Sittingbourne 1-5 Whitstable Town - We didn't see this coming, admits Sittingbourne boss Matt Wyatt

SITTINGBOURNE  1-5  WHITSTABLE TOWN
The FA Carlsberg Trophy Preliminary Round
Saturday 5^th October 2013
Stephen McCartney reports from Broadoak Road

WHITSTABLE TOWN manager Nicky Southall hailed his side’s magnificent performance after they made it a miserable four days for Sittingbourne.

Sittingbourne suffered their first defeat at Woodstock on Tuesday evening when Conference South side Ebbsfleet United came away with a 6-1 win in the Kent Senior Cup Second Round, while Whitstable Town made the headlines for having three players sent-off in their 1-0 home win over bitter-rivals Herne Bay in the same competition.

But The Oystermen can now look forward to hosting Potters Bar Town in The FA Carlsberg Trophy First Qualifying Round after hitting their Ryman League Division One South rivals Sittingbourne with clinical direct football.

Potters Bar Town took advantage of being at home to beat Romford 2-0.

Ashley Baverstock, making his first start after signing from Southern Counties East Football League strugglers Woodstock Sports, returned to his former stomping ground and scored two goals.

Target-man Craig Thompson made it two goals from his first two games for the club since his move from Ryman League Division One South rivals Hythe Town, before former Maidstone United striker Charlie Smith came off the bench to score twice inside 189 seconds.

Sittingbourne striker Ryan Golding scored his fifth goal of the season with a late consolation.

Southall said he was delighted with his side’s performance.

“Obviously delighted, on a difficult surface on a difficult week to be fair with what’s gone on with the Herne Bay game,” said the former Gillingham midfielder.

“We regrouped and we put in a magnificent performance today. Every single one of them. Every single player who came off the bench played a part and I’m absolutely delighted.

“We’ve got a terrific squad here. You could see the way we play football and I’m delighted with my two new signings to get on the scoresheet.  Thommo, we know what he’s about and Ashley is a goalscorer and he knows this ground quite well because he was at Woodstock.

“On another day we could have had a lot more goals,” added Southall.  “I’m just a little sorry for them. It’s not nice to get beat 5-1 but we’ll take it and move on to Saturday (away to Folkestone Invicta) in the league. We’ve got to take that performance into the league.”

Sittingbourne joint-manager Matt Wyatt was naturally disappointed with his side’s performance in his ninth game in joint charge after Jim and Danny Ward quit the club minutes after beating Chatham Town 3-0 in the Kent Senior Cup First Round on 3 September.

“Very disappointing,” he said.  “We were second best from the start.  We didn’t deserve nothing from the game. Whitstable thoroughly deserved to win.

“Whitstable were the better team from the first to 90^th minute.”

Whitstable Town stamped their authority on the game right from the off.

Southall explained why James Morrish was stripped off the captaincy after being sent-off in midweek.

He said: “I did that for a reason.  I thought I’d free him up. You could see today the performance he gave, he was absolutely outstanding!  I think maybe the captain’s armband hindered him so I gave it to Craig McGuire, who is a great lad, quiet lad, a good organiser who has seemed to settle us down a little bit. 

“After Tuesday night I didn’t feel it was appropriate to give James the armband with the stuff that went on so I gave it to Craig and I thought he wore it with distinction.”

Left-back Craig McGuire played a part in Whitstable Town’s opening chance inside five minutes.

McGuire threw the ball to Steven Hafner, who whipped in a deep cross towards the far post where Baverstock headed down and wide of the right-hand upright.

However, Whitstable Town’s first of five direct goals arrived in the 10^th minute and their lead was deserved.

Central defender John Guest – who was forced off at half-time with a groin strain – drilled the ball forward and Morrish’s flicked header was blocked by Sittingbourne keeper Adam Molloy and Baverstock slammed the rebound into the net with his right-foot.

Southall said: “It’s a great finish. A great composed finish. He’s picked his spot, a nice side-foot into the top corner.  I think on another day the forwards that we have at the club snatch at those chances and put it wide but it was a composed finish. 

“That’s what he’s about, he’s a fox in the box and you give him the ball in the box to get those chances and he will come alive.

“Funnily enough he wasn’t aware that he was going to play! I played him from the start. He knows this ground better than anyone of us.  He knows each and every bobble out there. He played terrific.  He played off Craig Thompson particularly well. They linked up quite well and it’s great to see and that’s what I’ve been missed all season, two boys like that.”

Wyatt wasn’t keen to express his thoughts on the five goals that his side leaked.

“We need to do better than that as a team,” he said of the first Whitstable goal.

“I don’t want to single out individuals but there was an individual error there. We spoke about it in the changing room. We know where we’ve gone from there.”

