Sittingbourne edged through into the Second Round of the Velocity Trophy after they shared six goals with Sevenoaks Town and then edged through from twelve yards. 

Both Ryan Maxwell and Harry Hudson made changes to the extent that only seven players across the starting twenty-two started on the opening day of the Isthmian League at the weekend! That said, those on view produced an entertaining contest in warm conditions that ended with the spot-kick shootout drama! 

The home side enjoyed the better of the first half despite going a goal behind when Solomon Baugh was on hand to get behind the Brickies back line to scramble the ball over the line just beating keeper Luke Parker to the ball. 

The home side though weren’t behind for long as Kyan Gulliver marked a strong debut with a terrific free kick from the just outside the “D” which gave Amadou Tangara no chance. 

Moments later the home side were in front after Ayman made a fabulous challenge to win the ball back in midfield before a slide rule pass found skipper for the night Toch Singh who hammered the ball home. 

The lead was 3-1 before the break as last season’s top scorer Jones ghosted into the far post from a JB Fischer corner to power home a header to give the home side a deserved lead and seemingly one foot in Round Two. 

The visitors though had other ideas and Parker made a really brave save to deny Sevenoaks right at the start of the half. Parker though could do nothing about Isaac Okello’s effort moments later as the Sevenoaks substitute tore through the home back line before slotting the ball past the advancing keeper. 

The visitors really were in the ascendancy now and an effort whistled just over the bar before Sevenoaks thought they’d levelled but were called back by the assistant’s flag. Parker then showed good reactions by using his feet to clear another dangerous centre before Okello showed more amazing skill before drilling the ball past the keeper and Jones to level the score ten minutes from time. 

Parker made another really good brave save to deny Okello his hat-trick before the debutant keeper was replaced by Bobby Mason with the shootout looming. 

And so it went to spot-kicks and Mason duly repaid his managers faith by saving Sevenoaks first. D’sean Theobalds, Josh Osude and Singh then all scored for the Brickies with Fumnaya Shomotun, Kyle Da Silva and Baugh replying. 

Alfie Bloomfield then had his effort well saved by Tangara to effectively send the shoot out to sudden death “early”. Daniel Bennett took the visitors fifth kick only to crash his effort against the underside of the bar, and with the bar seemingly still shaking, Jones coolly stepped up and sent the keeper the wrong way to send the Brickies through. 

SITTINGBOURNE – Parker (Mason), Jones, Gulliver, Theobalds, Oppong, Nolan-Samuel, Fischer, Singh, Bloomfield, Osude, Ayman 

Sub – Goodman 

SEVENOAKS TOWN – Tangara, Aghatise (Aboagye), De Silva, Thompson (Okello), Howlett-Munde, Holder, Addai, Shomotun (Mensah), Bennett, Baugh 

Sub – Cadogan 

REFEREE – Mr Searle