For the second successive week, Sittingbourne played a team they’d beaten in September at a time they were up in second place in Bostik League South. And they’ve lost both 3-1.
It’s been quite a turn-around, this season, Sittingbourne having outclassed Horsham in that previous encounter as they sauntered to a 5-1 win down in Sussex.
But now they’re finding wins altogether harder to come by, and this was another frustrating afternoon as they pounded forwards in the wind and rain only to come up short.
Interestingly, five of this Horsham team were on the losing side that sunny day in Sussex, yet exactly the same number remain from the Sittingbourne team that won so comfortably then.
For this match they were without two players injured in the previous week’s defeat at VCD, captain John Coker and midfielder Dan Parkinson, allowing the return of Lex Allan and Tom Loynes (his first full game since a hernia operation before Christmas).
Sittingbourne began confidently enough in horrible conditions but it was Horsham who grabbed a surprise lead after 11 minutes in what was virtually their first attack. A soft goal, too, as a left-wing cross was simply flicked past advancing keeper Harry Brooks by Nwachukwu with everyone else standing around watching. Nice celebration, the striker bravely pulling off an athletic cartwheel on the slippery grass.
Not especially known for his defending, Loynes saved another attempt on goal with a tremendous block while at the other end the Horsham keeper made a good save as captain Miles Cornwell got clean through on goal.
Sittingbourne hesitated fatally again in the 31st minute when a hopeful punt forward fell behind the defenders and in front of Brooks, and House ran into the space to score with a well-judged lob from outside the box.
It needed a quick reply, and that’s what Sittingbourne got, pulling back a goal just three minutes later. Cornwell provided the pass and Loynes the finish, showing how much he’s been missed with a classy well-placed shot that went in off the far post.
Just a goal down, Sittingbourne were very much in with a chance and the half finished with Chris Webber lashing a shot narrowly wide.
The previous week at VCD I didn’t think Sittingbourne’s response to falling behind was that impressive, but this time they kept battling and chasing and trying to get forward.
No faulting the effort, though sometimes the end product of moves wasn’t incisive enough, and Horsham, to be fair, defended well and have an excellent keeper in Pelling, with very safe hands in very testing conditions.
By far the closest Sittingbourne got to an equaliser was in the 81st minute when Pelling picked up a back pass. No good him arguing about it, the decision was clear and correct. But Horsham, of course, lined up the whole team across their goal and managed to keep out Kane Rowland’s driven shot from just five yards. It probably needed something lifted to head height as a low shot was almost certain to connect with one of 22 legs guarding the goal.
And just as Sittingbourne must have been concluding that they just weren’t going to equalise on the day, Horsham added an injury time third. A poor attempted clearance conceded possession, and sub Landais had space and time to place his shot past Brooks.
A disappointing result for Sittingbourne, which sees them slipping into the wrong half of the table, but I for one thought they played with plenty of commitment and energy and were unlucky not to get something from the game.
Sittingbourne: Harry Brooks, Chris Webber, Salvyn Kisitu, Ben Davisson, Laurence Ball, Lex Allan (Josh Dorling, 57 min), Tom Loynes, Bola Dawodu (Tyrone Guthrie, 62 min, Yellow card), Kane Rowland, Miles Cornwell, David Smith (Rhys Bartlett, 67 min). Subs not used: Abdulmalik Usman, Dylan Riches.
Horsham: Josh Pelling, Jack Hartley, Steve Metcalf, Matthew Axwell (Yellow card), Lewis Hyde, Charlie Farmer, Scott Kirkwood, Curtis Gaylor (Yellow card), Tony Nwachukwu (Dean Bown, 56 min), Toby House (Alfie Rogers 83 min, Yellow card), Darren Boswell (George Landais, 69 min).
Sub not used: Josh Street.
Referee: Mr Kane Dempster, Assistants: Mr Joe Kasper, Mr James Paternoster.
Attendance 159