Kane Rowland’s seventh goal of the season secured Sittingbourne a deserved point in Sussex and meant that for the third time this season, the Brickies and Three Bridges have been locked at 1-1.
After Charlie Lambert had prodded the home side into an early lead, the Brickies probed and pressed but looked as though time had run out. But with the electronic scoreboard showing 89 minutes, Rowland was on hand to steer home sub-Jamie Witt’s driven centre to send the travelling fans wild in jubilation and maintain Darren Blackburn’s side outside Play Off dreams as they strive for their highest finish in recent years.
It didn’t start too well for the visitors though as the home side were ahead on the quarter hour as Charlie Lambert was on hand – perhaps in an offside position – to poke the ball home after a shot from a corner had cannoned off Charlie Taylor’s left post.
Sittingbourne struggled to get going and it took another ten minutes for them to threaten the home goal – top scorer Johan Caney-Bryan couldn’t hit the target with a header from Harry Stannard’s cross.
There were loud cries for a Brickies penalty shortly after when the giant Lex Allan appeared to be climbed all over at a free kick. Referee Merchant wasn’t interested – which summed up his afternoon really – and as the home side broke, Brannon O’Neill crashed a shot off of the Brickies right post.
The home side were indebted to keeper Mitch Bromage to keeping their lead as the Brickies looked to get level. Stannard arrowed a free kick in which seemed to have deceived the keeper, but at the last minute he back pedalled and got a strong hand on the ball to divert it over the bar.
Rowland was then “talked” into the book for a high challenge on Ryan Blackpool – the defender ducked into the challenge as the Brickies skipper went for the ball – but after a verbal intervention from Michael Wilson, referee Merchant brandished the yellow card, which he should have done moments later when the same player was late on Rowland but was “missed” by the official.
The second period developed into a cat and mouse cagey contest, and it was only in the last twenty minutes that the visitors got within range again when Caney-Bryan, who was battered all afternoon by the home defenders, couldn’t keep a shot down from Stannard’s pull back.
As the visitors upped the tempo, gaps began to appear at the back which had been so secure after the home goal with Eman Dasho and Allan dealing with the goal threat of Dan Perry with some aplomb… Wilson burst into the Brickies box only to shoot over, and from a misplaced square ball at the back, Noel Leighton crossed for Perry, who blazed high and wide.
Just as it looked like the home side would hang on, the newly introduced Witt got free down the left and his driven cross was diverted into the bottom corner by Rowland’s stretch. There was even time for Alex Flisher to try an ambitious late effort to win the game which was comfortably dealt with by the home keeper.
The point leaves Sittingbourne nine points off the Play Off places with seven games left, but it does lift the Brickies up to eighth and still just a point behind Burgess Hill who are seventh.
THREE BRIDGES – Mitch Bromage, Stone, Ashley, Wilson, Tad Bromage, Brackpool, Gayler, O’Neill, Perry, Lawson (Ferreria), Lambert (Leighton)
Subs – Young, Chesworth, Rivera
SITTINGBOURNE – Charlie Taylor, Okoye (Witt), Fisher, Miller (Alex Flisher), Dasho, Allan, Stannard, Anderson (Bancroft), Rowland, Danny Taylor, Caney-Bryan
REFEREE – Mr Merchant