Sittingbourne returned home to play a League game at Woodstock for the first time on a Saturday since the opening day of the season in early August and made up for “lost time” as six of the very best ruined former manager Nick Davis’ return to the Staxson Stadium with his new Hythe Town side as Ryan Maxwell’s side ran riot in the sunshine. 

Mitch May netted four of the six and took the plaudits, but that was only part of the story as the Brickies ripped their visitors to shreds time and after time and the gulf on the scoreboard could well have been even bigger but for some poor finishing – difficult to say after a side scores six – and some super goal keeping from the under-siege Hythe keeper Joe Coleman. 

And given the scoreline, it was a very even opening, but once May had walked the ball into the net for the opening goal on 22 minutes – after great work from Jay Beckford and a super ball across the box from Joe Boachie – the flood gates opened and the Brickies top-scorer was only denied a second when clean through by a brave Coleman save as he robbed the striker with his left foot. 

The lead was doubled when a Richie Hamill corner to the back post eluded the keeper and from Jack Steventon’s header, May slid in number two, before, from another corner, Donvieve Jones thumped a volley through the crowd past a motionless keeper. 

The hat-trick was completed in first-half stoppage time was Troy Howard turned provider this time as May arrived at the far post to net the Brickies fourth in the first half’s final play. 

May was at it again five minutes into the second half as Beckford did the creative work again and at that point it looked as if it was going to be a long forty minutes for the visitors. 

Beckford curled a cracking shot onto Coleman’s left post, Codey Cosgrave had a shot blocked and from the rebound May looped a header inches too high. The home side continued to create chances – Beckford’s ball in from the right was clawed away magnificently by Coleman with subs Henry Sinai and Ryan Kingsford closing in, Tony Martin crashed a shot into Coleman’s chest before the Brickies did finally get their sixth in stoppage time.

Sinai and Kingsford combined down the left and as Sinai got into the box, his lay back for Kingsford who brilliantly side-stepped a defender before hammering the ball home past sprawling defenders on the line. 

It could have been even worse for Hythe but for another really five from Coleman, as he brilliantly saved from Cosgrave after Sinai’s caused havoc again. 

SITTINGBOURNE – Earle, Jones, Lukombo, Hamill (El-Mogharbel), Smith, Steventon, Howard (Kingsford), Cosgrave, May (Martin), Beckford, Boachie (Sinai) 

Sub – Arthur  

HYTHE TOWN – Coleman, Procopi, Eilto (Theobald), Blackwood, Rowland (Addotey), Aziaya, Adesite, Ozobia, Bola (Scott), Court (Ogboe), Takaloo (Spencer) 

REFEREE – Mr. Wood 

Images courtesy of Paul Golding