Walton Casuals would like to play at Woodstock Park every week as this is the third year running they have beaten Sittingbourne here.

The first half was not the best you will see as both sides showed why they are in the bottom reaches of the league.

The first real chance of the game came in the 12^th minute when Billy French’s loose back pass saw Malik Ouani nip in & was just about to shoot from 15 yards when French slid in & blocked the shot, four minutes later it was Sittingbourne’s chance when Hicham Akhazzan reacted to a loose ball out of defence & from 18 yards tried to chip Luke Badiali who had rushed out but it went over him but was blocked by a defender although the Bourne attack claimed handball.

In the next three minutes chances went a begging for both sides as firstly Luke Medley found himself in the area on his own but his shot was deflected for a corner, next Harry Smith flicked header to Akhazzan who straight away passed inside to Debutant Dane Lutchford but his shot was easily saved by Badiali & lastly Conrad Lee put Harry Smith in on the left & from an acute angle shot into the sidenetting.

In the 37^th minute Sittingbourne took the lead when Akhazzan’s free kick from the right went to the back post where Harry Smith was & his powerful header was deemed to be over the line by the Assistant Referee despite a valiant effort from Max Fitzgerald to clear it.

Bourne had now grown in confidence & in the 40^th minute it was nearly two when Tom Brunt passed forward to Lutchford whose low cross came to Akhazzan but his shot went just past the post.

The second half was a better spectacle as both sides improved on their first half performance & in the 57^th minute Peter Wedgeworth’s free kick into the area was met by Fitzgerald’s head but it went over the bar.

In the 65^th minute Walton should have been level when a long ball forward was flicked on & Miles Powponne ran on into the area but shot wide.

Another glorious chance came two minutes later when Medley & Quincy Rowe combined leaving Rowe in the area & his low cross evaded everyone, the danger signs were there for Bourne. A minute later in a rare Bourne attack Harry Smith passed to Akhazzan who returned the ball to Smith whose shot was saved by Badaili’s feet to concede a corner.

In the 71^st minute Walton equalised when Medley on the right cut inside & passed to Jack Sammoutis who from 20 yards shot into the top left hand corner & in the very next minute it could have another goal when Powponne was in on goal but his shot was blocked by Adam Molloy & came out to Scott Day whose shot from 18 yards was pushed around the post by Molloy.

Four minutes later Day in on goal chipped Molloy & beat him but not the bar as it sailed over. Walton got the winner in the 78^th minute when Medley received the ball 25 yards out & he looked up before shooting into the net.

Time was running out for Bourne & in the 89^th minute Akhazzan on the left got to the by-line & saw his shot cannon off a defender & cleared, with 4 minutes added on time Bourne tried to get an equaliser but Walton held out & deservedly got the three points.

 

SITTINGBOURNE:

1. MOLLOY 2. T.BRUNT  3. C.LEE  4. B.FRENCH  5. G.CRIMMEN  6. J.RICHARDSON  7. H.AKHAZZAN 8. P.SMITH (68) 9. H.SMITH  10. D.LUTCHFORD (DEBUT, 80)   11. O.BANKOLE (68)

SUBS USED: 14. M.CORNWELL (68)   15. O.BROWN (68)  16. A.WILLIAMS (80)

SUBS NOT USED:  12. J.STEVENTON  17. J.TWIST

BOOKINGS: 5. G.CRIMMEN (61)  8. P.SMITH (75)  3. C.LEE (90+4)

 

WALTON CASUALS:

1. BADIALI 2. Q.ROWE  3. P.WEDGEWORTH  4. L.COLLINS  5. O.OBAMWONGI  6. M.FITZGERALD 7. L.MEDLEY 8. J.SAMMOUTIS 9. M.BARRINGTON (71)  10. S.DAY  11. M.OUANI (55)

SUBS USED:  15. M.POWPONNE (55)  17. J.PRINCE RYLAM (71)

SUBS NOT USED: 12. K.ORIDGUN  14. S.BELLO-BALGUN  16. D. NEWMAN

BOOKINGS; NONE

 

REFEREE: Mr P.ROWLEY

ASSISTANTS: Mr K.DEMPSTER  &  Mr R. JOSS

ATTENDANCE: 93