Sittingbourne went close when right-back Tom Brunt came up to join an attack and drilled in a low cross where Golding and Hicham Akhazzan could not turn the ball in.

Whitstable Town winger Scott Heard cracked a left-footed shot from 25-yards, which ballooned high over the Sittingbourne crossbar after Hafner played the ball in from the right.

Sittingbourne player-joint manager Nick Davis then met Akhazzan’s corner from the right with a header which was comfortably gathered by highly-rated Whitstable Town keeper Luke Watkins.

Sittingbourne keeper Molloy produced a world-class save to deny Baverstock finding the top right-hand corner with a right-footed half-volley from 35-yards.

Southall added on his new striker: “Fantastic shot and a great save!  I’ve got to say but he’s got that in his locker. He’s unpredictable at times and that’s what you get from him.

Molloy will be suspended for next week’s FA Cup trip to Staines Town but Wyatt revealed two new goalkeepers will be fighting it out for the number one jersey.

“We’ve got two options at the moment, who are both going to come down training with us on Tuesday,” revealed Wyatt.

“Then me and Nick will make a decision. We might take both of them (because you can have seven substitutes in FA Cup ties). We may take one of them but we need a keeper in for next week but we have got that covered.”

Hafner, who spent four years out of the game after recovering from illness, played a deep cross from the right and Guest rose at the far post and sent his header sailing across goal and wide.

Hafner, who played for Kent Invicta League side Hollands & Blair last season, after playing for the likes of Dartford and Dover Athletic earlier in his career, then clipped a free-kick from the middle of the park into the penalty area where Thompson headed over when left unmarked inside the Sittingbourne box.

Whitstable Town created another chance from a set-piece in the 28^th minute, this time taken by Heard and this time it was Laurence Harvey who came up from the back to plant his header over from eight-yards when his run was untracked by the Sittingbourne defence.

Sittingbourne created a decent chance to level proceedings when Akhazzan stole the ball off Hafner inside the Whitstable Town half before playing the ball into Joe Taylor, who held off Guest, before he cut the ball across to Luke Girt, whose right-footed shot from 20-yards sailed over the crossbar.

Akhazzan, who was starting his 250^th game for the club (plus a further 49 substitute appearances on top of that), cut a corner back to Taylor, who cut inside before dinking the ball through to Golding, who was denied by Watkins, who got down low to his left to make the save, the ball ricocheting off the striker and bouncing narrowly wide of the foot of the near post.

But Sittingbourne’s best chance of the first half arrived four minutes before the break when Akhazzan stroked a rasping right-footed free-kick from 35-yards, which forced Watkins to push the ball up and away.

For a player to remain loyal to one club nowadays should be applauded but the nature of Sittingbourne’s performance had a downcast Wyatt add:” “We gave him a round of applause before the game so unfortunately the performance spoilt a nice day for him.”

Southall added: “It was a great save. It was straight at him but the ball was moving. The technique you can get nowadays and the ball moves in the air. He’s parried it away comfortably. He’s had another good game, solid.”

Both managers were asked what they thought during the interval.

Wyatt said: “We thought that first half an hour we weren’t at the races.

“Last fifteen minutes I thought we came into it a little bit. We done a little bit better and we thought the next goal’s critical. I thought the next 10-15 minutes we would come out and we got done by a 50-yard ball over the top, which is a bit like under nine’s football to be fair. We’ve got to do much better.”

Southall added: “We just said to them you’ve got to be patient.  First 15-20 minute we went a little bit more direct and it paid off and then we stopped.

“We thought it was a little bit too easy.  We started to play through the midfield, through the unit of midfield and it sort of brought them on to us.

“I said at half-time we’ve got to try to replicate what we did first 20 minutes and on a difficult surface go a little bit direct because they played a real high line. A number of our goals were just balls played over the top that we ran onto and when you play a high line and you’ve got pace, it’s a dangerous combination.”

Nothing was going right for Sittingbourne, who despite their FA Cup run remain in the bottom five after 10 league games.

Taylor cut the ball back to Nick Dunsdon, who laid the ball off to left-back Anthony John, who drilled his left-footed shot into the wide open spaces over the perimeter fencing.

But Whitstable Town doubled their lead in the 52^nd minute when Heard cracked a 50-yard diagonal ball over the top and Thompson brought the ball down before stroking his right-footed shot across Molloy for the ball to nestle into the bottom right-hand corner from 20-yards.

Southall said: “Great ball by Scott Heard. He wasn’t at his best today but what he did he did for the team and he had a number of opportunities himself to score on one-on-ones, but he played a great ball. Great finish by Thommo, outside of his foot into the far corner and that’s what you get with him.  He’s got strength, physique and he causes defences major problems.”

