Two goals in ninety first half seconds proved decisive as Sittingbourne won their first game of the season with a 2-1 derby win over winless Faversham Town in front of a bumper Bank Holiday crowd at the Jarmans Stadium.
After Nathan Wood had put the visitors ahead, the Brickies struck back with two well crafted goals in a ninety second spell ten minutes before the break as first Henry Dasofunjo’s pile-driver levelled the scores before former Faversham man Harry Harding showed predatory instinct to give Nick Davis’s side the half time advantage.
The visitors huffed and puffed looking for an equaliser but the closest they got was a late low drive from Bradley Schafer which home keeper Matt Cafer pulled off a terrific low save to divert the shot wide of his right post.
The home side started slowly and early on Faversham created a great chance to go in front. Tom Cooney centred from the left, and the arriving Wood was only denied by a remarkable reflex save by Cafer. From the corner, the Brickies scrambled the ball off the line and James O’Halloran’s rebound grazed the outside of the post.
Wood then put the visitors in front as he latched onto a long ball and drove the ball beyond Cafer and into the bottom corner. The goal certainly kick started the home side with Harding tirelessly running down the channels and Matt Warren gaining the upper hand in the middle of the park.
Dasofunjo let fly after a strong run which was just past the left post, but that just proved to be the sighter for what happened ten minutes from the break. The winger cut inside and unleashed an unstoppable drive that had Faversham keeper Simon Overland grasping at thin air as the ball rocketed into the top corner.
Almost before the cheers had died down, the home side were in front as a super move through the middle of the park fell to the lively Harding who – like Dasofunjo – netted his first Sittingbourne goal as he beat Overland with some aplomb.
The visitors looked to end their wretched start to the season in the opening stages of the second period and despite lots of possession, Cafer and his back line held firm.
But when Faversham did find a way through, they found the keeper in fine form as his save to deny Schafer showed.
Not that it was all one-way traffic as the Brickies had their chances too – Harding fired over after a swift break from Warren and Dasofunjo before sub-Danny Taylor fired a low drive just past the post with one of his first touches after coming on.
The final whistle brought relief from the home faithful and put them in good spirits ahead of the first competitive “Kings Ferry” derby for a generation on Bank Holiday Monday.
SITTINGBOURNE – Cafer, Jones, Chambers, Gorham, Harding, Warren, Osman (Puemo), Pont, Dythe, Dasofunjo, Addai (Witt) (Taylor).
Subs not used – Banton, Mott.
FAVERSHAM TOWN – Overland, Masindo, Cooney, Quinn (Carrington), Bourne, O’Halloran, Wilkins, Bancroft (Richardson), Mulroney-Skinner (Adebayo), Schafer, Wood.
Subs not used – Carlton, Rumbol
REFEREE – Mr Doyle