Over one hundred days since their last win, Sittingbourne finally recorded their first Isthmian League win since mid-October with a comfortable triumph against VCD Athletic at Oakwood.

A goal in each half was enough to secure not only the Brickies first League win in 2023 and their first three points in 105 days (since they won 3-1 at Cray Valley PM), also perhaps more significantly, it was manager Ryan Maxwell’s first win as club manager in just his second League game.

The home side were still reeling from Friday’s crushing 4-1 home defeat to Corinthian when Correy Davidson’s early drive was beaten out by keeper Harry Brooks only to cannon into the net of a combination of defender and Cheynie Burgin.

If the first goal had been scrappy then the second almost immediately after the break was straight off the training ground as young on loan defender Joe Tyrie escaping his marker to power a header beyond Brooks to nestle into the corner of the home net.

The visitors didn’t have it all their own way and were indebted to keeper Harley Earle for a fine first half penalty save from Soul Kader after a clumsy challenge halted Anthony Adesite’s charging run – Bagasan Graham the quickest to react to the rebound as he launched the clearance into the car park!

The home side would have been desperate for a fast start yet when Burgin (or defender) got the final touch to the rebound from Davidson’s shot, there was only eight minutes on the clock and the visitors had something that they have struggled so badly for – a game’s first goal.

In truth, Sittingbourne should have been further in front before gifting VCD the lifeline, but Kader’s penalty was well beaten out by the loanee Maidstone keeper for the nineteen year old’s first penalty save in Brickies colours.

And by the break, it was the home side grateful to their keeper as Brooks made a very fine reaction save to keep out Cheynie’s flick after Aaron Eyoma had done brilliantly down the right.

Whatever magic Maxwell words were given at the break certainly worked as within minutes of the restart; the lead was doubled as the unmarked Tyrie thumped a header into the net for his first goal for the Club on his debut.

The home side were rocked and the Brickies went looking for more – Youssouf Bamba shot straight at the keeper; Burgin did well to meet a Davidson cross but couldn’t keep his header down; whilst only last ditch defending prevented Bamba from surely grabbing a third on his return to his old club.

But VCD weren’t completely out of it and reminded Sittingbourne of that when substitute Karl Dent glanced a header a yard wide after a great ball in from Khayne Makhosini.

The long wait for a win for the visitors wasn’t though to be threatened and had Donvieve Jones (with a brave header that bounced off the bar) and James Dyer (with a desperate far post lunge to try and reach Gael Kileda’s driven cross shot the final margin may well have been more.

VCD ATHLETIC – Brooks, Holland (Oluwafikayo), Tolulope, Bingham, Bath, Nash, Adesite, Phillips (Ross), Sterling-Parker (Dent), Kader, Makhosini

Subs – Allassani, Ajayi

SITTINGBOURNE – Earle, Jones, Graham, Osman, Pont, Tyrie, Bamba (Kileba), Warren, Cheynie, Eyoma (Owusu-Boakye), Davidson (Dyer)

Subs – Hanfrey, Horley

REFEREE – Mr Keane