Eastbourne Town 2-4 Sittingbourne - We're only looking one way and that's up, says Nick Davis

EASTBOURNE TOWN 2-4 SITTINGBOURNE
Ryman League Division One South
Wednesday 8^th January 2014
Stephen McCartney reports from The Saffrons

SITTINGBOURNE joint-manager Nick Davis says he is only looking up after his side inflicted more misery on relegation threatened Eastbourne Town.

The Brickies climbed up three places to fourteenth in the Ryman League Division One South table on 30 points at the halfway point of the season after coming away from the Sussex coast with three points to banish any fears of being dragged into a relegation battle with 23 league games remaining.

Winger Tom Loynes capped off his man-of-the-match display with the first goal on the stroke of half-time to give Sittingbourne the lead.

But diminutive Eastbourne Town striker Billy Medlock took his goalscoring tally to 25 goals for the season when he scored twice in 109 devastating seconds early in the second half to turn the tide.

But Sittingbourne finished the game strongly and striker Joe Taylor took his tally to fourteen goals for the season with two goals and central midfielder Luke Girt also got on the scoresheet with Sittingbourne’s third goal on the night.

Tony Reid’s side finished the game with ten-men after winger Spencer Sachies was sent-off for an alleged head-but on Girt and there were ugly scenes down the players tunnel after the game.

Davis stepped off the pitch and said he was “over the moon” with his side’s victory down on the coast.

“You come away from home anywhere in this league and it’s tough,” said the central defender.

“They’re second-from-bottom, they’ve scored a lot of goals in all fairness to them. 

“Go back a month and we haven’t won away from home so we’ve won four away from home now. I think we’ve won three out of four away from home.

“We changed the formation to 4-4-2 and kept two clean-sheets (prior to this game) in a row and other than five minutes today they haven’t had a sniff really but they’re entitled to have ten minutes at least, especially being at home.”

This was Sittingbourne’s first game since their 4-0 win at Walton & Hersham on Saturday, 28 December 2013, whilst Eastbourne Town were playing for the first time since their 4-1 defeat at league leaders Peacehaven & Telscombe on Boxing Day, due to the current bad weather.

Sittingbourne edged the first half, but despite having plenty of possession they failed to trouble home keeper James Broadbent.

Davis said: “We had a lot of possession. The ball was in their half for a majority really. Every ball that came at us we dealt with it at the back but you’re right, that pressure, we didn’t make the keeper work did we?

“We had a lot of play, but we didn’t take the chances. It’s taken (around) 40 minutes for us to have a clear cut chance but away from home we just keep it tight. With our three going forward, we’re always in the games.”

Stephen Okoh flashed his left-footed angled drive past the foot of the near post from 20-yards for Sittingbourne after only 61 seconds.

Set-piece specialist Nick Dunsdon then whipped in a free-kick from inside the left-channel but George Crimmen came up from the back to clip his shot over the Eastbourne Town crossbar from eight-yards.

However, Eastbourne Town’s first chance arrived inside the opening eight minutes.

Right-back John Lansdale ventured forward to win the ball from Loynes before continuing his run and screwing his right-footed drive harmlessly wide from 30-yards.

Eastbourne Town skipper Ross Sutton danced his way forward from left-back for 30-yards before making space for striker Layton Schaaf, whose left-footed drive brought a comfortable low save from Sittingbourne keeper Adam Molloy.

Loynes showed glimpses of his talent in the tenth minute when he brought the ball down with his chest before hitting a right-footed half-volley over the Eastbourne Town crossbar from 22-yards.

Okoh then stole possession for Sittingbourne before dancing forward before seeing his right-footed shot trickle past the near post from 22-yards.

Eastbourne Town’s best chance, however, arrived in the 21^st minute when Lansdale whipped in a cross from the right, which wasn’t cleared by Sittingbourne right-back Tom Brunt and the ball was put back into the danger area by Sachies, but Schaaf’s downward header was blocked.

Sittingbourne were off-target again just 88 seconds after they should have fallen behind.

Dunsdon clipped a free-kick into the penalty area but left-back Jono Richardson ghosted in at the far post to plant his header harmlessly wide.

All that was missing for dominant Sittingbourne was that killer touch in front of goal and Brunt cracked a speculative left-footed drive wide from 30-yards.

Dunsdon clipped another free-kick into the Eastbourne Town penalty area and this time it was Davis who came up from the back to direct his header down and wide.

A fine diagonal pass from Richardson picked out Loynes out on the right wing and his cross found striker Ryan Golding who screwed his shot wide, before Loynes put in another fine cross and Taylor sent his header wide at the near post.

Dunsdon played the ball out to Brunt, who took the ball forward before unleashing a right-footed drive, which deflected into James Broadbent’s gloves at the near post for Sittingbourne’s first shot on target in the 34^th minute.

