Cray Wanderers 1-1 Sittingbourne - I'd be gutted if we don't make play-off's - Abbott

Despite having to settle for a 1-1 draw at Hayes Lane, the Brickies were by far the better side, which meant second placed Cray Wanderers were relieved to have escaped with a point.

Impressive Sittingbourne, meanwhile, moved up two places to seventh - level on points with their fifth placed local rivals Ashford Town - as the promotion race hots up ahead of the vital Christmas period.

After striker Tom Bradbrook scored his sixth goal of the season to give Sittingbourne a 25^th minute lead, it could have been much better for Abbott’s side, but his number two, Richard Brady, saw his penalty bounce off the foot of the right-hand post.

Midfielder Dean Morris scored his first goal of the season to grab a 60^th minute equaliser for Cray Wanderers, but it was Sittingbourne that should have gone on and won the game.

Both sides made just one change apiece from their last game - played seven days ago. Jamie Kempster took the captain’s armband as he replaced Danny Chapman, and for Sittingbourne, Billy Manners was relegated to the bench as Ian Varley took his place.

Cray Wanderers gave a debut to seventeen-year-old striker Richmond Kissi at the end.

Although Kissi came on for his debut, fellow striker, Mo Conteh - remained on the bench - having been drafted into the first team squad, having scored four goals in a recent reserve team game against Chatham Town.  

Sittingbourne, meanwhile, arrived in Bromley with the best away record in the division, having won eight and drawn one of their ten games away from Bourne Park.

Abbott’s side were not going to lie down and die and Brady was involved in the action as he was shown a yellow card with just 64 seconds on the clock for fouling Cray’s right-back Aaron Day.

Credit must be given to Ashford based referee Mr Martin Yerby for his handling of two Kent derbies this week - tonight’s game and Dover Athletic’s 4-2 win over Dartford at Crabble at the weekend.

And it was a free-kick from Morris that presented Cray Wanderers with the first chance of the game after thirteen minutes, but Scott Kinch’s far post header bounced wide.

But Sittingbourne were desperately unlucky not to break the deadlock - just 32 seconds later - when impressive teenager Colin Richmond looked up to see Glen Knight off his line but his right-footed lob from thirty-yards bounced agonisingly against the top of right post. The former Dover Athletic goalkeeper was relieved to pounce on the loose ball inside his vacant penalty area.

However, a fine move down the left almost brought a goal for long-serving Cray Wanderers midfielder Jamie Kempster.

Tyrone Sterling cut the ball back to Colin Luckett, whose superb dinked ball found Kempster inside the box but his shot curled agonisingly past the far post.

But Sittingbourne opened the scoring through former Dartford striker Bradbrook with 25 minutes on the clock.

Bradbrook latched onto Richmond’s through ball he stroked a right-footed shot across Knight to find the bottom far corner.

Sittingbourne failed to put the game beyond a disappointing Cray’s reach, missing a penalty with eight first half minutes remaining.

Richmond latched onto a through ball from Brady, but the midfielder was upended by the advancing Knight.

But Brady’s driven right-footed penalty pinged against the foot of the right post - the second penalty that he’s missed this season.

In between that miss, Leigh Bremner was twice off target from the edge of Sittingbourne’s penalty area.

The home side hit the foot of the right-hand post after just 47 seconds into the second half but in truth their shooting was awful all night.

Sittingbourne winger, Hicham Akhazzan skied his right-footed volley when presented with a good chance on the edge of the penalty area.

And Luckett’s left-footed free-kick from thirty-yards rose high above Matt Reed’s goal.

However, Morris’ deflected goal, brought Cray Wanderers level on the hour-mark.

Picking up the ball thanks to Sterling’s cut back from the edge of the penalty area, Morris drilled a 25-yard shot through a crowd of players and the ball rolled past the agonising Reed to find the bottom right-hand corner.

Cray striker, Tommy Whitnell, who wore the number four shirt, almost scored within two minutes of the equaliser.

Luckett’s floated cross from the left was met by a diving header from Whitnell but this was straight at Reed, who made a comfortable low save.

Knight was finally tested in the 67^th minute when he was well positioned to save Nick Reeves’ fierce right-footed central free-kick from 30-yards.

