Sittingbourne jumped up to second in the Ryman League Division One South after beating Horsham 2-1 on Saturday.

The game as far as Sittingbourne are concerned was a mixed bag as they played some good football but also some bad football but that could be said of Horsham.

The first half took a while to get going & in the 22^nd minute Billy Dunn on the left saw his free kick saved by Adam Molloy & three minutes later Dunn on the left cut inside & his shot from 18 yards was punched away by Molloy.

Sittingbourne had their first real chance in the 27^th minute when Stephen Okoh was found in the area & he ran towards goal but Gareth Williams quickly came off his line & forced him to rush his shot & it went past the post.

In the 32^nd minute Dunn again who was the bain of Sittingbourne in this half collected the ball & let rip from 20 yards but Molloy tipped it over the bar.

In the 42^nd minute Horsham took the lead when Dunn received the ball on the left & he cut in beating one defender before shooting past Molloy at the near post.

The half time whistle went & any neutrals there would have said Horsham just deserved to be in front but both sides were guilty of giving the ball away.

The second half started slowly & in the 58^th minute Dunn on the left saw his low cross into the area cleared for a corner, Horsham conceded an equaliser in the 62^nd minute when Tom Brunt shot home from 20 yards after good possession play by Sittingbourne.

Two minutes later Bourne could have been in front when Brunt played Harry Smith in to the area & his quick snap shot was pushed around the post by Williams, but two minutes later they did take the lead when Captain Nick Dunsden’s free kick into the area saw Smith beat Williams to it & head into an empty net.

Horsham now had to get back into this game quickly as some people might say they became complacent & in the 69^th minute a Dunn free kick to the near post saw Jamie Cade head just wide of the far post.

Sittingbourne were now being pegged back by Horsham & in the 73^rd minute Tony Nwachukwu found himself in the area but he rushed his shot from 8 yards out & it went past Molloy & the post.

In the very next minute Okoh had a free header at the back post from a corner but it went wide. Four minutes later another Bourne break saw Oliver Brown pass forward for Okoh to run onto & his shot was deflected but Williams saved it.

In the dying minutes Sittingbourne should have wrapped it up when another breakaway saw Okoh run into the area but his shot rebounded of Williams & back of him to safety then in the last seconds Horsham had a free kick wide on the left which Dunn floated in but after a scramble the ball was cleared & the Referee blew up for full time.

As the Horsham players trooped off they were muttering to themselves how did they lose that game while the Sittingbourne players came off knowing that they had battled hard without playing brilliantly but had got the result

SITTINGBOURNE:

1. A.MOLLOY  2. T.BRUNT  3. G.WEBB (83)  4. O.BROWN  5. M.HARDEN  6. G.CRIMMEN  7. N.DUNSDEN  8. BEAU TAYLOR 9.     H.SMITH  10. E.IZOKUN (61)  11. S.OKOH

SUBS USED: 15. K.BURRELL (61)  14. S.WRIGHT (83)

SUBS NOT USED:  12. R.GALLAGHER  16. E.KAYEMBE  17. J.NWOKO

BOOKINGS: 6. G.CRIMMEN (69)

 

HORSHAM:

1. G.WILLIAMS   2. L.HAMILTON  3. B-J. KING (75)  4. J.KAFFO  5. T.GILBERT  6. K.TARBIE  7. R.MORLEY  8. T.NWACHUKWU 9.     M.MILLER (75)  10. J.CADE  11. B.DUNN

SUBS USED: 12. T.BINGHAM (75)  16. W.GIBSON (75)

SUBS NOT USED: 14. H.SMITH  15 J.HILLS  17. T.FRANLAND

 

REFEREE: Mr K.MAY

ASSISTANTS: Mr A.STACCHINI & Mr DE Q BAILEY

ATTENDANCE: 135