Sittingbourne continued to press for the opener that their play deserved - and Taylor drilled a right-footed shot into the base of the side netting from 25-yards.

Dunsdon swept the ball out to Taylor on the right, who played a one-two with Loynes, before Taylor’s right-footed drive from the edge of the box was spilt by Broadbent at the near post before the Eastbourne keeper gathered the ball at the second attempt.

Eastbourne almost grabbed the lead against the run of play when Lansdale joined an attack again to whip the ball towards the far post where an unmarked Sachies curled his right-footed shot narrowly wide of the far post.

But Sittingbourne’s persistence finally paid off as they took the lead fifteen seconds into injury time.

Davis was pleased that his front two strikers Ryan Golding and Taylor linked up well for Loynes to score his sixth-goal of the season.

Taylor picked the ball up down the inside left channel and played the ball towards Golding, who received a slice of luck as the ball bounced off his back, before turning and cracking a right-footed curler, which was heading towards the far corner.

Broadbent dived to his left to make a fine block but Loynes pounced on the loose ball to steer his right-footed shot into the bottom near corner.

“Fantastic time to score!” said Davis.

“We’ve changed (our formation) to 4-4-2, other than 4-4-3 and Taylor and Golding have really worked well together. To be fair to them they’ve only played two or three times close together. We want to get them two close together.  We still want to pose a threat away from home going two up front.

“It was a great move from them. Taylor’s different class. Golding’s getting his hunger back, which he had last season and what a finish from the keeper from Loynes – I’m really pleased and what a time to score!”

But the home side responded with two quick fire goals to boost their chances of beating the drop.

Lansdale whipped in a cross from the right, which was flicked on by Sutton and the ball fell to Medlock, who hooked his half-volley past the diving Molloy into the bottom left-hand corner from eight-yards to restore parity in the 50^th minute.

“The first ten minutes it was all them. It was so different to the first half,” admitted Davis.

“But they’re fighting for their lives at the bottom aren’t they so they’re entitled to that.

“They literally had ten minutes of the game and scored two goals but at 2-1 I always thought we’d have a chance to get back into it and we did quite comfortably in the end.

“I tell you what, I’m going to turn grey if it carries on too much longer like that!”

Reflecting on the goal itself, Davis added: “Right place, right time. They’re quite a small side actually. We had two or three chances to clear the ball and we didn’t.  He’s miss-hit it and it’s gone in, in all fairness but he’s in a rich vein of form. Everything he touches, it’s flying in.

“We played against him four times last year and he’s a decent player. He had his first chance and he scores so fair play to him but we have to clear the ball! We had two or three chances to get rid of it!”

Molloy was at fault for handing Eastbourne Town the lead within two minutes when he parried Sachies right-footed angled drive at his near post and Medlock accepted the gift to stab the loose ball into the net from two-yards.

Davis added: “Again, we just switched off for a couple of minutes there.  He’s had a shot, Molloy has put it straight in his path. These things happen don’t they? I’m not happy!

“I must admit 2-1 down, after being very comfortable in the first half, we just showed fantastic character to come back second half like we did.”

Clinical Medlock was denied a seven minute hat-trick when he was put through on goal and Molloy dived to his left to push the ball around the post.

Eastbourne Town midfielder Max Hollobone cracked a right-footed dipping half-volley from 30-yards, which screamed narrowly over the crossbar, before Medlock smashed a right-footed free-kick over the bar from just outside the corner of the penalty area.

But Sittingbourne dominated the rest of the game and they equalised in the 68^th minute, following a set-piece.

Dunsdon whipped in a corner from the right and Crimmen came up from the back to power his header goalwards - which was blocked - and Taylor slammed his shot into the left-hand corner – via a deflection – from ten-yards.

Davis said: “As I said, they’re quite a small side, one of the smallest sides we’ve played.  We’ve got Jono (Richardson) six foot seven, Crimmen and myself so we put the ball in a great area and George had a free header and it came down to Taylor, left-foot and it’s a great finish so I’m really pleased.”

A free-kick from Dunsdon came out to Taylor at the far post and the striker drilled a right-footed angled drive wide from fifteen-yards.

Eastbourne’s last chance to fight their way out of a hole came in the final seventeen minutes.

Aaron Watson cut in from the right before he played the ball inside to Schaaf, who returned the ball to Watson, but the winger failed to control the ball close to the right by-line and the ball bounced behind for a goal-kick.

Sittingbourne substitute Hicham Akhazzan drilled a low shot agonisingly wide of the foot of the near post after Davis’ threaded pass.

Eastbourne Town’s defence were all at sea for Sittingbourne’s last two goals, the first of which arrived with eleven minutes left.

Taylor whipped in a cross from the left to find the unmarked Loynes, who cut the ball across the penalty area for the unmarked Girt to finish into the bottom left-hand corner from three-yards.

