Sittingbourne continued their fine form and jump up above their opponents with a great second half performance which the fans that were there enjoyed and now face a trip to second place Dorking Wanderers on Saturday.

The game started with both teams showing intent and in the 13^th minute Bourne had their first chance when some quick incisive passing saw the ball out to Jordan Gallagher and his low cross found Ricky Gundry whose shot went across goal for Danny Rumbol and his acrobatically volley went just past the post.

Casuals first real attack saw them take the lead when it was their turn for quick incisive passing which led to Gabriel Odunaike in the area slot the ball past Simon Overland.

Bourne nearly equalised two minutes later when a Sam Welch long throw into the area found Skipper Jono Richardson whose backward header forced Denzal Gerrar to tip over the bar.

In the 29^th minute Stefan Wright passed to Gundry in the area and his shot from 15 yards was parried away by Gerrar.

Up to half time Casuals upped their game and in the 36^th minute Jake Nicholson fired his shot from 20 yards just over the bar and then in time added on Odunaike was put through and ran into the area and his shot was saved by the onrushing Overland.

The second saw Sittingbourne come out of the traps the quickest and in the 49^th minute they equalised when Tom Carlse on the left passed out wide to Gallagher who returned the ball into the path of Carlse whose low cross to the near post was smashed in by Anthony O’Connor.

Seven minutes and they nearly took the lead when the ball was bouncing around the Casuals are and O’Connor latched onto it and his cross shot went just past the far post.

Overland came to the rescue again when in the 59^th minute Odunaike was through on goal but he saved the shot with his legs.

Sittingbourne were now searching for another goal and in the very next minute nice work between Gallagher and O’Connor saw Gundry’s shot go just wide but two minutes later they did take the lead when a Wright cross into the area was palmed away by Gerrar but a Casuals defender inside the area fouled a Gundry and a penalty was given, up stepped Gundry and he blasted it straight down the middle.

Odunaike found himself in the area on his own in the 69^th minute but again Overland won the battle and saved it.

Three minutes later another glorious chance came when Wright’s cross to the back post found Gallagher and his sliding shot was saved by Gerrar.

Casuals were still in the game and in the 74^th minute Luke Holness found himself on the edge of the area and his shot was saved by Overland.

Bourne nearly increased their lead in the 78^th minute when O’Connor’s cross found Joe Loft whose goalbound shot was deflected for a corner and from the resulting corner they did increase their lead, the corner was half cleared to Gundry who quickly passed out wide to Gallagher who ran forward before crossing low to the far post where Richardson was and from 3 yards he side footed in.

The game was now getting away from Casuals and in the 82^nd minute it got worse when Skipper Max Fitzgerald was booked for a second time so he had to take an early bath.

Bourne tried to get another goal and in the 83^rd minute a free kick into the area was half cleared to Loft whose first time effort went just over bar.

Five minutes later and it should have been four when Gallagher racing down the left wing crossed to the back post for O’Connor but from 6 yards his shot was saved.

In the second minute of added on time Casuals scored a consolation goal but probably the best goal of the game when Jordan Cheadle smashed it in from 25 yards leaving Overland with no chance to get near it.

The final whistle went and Bourne’s great run continues

 

SITTINGBOURNE:

1. OVERLAND 2. S.WELCH  3. T.CARLSE  4. D.RUMBOL  5. J.RICHARDSON  6. J.LOFT  7. S.WRIGHT (75) 8. C.LEE 9. A.O’CONNOR  10. R.GUNDRY (88)  11. J.GALLAGHER

SUBS USED:  17. T.WISSON (75)  12. T.BRUNT (88)

SUBS NOT USED: 14. J.EMBERY  15. C.WILKINS  16. D.TANNER

BOOKINGS: 6. J.LOFT (54)  3. T.CARSLE (72)

 

WALTON CASUALS:

1. GRERRAR 2. L.HOLNESS  3.  D.OGUN  4. J.NICHOLSON  5. M.FITZGERALD  6. J.CHEADLE  7. G.ODUNIAKE 8. D.COLEMAN 9. S.PINNOCK (70)  10. J.SAMMOUTIS  11.  M.HUDSON

SUBS USED: 12. R.D’SANE (70)

SUBS NOT USED: 14. JP RYLAH  15. S.BELLO BALOGUN

BOOKINGS: 5.M.FITZGERALD (38, 82)  9. S.PINNOCK (62)  8. D.COLEMAN

SENT OFF: 5. M.FITZGERALD TWO BOOKINGS

 

REFEREE: Mr R.WHITTAKER

ASSISTANTS: Mr C.MYATT & Mr J.MacLEOD

ATTENDANCE: 94