Ex Premier league and FIFA referee Stephen Bennett was amongst the decent sized crowd of 263 who saw the Brickies concede a goal inside 5 minutes of the start for the second time in two games.
This time it came out of the blue as Tijan Jadama had a shot that Jordan Perrin, who had his 21st Birthday in midweek, could just parry away but the ball fell back to Jadama who slotted it home.
Sittingbourne almost pulled the goal back on 7 minutes but the ball was kicked off the Oystermen’s goal line. Whitstable were looking dangerous and in particular Liam Gillies was causing the Brickies problems. However, the scores were level on 19 minutes when Ryan Palmer was brought down in the area and Andy Drury, in his first home competitive match since his signing from Havant & Waterlooville, sent Dan Eason in the Whitstable goal the wrong way with the penalty. Although he has been away for some 17years this match marked Andy Drury’s 100th Sittingbourne match and Chairman Maurice Dunk presented him with a commemorative shirt just before the start of the game.
Whitstable pressed the Brickies defence and Luke Medley found himself clear on goal in the 24th minute but his poor shot was easily gathered by Perrin, then Charles Etumnu also gave Perrin an easy time with a shot from the left. It was a different story at the other end as the energetic Kane Rowland let fly with a great shot 40 minutes to put the Brickies ahead.
It was almost 3 for Sittingbourne a minute from the half time break when Vance Bola let fly with a terrific shot but Eason pulled off a remarkable diving save.
Whitstable started the second half well and danger man Gillies had a shot crash into the side netting and then forced a stunning save from Perrin.
The game had been a bad tempered affair at times, both Charles Etumnu and Cory Walters Wright had been yellow carded in the first half after the two clashed and this element of the game continued when both Harry Miller and Tom Bryant received yellow cards from referee Harry Wager.
Vance Bola did one of his trademark sprints on 66 minutes but kicked the ball just too far ahead that allowed Eason time to come out and block the shot. Sittingbourne put the game to bed with 15 minutes to go when a good run by George Monger was ended but the loose ball was crossed to the left where Harry Goodger was lurking and although it wasn’t a clean shot it was enough to beat Eason and hit the right hand inside of the net for the Brickies third.
Whitstable narrowed the gap on 90 minutes when Luke Medley scored but despite almost 6 minutes of time added on there was no change to the score and Darren Blackburn, in his first competitive match as manager on his home soil, claimed the points to give the Brickies a great start to the new season.
Sittingbourne: Jordan Perrin, Freeman Rogers, Salvyn Kisitu (Conrad lee 77 mins), George Monger, Lex Allan, Cory Walters Wright (Yellow), Enoch Adjei (Harry Miller 57 mins yellow) , Andrew Drury, Kane Rowland, Vance Bola (Harry Goodger 71 mins), Ryan Palmer.
Subs not used: Johan Caney Bryan, Michel Freiter
Whitstable Town: Dan Eason, Ollie Gray, James Brown, Liam Gillies, Ollie Rowe (Reece Gillies), Tom Bryant (Yellow), Jay Hards Dean James 79 mins), Charles Etumnu (Yellow) (Luke Girt 33 mins), Luke Medley, Tijan Jadama (yellow), Tom Mills.
Subs not used: Victor Alyelabola, Leo Mazzone
Referee: Harry Wager, Assistants: Dan Blades, Kennedy Kikulwe