Davis said: “Fair play to Lones, he’s been in and out of the side hasn’t he? He’s had two assists today and a goal. Credit where credit is due and Girt doesn’t really score enough goals. He works so hard, our two in midfield and he really deserved that goal and I’m really pleased for him.”

Sittingbourne scored their fourth goal in the final six minutes.

Dunsdon delivered a deep cross from the left which picked out the unmarked Loynes, who hooked the ball across goal towards the unmarked Taylor at the far post and the striker swept his shot into the bottom left-hand corner.

Davis said: “It’s a great ball, he’s actually lobbed the goalkeeper. I thought Taylor could have been offside but he’s squared it and Taylor’s got the easy task to put it in. 

“It’s Dunsdon’s vision first and foremost, unselfish play from Loynes because he could have taken a touch and gone forward but it was a great team goal on the counter attack.

“But I’m most pleased that they had that ten minute spell and I don’t think they really hurt us at all after that.  I’m absolutely delighted to come away from home to score four goals.”

Eastbourne Town remain on 16 points at the halfway mark of the season – four points adrift of third-bottom Three Bridges.

Meanwhile, referee Nolan Wilde had no option but to show Sachies a straight red-card after his alleged head-but at Girt after the pair clashed in the 89^th minute.

The Eastbourne winger had to be pulled away from Girt by his team-mates following the incident and he was seen to illegally re-enter the field of play after the final whistle as he waited for Girt to leave the pitch, resulting in ugly scenes down the players’ tunnel as Sachies wanted to take matters further.

Davis was asked his thoughts on the incident.

“It’s not something you expect from non-league, semi-professional football really – it’s something you see on a Sunday. It’s a little bit embarrassing,” said Davis.

Davis claimed: “The fracas that’s just happened in the changing room, the guys come out and hit Girty. 

“It’s not acceptable. It’s down to Eastbourne to deal with that in house but at this level you don’t expect that, but there you go, it’s terrible really.”

Sittingbourne are now ten points clear of the bottom three and look forward to playing Redhill at Woodstock on Saturday.

Surrey-based Redhill are now four places below Sittingbourne with 26 points from 22 games.

Davis said: “They’re very close to us (in the table). They drew with Eastbourne four-all. We’ve not played them yet this year. We’ve had reports on them. If we stay solid and we play to our potential then we’ll win the game quite comfortably but anything can happen in this league. There’s been some weird results but at home, I fancy us, that’s if the game is on!”

Davis added: “People are saying we’re in a relegation battle but we’ve moved up to fourteenth in the table. We win Saturday we go to ninth so if you look at that all off a sudden we’ve pushed away from the bottom.

“It’s such a tight league. If we put a good run together – we’ve got Redhlil, Three Bridges and Merstham, who are all around us. If we win those games we could push right up there.

“You go back to September, we won six out of eight. We’re absolutely delighted how things are going.

“We had to change the formation, it was a brave move. It was good for us for eighteen months and we finished ninth last year and just missed out on the play-offs so it was a big decision by us. We just felt we needed to be a little bit harder to break down and I think it’s working.”

When asked how Sittingbourne have coped during the wet weather, Davis replied: “We trained Saturday. Luckily we had two games over Christmas, which was good. We played Boxing Day when the pitch was terrible at home and we drew 0-0 and then we beat Walton & Hersham 4-0. A lot of teams haven’t played for three weeks, the likes of Herne Bay and Leatherhead.

“Eastbourne haven’t played since Boxing Day either so we got in and trained. We had a hard session on Saturday on the back pitches just to keep us ticking over because there’s a load of games coming up.

“Hopefully the weather eases up and we can get the games in but it can go either way can’t it? But we’ve pushed away from the bottom, which is good and we’re only looking one way and that’s up!”

Eastbourne Town:  James Broadbent, John Lansdale (Nathan Daly 83), Ross Sutton, Yinka Salami, Adam Davidson, Dan Pollard, Spencer Sachies, Max Hollobone, Layton Schaaf (Tony Reid 83), Billy Medlock, Aaron Watson.
Subs: Sacha Mybac, Michael Brown, Steve Elliott

Goals:  Billy Medlock 50, 52

Booked:  Billy Medlock 60

Sent off:  Spencer Sachies 89

Sittingbourne: Adam Molloy, Tom Brunt, Jono Richardson, Nick Davis, George Crimmen, Nick Dunsdon, Joe Taylor, Luke Girt, Ryan Golding (Omar Folkes 85), Stephen Okoh (Hicham Akhazzan 60), Tom Loynes.
Subs: Sam Beale, Ashley Ulph, Seibusiso Nxumalo

Goals:  Tom Loynes 45, Joe Taylor 68, 84, Luke Girt

Booked: Nick Davis 64

Attendance: 165
Referee: Mr Nolan Wilde (Maidstone)
Assistants: Jamie Gilham (Portsmouth, Hampshire) & Mr Michael Ryan (Littlehampton, West Sussex)