Reflecting on all of Whitstable’s second half goals, Wyatt said: “We need to do much better in that! We don’t want to say too much yet because it’s a very disappointing performance and I don’t want to be over critical because we’ve had a good run recently so I don’t want to be too over critical but we need to do better than today.”

Sittingbourne then went to pieces and their Kent rivals attacked at will and should have reached double figures.

Heard beat the offside trap down the left after latching on to a ball over the top of the Sittingbourne defence but the Whitstable winger spooned his right-footed shot over the bar when he only had Molloy to beat.

Sittingbourne created a chance just before the hour when a quickly taken free-kick from substitute Michael Brown was latched onto by Golding who was denied by quick thinking Watkins, who came off his line to make the block.

Poor defending from Sittingbourne left-back John saw him give the ball straight to Heard inside the box, but the winger failed to accept the gift and swept his right-footed shot across goal and past the far post.

But Whitstable Town raced into a 3-0 lead in the 63^rd minute when Morrish was released down the left, shrugged off the attentions off Davis, before unselfishly cutting the ball across the penalty area for an unmarked Baverstock to sweep his left-footed shot into the empty net to score against his former club.

Southall added: “That was Adam Hooper, who went down the left and squared the ball!

“Adam’s actually won the header and carried on with his run. He’s run down the left and picked the right choice and the right option at the time and it’s pretty much an open goal for Baverstock to slip in.”

A driven pass out of defence by Whitstable Town substitute Daniel Wells released Baverstock in behind the Sittingbourne defence and the striker was denied a hat-trick when his right-footed drive was tipped around the post by Molloy with 22 minutes left.

A deep free-kick from Watkins straight down the middle of the pitch was met by a cushion header from substitute striker Smith and Baverstock should have done better instead of chipping the ball over the crossbar when he only had the keeper to beat.

Sittingbourne created an opening when Girt swept the ball out wide to substitute Tom Loynes, who cut inside and drove a right-footed shot over the crossbar from 25-yards.

Whitstable continued to rip Sittingbourne apart and another chance went begging in the 76^th minute.

Hafner played the ball into Heard, who brought the ball under his spell outside the penalty area before he stroked the ball across to substitute Billy Cobb, whose right-footed drive forced Molly to dive low to his right to make a smart save.

A corner from Loynes was cleared away by the Whitstable Town defence and Brunt cracked a right-footed drive from 30-yards, which forced the visiting keeper to catch the ball high above his head.

Hafner’s out-swinging corner from the right was met by a bullet header from Harvey on the edge of the box and the ball sailed over the man on the line and narrowly missed the roof of the net.

Whitstable Town increased their lead further with ten minutes remaining.

Another ball over the top sliced open the Brickies’ two central defenders and Smith danced around the advancing pink-shirted keeper and slotted the ball into the empty net.

Southall said: “Young Charlie Smith came off the bench. He’s learning his trade and came on and he could have had a hat-trick! He got two great goals and that’s what it’s all about. These boys have to look at (Thompson and Baverstock) and learn from them.

“Sittingbourne play a high line and he’s got in, great feet to get around the keeper, composed and that’s what you want to see in a young lad learning his trade.  That kind of composure on a bobbly surface.

“He just plays like he’s playing with his mates on a school field and that’s what excites me. What’s in there is a much, much better player and he’s getting better all the time.”

Otherwise quiet Golding curled a left-footed shot from the corner of the penalty area narrowly wide of the far post, before Whitstable Town made it 5-0 in the 83^rd minute.

Hafner pumped the ball forward to release Smith, who beat the offside trap down the left, and the striker cut inside before curling his low left-footed shot across Molloy for the ball to nestle into the bottom far corner.

It was Smith’s sixth goal of the season for Whitstable Town.

Southall added: “He’s the leading goalscorer at the club and it’s nice for him to do so well.

“Again, composed finish, coming in from the left-hand side. Scott Heard was in a very similar position actually and blazed the ball over.  Charlie, being a forward, it was more natural for him, composed and just curled it into to the far corner. That was a really good finish and I’m delighted for him.”

Wyatt admitted: “We were poor in all departments today. We were very poor so I’m not even going to defend the players. What I will say is we win together and we lose together.

“As a whole unit, it wasn’t a very good performance.”

Sittingbourne linked up well down the right hand side with Loynes and Brunt before the ball came out to Taylor, who swept a right-footed shot straight at Watkins.

But Southall was disappointed when Sittingbourne grabbed a goal with four minutes remaining.

Loynes played the ball into Golding, who unleashed a right-footed angled drive to beat the keeper at his near post.

