Sittingbourne wasted the chance to put more space between them & Herne Bay while Bay are now only two points behind Faversham.

This was a game where Sittingbourne controlled it for thirty minutes & then Bay got back into it & the crowd probably saw the goal of the season from Ronald Sobowale.

The game started brilliantly for Sittingbourne as they went two up after 13 minutes. In the 6th minute a corner was half cleared & from 25 yards the ball came back into the area where David Smith reacted first & lobbed the ball over Simon Overland from 6 yards.

In the 12th minute Tom Fagg tried his luck from 25 yards which forced Overland to save then in the next minute Fagg again tried his luck from 25 yards only for it to be blocked but it came out to Henry Woods on loan from Gillingham & from 20 yards his shot hit the back of the net.

Sittingbourne continued to apply pressure without really causing any problems. Then against the run of play Herne Bay scored when a ball into the area was bouncing around when the Referee saw a foul & gave a penalty.

Jake Embury stepped up & shot it into the bottom right hand corner. Suddenly Sittingbourne went into their shell while Herne Bay started to play & in the 3rd minute of added on time Thomas Carlton’s free kick was pushed away by Patrick Lee.

The half time whistle went & both managers would have different discussions with their teams, Sittingbourne to get back to how they started while Bay to carry on as they finished.

The second half started with Sittingbourne creating a couple of half chances, firstly in the 51st minute Lewis Chambers in space 25 yards out tried his luck & his shot went just over the bar & then in the next minute Chris Webber on the left passed into the feet of Smith who turned & saw his shot saved.

The game turned in the 55th minute when substitute Ronald Sobowale ( Has been on trial at Barnsley ) received the ball on halfway & raced towards the goal but was forced wide by Ben Fitchett, he then turned & twisted his way into the area leaving four defenders behind him & from 10 yards shot past Lee.

Herne Bay were now in charge & controlled the game with Sittingbourne relying on breakaways. In the 58th minute Fitchett sliced his clearance to Danny Leonard who from 18 yards shot just past the post. In the 74th minute Sittingbourne had their one & only half chance in a breakaway when Gil Carvalho on the left ran across the pitch & from 25 yards saw his shot go just over the bar.

In the 77th minute Bay had another great chance to score when Embery ran to the by-line & his low cross found Sobowale 8 yards out & he turned & shot under pressure but it went just past the post. In the 87th minute Bay got the winner when a free kick into the back post found Ben Gorham who headed across the goal & the ball eventually found its way to the near post where Conor Wilkins was & he smashed the ball into the net from 3 yards.

This saw all of the Sittingbourne team hang their heads in shame whilst Bay’s players & supporters celebrated their unexpected win especially after being two down.

SITTINGBOURNE:

P.LEE 2. D.DEVINE 3. C.WEBBER 4. L.CHAMBERS 5. L.ALLAN 6. B.FITCHETT 7. G.CARVALHO

8. H.WOODS (43) 9. D.SMITH (84) 10. T.FAGG 11. I.JACKSON

SUBS USED: 15. B.DAWODU (43) 16. X.McDONAGH (84)

SUBS NOT USED: 12. R.LOFTING 14. F.PHIPPS 17. M.EAST

BOOKINGS: 4. L.CHAMVBERS (23) 11. I.JACKSON (45+2) 10. T.FAGG (56) 6. B.FITCHETT (87)

HERNE BAY:

S.OVERLAND 2. N.WOOD 3. R.BROWN 4. D.RUMBOL 5. B.GORHAM 6. O.BANKOLE 7. B.SCHAFFER (33)

8. T.CARLTON 9. J.EMBERY 10. C. WILKINS 11. D.LEONARD

SUBS USED: 15. R.SOMOWALE

SUBS NOT USED: 12. M.CORNWALL 14. S.KABAMBA 16. M.FREILER 17. A. MULROONEY-SKINNER

BOOKINGS: 5. B.GORHAM (45+2)

 

REFEREE: Mr C.MYATT

ASSISTANTS: Mr C.PRICE & Mr P DUNKLEY

ATTENDANCE: 273