Sittingbourne eased into the Third Qualifying Round for the Isuzu FA Trophy with a comfortable 4-1 win over former winners Kingstonian in the Swale sunshine. 

Two goals in each half eased the Brickies into the next round for just the fifth time in the Clubs history as Troy Howard and Mitch May gave the home side a comfortable half time lead that they never looked like squandering. 

Mays eighth goal of the season from the spot quickly after the break followed by Henry Sinai’s acute angled shot making it four and the Brickies were through despite Joe Hicks arguably scoring the goal of the game with a fine strike. 

The early exchanges were fairly even, and the first real chances fell to the home side when Ryan Kingsford and May had shots blocked in quick succession.

The home side then found a way through as Kingsford and Sinai combined for Howard to ghost in at the back post to score and moments later, Liam Smith’s through ball found Howard and as his effort was blocked May drilled the ball home. 

The home side sealed progress shortly after as Sinai was allowed to battle along the goal-line and was given room to hammer home from the tightest of angles. Joe Hicks did drive home gloriously for the visitors in off the underside of the bar but by then their day was over. 

Sub Pacey Bean thundered a shot into the home sides side-netting before keeper Liam Allen performed heroics keeping out later chances from Tony Martin and Kingsford as the home side looked for the cherry on the cake. 

Allen did remarkably well to recover as a ball in from Joe Boachie was left alone by the Kingstonian back line and Martin stole in and forced the keeper into an incredible tip onto the bar.

Moments later a rampaging Chris Arthur burst forward for the Brickies and as the ball ran free, Kingsland appeared to have rounded Allen only for the keeper to magnificently recover and block the shot. But by then, the home side were heading into Mondays draw.

SITTINGBOURNE – Henry, Cosgrave (Steventon), Lukombo, El-Mogharbel, Smith, Arthur, Sinai (Boachie), Hammill, May (Martin), Kingsford, Howard (Beckford) 

Sub – Earle  

KINGSTONIAN – Allen, Uikaj, McDonald-Roberts, Munting, Gough (Parkinson), Hicks, Flaherty, Kelly, Simon (Bean), Wilson, Francis (Goodridge) 

Subs – Dubov, Jones 

REFEREE – Mr. Olol  

Images courtesy of Paul Golding