By then it was too little too late and Wyatt said: “It was a half decent finish, yes, it was a good finish but that doesn’t tell the tale really. We were very poor today. We thoroughly deserved to lose and I wish Whitstable all the best for the next round.

“Golding scoring the goal gives him a little bit of confidence but we were very poor and the best team won.”

Southall added: “I’m always disappointed. You want to win and keep a clean sheet. Maybe it got a bit too easy but give them credit. A couple subs that they made, they had nothing to lose and that’s why we were getting caught on the counter attack at times.  We were trying to go forwards and it was a good finish by a decent goalscorer who has a good goalscoring record.

“He was pretty quiet all game, we kept him quiet but in fairness to him he kept getting in there and he had a good finish.”

Southall continued: “But I’ve got to ask questions of the goalkeeper. I don’t want to put questions to him because he’s been our stand out player this season. He’s been terrific, but to get beat at the near post when he’s gambled that he’s going to hit it across goal but it’s gone near post and he knows he should do better but listen when you’re 5-0 up you don’t mind mistakes like that.”

Whitstable Town almost had six-appeal when Cobb powered a first time drive from 30-yards, which screamed narrowly past the left-hand post after Morrish cut the ball back to him after a breakaway also involving Smith and Heard.

Reflecting on his side’s second half chances, the Whitstable Town boss added: “We won 5-1, on another day if we were ultra-clinical we could have won by a lot more but give the Sittingbourne boys a lot of credit.  Matt (Wyatt) is learning his trade, he’s come in as manager with Nick (Davis) and I hope they push on and progress.

“It’s not nice to come off these losses at home so they’ve got to pick up the boys and regroup – that’s what I would be doing on a Saturday myself.”

After the game Whitstable Town chairman Gary Johnson knocked on the dressing room door with two giant jugs of lager to the delight of the team after they scooped £2,500 in prize money for the club.

“Our chairman is happy progressing nicely through to the next round,” said Southall.

“It’s important to keep clubs like ourselves and the likes of Sittingbourne, who have been terrific in The FA Cup – they’ve had a good run in The FA Cup and are still in it.

“I wish we were but we’ve got our little run now, back-to-back wins. I wish we had them in the league but we’ve got to take that confidence into the league,” said Southall, whose side are in sixteenth-place in the table with 13 points from 11 games.

Sittingbourne, meanwhile, have so far scooped £9,425 in prize money after beating Chessington & Hook United, Littlehampton Town and Thamesmead Town in their FA Cup run and now look forward to their trip to Conference South side Staines Town in the third qualifying round next weekend.

When suggested his players’ had their trip to Wheatsheaf Park on their minds, Wyatt said: “We spoke about it before the game. We were hoping it wouldn’t but to be honest with you, I don’t want to use that as an excuse because Whitstable deserved to win so I don’t want to use it as an excuse at all.”

Sittingbourne failed to perform in front of their largest crowd of the season and Wyatt insists he is hurting too.

“You won’t get more disappointed than me and Nick. We didn’t see this coming!

“It was our biggest crowd of the season for us.  Yes our fans go home disappointed but we’re disappointed as well.  Also we’ve given them some highs as well so far so that’s football. It has an opportunity to come and bite you so it’s come and bite us a lot today.”

Looking ahead to their trip to Staines Town, Wyatt added: “We’ve got to play better than today for a start!  We’ve had them watched and me and Nick will sit down. We’ll hit a few walls tonight and we’ll hit a few punch bags and then we’ll look on the positives and say we’ve done alright so far as joint-managers.

“Now we have to make sure that we’re up for it and technically we’re ok.  We’ve got to see what players are available first and foremost as well.”

Sittingbourne:  Adam Molloy, Tom Brunt, Anthony John, Nick Davis, Sam Hayes, Nick Dunsdon (Tom Loynes 59), Joe Taylor, Luke Girt, Ryan Golding, Nick Treadwell, Hicham Akhazzan (Nassim Dukali 61).
Subs: Connor Coyne, Luke Doherty

Goal: Ryan Golding 86

Whitstable Town: Luke Watkins, Joe Kane, Craig Maguire, Steven Hafner, Laurence Harvey, John Guest (Daniel Wells 46), Scott Heard (Charlie Smith 65), James Morrish, Craig Thompson, Ashley Baverstock (Billy Cobb 76), Adam Hooper.
Subs: Jack Simon, Ross Webb

Goals: Ashley Baverstock 10, 63, Craig Thompson 52, Charlie Smith 80, 83

Booked: John Guest 34

Attendance: 212
Referee: Mr Paul Kelly (Walderslade)
Assistants: Mr Michael Marsh (Herne Bay) & Mr Jack Packman (Margate)