Sittingbourne following the dismissal of goalkeeper Adam Molloy at the end of the first half, as a delayed whistle from the referee may have seen a different outcome.
Molloy saw red for bringing down Hoddesdon forward Mark Summers, with Ed Taylor converting the resulting penalty. Summers himself was then quickest to a save by stand-in keeper George Crimmen to double the visitor’s advantage with the first attack of the second half.
Although the Brickies committed numbers to attack, pulling one back through the outstanding Harry Smith, the Hoddesdon defence stood firm to take their place in the Third Qualifying Round, and Monday’s draw.
Both sides had chances in a helter-skelter opening ten minutes. Molloy had to push a shot away from Summers when Brett O’Connor robbed Ollie Brown on the corner of the area, and O’Connor was given space to fire an effort wide. At the other end, Tom Brunt lifted a shot high over the bar after Stefan Wright’s first long throw caused panic in the Hoddeston area, and Wright saw a shot blocked by Lee Robinson’s legs.
For long periods in the half, Hoddeston seemed to control the possession, but the Brickies limited the South Midlands League side to long, diagonal balls towards the box; that saw Jono Richardson and Crimmen deal with without too much difficulty. Sittingbourne, playing more on the counter attack, were having joy with the running of Fred Obassa into their right channel, but too often Obassa’s final cross was too far ahead of any supporting player to allow Robinson to be tested.
The deadlock was finally broken just before the interval following a moment the Sittingbourne defence, and Molloy, in particular, would like to forget. Richardson played a backpass to Molloy, who chose not to clear first time, but instead tried to feint his way past the on-rushing Summers. The Hoddesdon forward nicked the ball away from Molloy, and as the keeper desperately tried to make up for the mistake, he brought Summers down. Just as Summers regained his feet, the referee’s whistle could be heard before Summers could tap into the empty net.
Once the whistle had been blown, the subsequent red card for Molloy was inevitable, but could the official have delayed the decision, which may have led to a different colour card? Who knows?
As it was, Stefan Wright took the gloves to face Ed Taylor’s penalty and, despite some Grobbelaar-style antics on the line, the Hoddesdon left back coolly slotted his spot-kick into the bottom left corner.
Sittingbourne made a change at the break, with George Crimmen donning the gloves, and within two minutes he made an excellent save from Joss Willis’ cross-shot, only to see the ball rebound into the path of Summers, who fired home to double the advantage.
If the visitors thought that this would kill off the game against 10 men, they were wrong, as Sittingbourne’s players took control despite their disadvantage. Wright, restored to his wing position, proved to be the catalyst, using his immense throw to create chance after chance inside the area. Harry Smith headed once chance over, before Hicham Akhazzan put a shot straight at Robinson.
On 58, Sittingbourne gave themselves a lifeline. Jake Beecroft floated a freekick from wide on the right into the 6-yard box, where Robinson stayed at home, allowing Smith to climb unchallenged to head down and into the net.
Summers had two chances to make the game safe for Hoddesdon; firing a right foot volley past the post and heading a cross from O’Connor into the ground and wide, but the Brickies’ response was to commit even more men forward.
Another good run by Obassa saw him beat Robinson to the ball on the left edge of the 6-yard box, but his low cross was cleared before Smith could capitalise, and both Billy French and Smith saw headers from Wright missiles saved by the Hoddesdon keeper.
Miles Cornwell somehow managed to squeeze a shot through a crowd of legs that crept agonisingly past the right post, and Adam Williams stabbed a shot into the arms of a grateful Robinson as the visitors conceded ground in the dying minutes. And with the last touch of the game, Robinson won the match, flying high to tip over Jono Richardson’s bullet header with the majority of the crowd believing that Sittingbourne had rescued a draw from adversity.
SITTINGBOURNE: Adam Molloy, Tom Brunt, Conrad Lee, Jono Richardson, George Crimmen, Ollie Brown (Billy French 69), Stefan Wright, Jake Beecroft, Harry Smith, Fred Obassa (Adam Williams 77), Hicham Akhazzan (Miles Cornwell 57).
Subs not used: Antonio Gonnella, Connor Leon, Jack Steventon, Ollie Bankole.
Goal: Harry Smith 58.
Sent Off: Adam Molloy 42.
HODDESDON TOWN: Lee Robinson, Ollie Sharman, Ed Taylor, Phil Lowen, Glen Draper, Ryan McMenemy, Ricky Light (Max Mitchell 70), Joss Lillis (Jesse Waites 66), Mark Summers, Charlie Edwards, Brett O’Connor (Kevin Metivier 90).
Subs not used: Reece Buck, Jack Bartlett, Dan Ferrigno, Mark Twumasi.
Goals: Ed Taylor 45 (pen), Mark Summers 47.
Booking: Ed Taylor 89.
Attendance: 205
Referee: Mr Paul Howard (Wapping)
Assistants: Mr Rhys Battye (Grays) and Mr David Harrison (Wickford)