Sittingbourne got their first win in a month & what a way for Caretaker Manager Barry Crimmen to finish his little reign as the new Manager will be announced on Wednesday.

The game started in bizarre fashion as first it was delayed for 5 minutes as Sean Bazell was late & then the game started with Bourne playing with ten men for about 90 seconds until Bazell came running on & took over the gloves from George Crimmen.

This seemed to rattle Bourne for a while as Redhill belied their lowly league position as they dominated possession & chances. In the 1^st minute Tyrone Pink  passed to Javlon Campbell who miskicked his pass to Chris O’Flaherty but his header from 2 yards was easily saved by Crimmen then in the 13^th minute O’Flaherty picked up a loose ball & his shot went across the goal & out for a goal kick.

Two minutes later O’Flaherty passed to Campbell who controlled it his shot from 20 yards was waved by Bazell.  After all this pressure Sittingbourne against the run of play took the lead when Hicham Akhazzan on the right crossed across the area for Tom Brunt who shot in from 20 yards.

Three minutes later it could have been two when David Abe 25 yards out twisted & turned & then his shot went just past the post. Redhill had a half chance in the 25^th minute when O’Flaherty flicked the ball on for Joe Bingham but his shot went across the goal & ended up as a goal kick.

In the 31^st minute Bourne doubled their lead when Akhazzan on the right got to the by-line & his low cross found Ellie Kayembe who shot home from 8 yards. Four minutes later it was three as a long ball forward saw Olalekan Bankole latch on to it & he went into the area & rounded the keeper Michael Hunter & slotted into the empty net.

Sittingbourne were cruising & the Redhill players looked despondent but in the 2^nd minute off added on time they got a goal back when a long ball forward was headed backwards by Crimmen & Campbell raced on to it & shot past Bazell.

The second half started with Bourne out of the blocks the quickest when in the 47^th minute David Abe on the right crossed to the back post where Brunt was & his shot was pushed around the post by Hunter.

Redhill suddenly found themselves right back in the game in the 58^th minute O’Flaherty in the area received the ball & from 8 yards he shot home.

The Sittingbourne supporters & players were rocked by this but they needn’t worried as four minutes later they scores when Abe on the right passed back to Akhazzan who looked up & passed sideways to Crimmen whose shot from 20 yards flew into the back of the net.

Redhill were not finished yet as two minutes later they reduced the deficit when Tom Howard-Bold’s free kick 25 yards out flew over the wall & into the net.

Again the nerves appeared but again they did not have to wait too long when in the 75^th minute Akhazzan’s corner to the back post was met by Jono Richardson’s head two yards out.

Bourne had a couple more chances to increase their lead when in the 89^th minute Akhazzan’s passed out to Ehis Izokun & his shot was pushed around the post by Hunter & in the dying moments again Akhazzan running at the defence put Brunt in but his shot was deflected over the bar.

 

SITTINGBOURNE:

1. BAZELL 2. T.BRUNT   3. J.RICHARDSON   4. M.HARDEN  5. G.CRIMMEN  6. O.BROWN (69)  7. B.CULLEN
2. O.BANKOLE (83) 9. E.KAYEMBE 10. D.ABE  11. H.AKHAZZAN

SUBS USED:  15. E.IZOKAN (69)  14. B.MILHAM

SUBS NOT USED:  12. R.GALLAGHER   16. B.BELL  17. D.FLEMMING

BOOKINGS:  6. O.BROWN (52)

 

REDHILL:

1. HUNTER 2. J.DIFFORD   3. R.HILL   4. T.HOWARD-BOLD  5. B.DUKE  6. J.ANDERSON  7.  T.PINK (60)
2. J.BINGHAM (81) 9. C.FRENCH  10. J.CAMPBELL (81)  11. C.O’FLAHERTY

SUBS USED:  14.  S.HARRIS  12. L.REGAN(81)  15. K.MILLS-WHYTE (81)

SUBS NOT USED: 16.  J.HOPE   17. F.McARDLE

BOOKINGS:  4. T.HOWARD-BOLD (45)

 

REFEREE:  Mr J.PACKMAN

ASSISTANTS:  Mr I.GOLAV &  Mr A.STEELE

ATTENDANCE: 71