Four minutes later Sittingbourne had three bites of the cherry to claim a deserved win.

Bradbrook’s pace beat off three defenders but his stabbed shot was blocked by the legs of Knight, who had advanced to the edge of his area. Brady pounced on the loose ball, but his drive was hacked away by defender Steve Aris, but Akhazzan fired wide of the far post when he should have been celebrating his seventh goal of the season.

However, an excellent flying save from Reed prevented Whitnell from scoring from an angled drive with fifteen minutes left as the former Tonbridge Angels goalkeeper tipped the shot over his bar.

Akhazzan and Brady (twice) squandered good late opportunities for Sittingbourne to win the game.

Former Chatham Town striker, Akhazzan, was played in behind the Cray defence but he blasted his angled shot agonisingly past the near post.

And two weak shots from just outside the box from Brady were easily gathered by Knight.

Abbott, speaking to www.kentishfootball.co.uk afterwards, felt his side to deserved to take all three points tonight.

“We would have been happy with a point all day,” he said. “They’re second in the table, they’re not second in the table for nothing. But I think, to be honest with you, we’ve played them off the park.

“Richard Brady’s missed a penalty at one-nil, so it could have gone two-nil by half-time, which might have killed it off, but the chances we’ve had second half, we’ve had four or five open goals, I would say.”

Abbott was quick to praise midfielder Richmond for his performance tonight.

“To be fair, the last two games he has had so much energy,” praised Abbott. “The two games before that I thought he was off his game a little bit.

“He’s eighteen and he’s playing out there tonight and everyone’s impressed with him.

“He don’t stop running, does he? He’s great on the ball, wins his tackles, good in the air and he’s got so much ability about him.”

Abbott, who scored 25 goals in 75 appearances for Cray Wanderers at the end of his playing career, added: “I’m glad I’ve got him in my team to be honest with you. I wouldn’t want any of their players in my team!

“The team I’ve got is my squad and I think we can push on and I’d be gutted if we don’t get into the play-off’s.”

Cray Wanderers manager Ian Jenkins didn’t enjoy his view from his seat at the back of the main stand, still serving his touch-line ban.

And the long-serving boss was clearly upset about his side’s poor performance, especially as they would have been celebrating top spot had they won.

“That’s the worst we’ve played for a long, long time at this level,” fumed Jenkins. “I’m gutted with it to be honest with you.”

Jenkins has told his players to shape up in time for their trip to Godalming Town on Saturday - and to forget about the top-of-the-table showdown with Kingstonian at Hayes Lane on 27^th December.

“I think we just didn’t turn up tonight and Sittingbourne set their stall out,” he said. “Fair play to Abbo for setting their stall out. They didn’t let us play, they got amongst us with their kids and they deserved to win. They could have won by three or four in the end.

“We’ve got to bounce back. I don’t think we have to pick them up. They will be looking at themselves individually and say they weren’t good enough tonight.

“They can motivate themselves Saturday to be honest with you. It’s not got nothing to do with me or Joe (Francis) or Blado (Paul Blade) getting them up.

“It’s down to them, they know they’ve disappointed tonight, the crowd, me and Joe so they have to pick themselves up.”

Cray Wanderers: Glen Knight, Aaron Day, Colin Luckett, Tommy Whitnell, Mark Willy, Steve Aris, Scott Kinch (Jamie Wood 61), Jamie Kempster, Dean Morris, Leigh Bremner, Tyrone Sterling (Richmond Kissi 85).
Subs: Tony Dolby, Jamel McCann, Mo Conteh.

Goal: Dean Morris 60

Sittingbourne: Matt Reed, Ryan Andrews, Joe Dowley, Matt Bourne, Ian Varley, Rio Alderton, Colin Richmond, Nick Reeves, Tom Bradbrook, Richard Brady, Hicham Akhazzan.
Subs: Elie Kayembe, Billy Manners, Joe Horlock, Pat Gradley, Andre Marques.

Goal: Tom Bradbrook 25

Booked: Richard Brady 2, Ian Varley 63

Attendance: 127
Referee: Mr Martin Yerby (Ashford)
Assistants: Mr Mark Ford (Cheam, Surrey) & Mr Roger Wells (Coulsdon, Surrey)