Sittingbourne 2-2 Crowborough Athletic - Abbott: We must stop giving silly goals away

Sussex County League champions Crowborough Athletic - a side that’s currently at the foot of the table - found themselves 2-0 up before two goals in the last ten minutes from Dave Milton and Elie Kayembe forced a draw.

Sittingbourne appeared to be heading for their third successive home league defeat as goals from Gavin Gordon and a thirty-yard screamer from David Souter put the east Sussex visitors in the box seat at Bourne Park.

Abbott made two changes to the side that won 3-2 at Godalming Town just two days ago - their third successive away victory.

Ian Varley was rested and Joe Horlock was relegated to the bench as Abbott gave a debut to impressive winger Sebastain Schoburgh, who arrives on a dual-registration with Blue Square South side Welling United and central defender Ban Payne, who arrived on the same terms from Kent Leaguers Slade Green.

Despite conceding four goals in his first two games for the Brickies, goalkeeper Matt Reed looks to be a good signing.

“Matt Reed’s come to us because I’ve promised him first team games,” Abbott, speaking to www.kentishfootball.co.uk, said of the former West Ham United, Walton Casuals and Tonbridge Angels goalkeeper.

“He’s been messed about with Bognor Regis Town and Dartford, not getting any games, not getting a deal sorted out.

“Tonbridge Angels didn’t want him and I’ve promised him he will play.

“If someone comes in for him he goes. I’m not stopping no-one for going anywhere to better themselves.”

Despite a quiet opening, it was Sittingbourne that created the first chance of the game, with nine minutes on the clock.

Right-back Ryan Andrews played a diagonal pass for striker Kayembe, who stabbed the ball past the advancing Crows’ goalkeeper, but the ball bounced just past the foot of the near post.

Crowborough’s first chance, however, arrived after eighteen minutes when their striker Wayne Clarke latched onto a hopeful clearance from Mark Oldroyd, but he drilled his shot harmlessly across the face of goal, enabling Reed to collect.

But his strike partner, Gavin Gordon, scored Crowborough’s first away goal of the season to give the east Sussex side the lead after 22 minutes.

A high diagonal pass from former Tonbridge Angels defender Kieran Wilson should have been cleared by left-back Grant Duff, but it wasn’t and Gordon drilled a right-footed shot across Reed and into the bottom far corner.

Sittingbourne almost levelled when Kayembe latched onto a long ball over the top but Oldroyd made a smart low save to his left to deny the former Ilford striker.

Both sides should have done better from free-kicks from outside the box, but Richard Brady blazed over from the home side and at the other end, Luke Gedling’s left-footed effort deflected off the wall and into Reed’s grateful arms.

But Brady, the player-assistant manager, almost drew Sittingbourne level just before the break.

The Brickies’ leading goalscorer, with five goals already this season, cut inside and drilled a right-footed shot, which was heading towards the bottom near corner, but Oldroyd made a smart low save to his right.

Reed prevented Crowborough adding to their tally when he made a comfortable low near post save to prevent Clarke bursting through and scoring.

But the Kent side created numerous chances during the second half as they went in search of the equaliser.

Winger Dave Milton rolled a shot past the post early in the half before a left-footed drive from Bryan Glover, from 35-yards, flashed just past the near post.

The Kent side’s best chance, however, arrived in the 63^rd minute but midfielder Colin Richmond glanced his header agonisingly past the far post, following Andrews’ cross from the right.

Brave goalkeeping from Oldroyd prevented Kayembe three minutes later. The striker brought Brady’s pass under control with his chest but before he could pull the trigger the goalkeeper rushed off his line to bravely save at his feet.

Despite withstanding all that pressure, Crowborough almost grabbed a second goal but Andrew Ducille’s half-volley bounced off the crossbar after John Sinclair, formerly of Tonbridge Angels, knocked down Clarke’s corner from the left.

But the Crows looked destined to seal their first win of the season, scoring a screamer with just fifteen minutes left.

Had they done so, Whitstable Town would have slumped to the foot of the table in their place, ahead of their trip to Cray Wanderers tomorrow night.

Reed punched the ball away from his penalty area but Souter was lurking outside the box and cracked a stunning right-footed volley from thirty-yards, which flew past Reed and crashed into the top right-hand corner.

But to their credit, Sittingbourne bounced back immediately and ensured the newly promoted side remained at the foot of the table, with two late goals.

Milton ended Sittingbourne’s 260 minute league goal draught here at Bourne Park when he pulled a goal back with just ten minutes remaining.

The midfielder was played in by Brady and slid the ball past Oldroyd and was able to celebrate his third goal of the season as the ball rolled into the bottom far corner.

Andrews’ struck the crossbar following a long-range effort, on the angle, from the right-flank and at the other end, Clarke tried his luck, also from distance, but his shot flew just over.

But Sittingbourne showed their character again this season, scoring a deserved equaliser with just four minutes left.

Duff, making up for his earlier howler, combined with Brady down the left and Brady’s low cross was spilt by the goalkeeper and Kayembe stabbed the ball into the back of the net from four yards to join Milton on three goals this season.

Pleased with his side’s character, bouncing back twice in the last ten minutes, Abbott doesn’t want his side to give opponents head starts again.

“Brilliant for the boys to keep coming back, coming back, coming back, but you’re not going to be able to do that all the time,” Abbott told www.kentishfootball.co.uk afterwards.

“At one stage, when we got the second goal, I thought we were going to go on and win it, which if we turned that around, would have been unbelievable!

“We just played into their hands. First half, I don’t know why, everyone was smashing it straight into the air and it just came back.

“We love giving teams goals and they must think they’ll get a goal against Sittingbourne because we give them to you, which we have and that’s not just today, that’s the last four games.

“Whether it’s concentration and we keep saying it, is it because we’re young? We can’t keep going back to we’re a young side, we can’t!

“If they don’t learn and don’t learn quickly, do we change the side and get a couple of experienced players in there, which we don’t want to do, but if it comes to it, we’ll do it, because we’re better that what we were tonight, in the first half anyway.”

Tonight’s draw ensured Sittingbourne are now fourth in the table with three wins and one draw from their opening six league games - five points behind leaders Walton & Hersham, who have a game in hand.

“The last twenty minutes, I’m saying be patient and when we done that we’re actually passing it and moving it and we played them off the park,” said Abbott.

“Two-nil down, with fourteen minutes to go, I think it was, and to get it back to two-all, yes brilliant - a draw’s better than nothing!

“We win that game tonight and we go third and that’s the annoying part about it. We could have gone third tonight.

“Alright we’re in a good position because people don’t think Sittingbourne are going to do anything this year, which is fine by me, but we know what quality we’ve got in the squad.”

Sittingbourne: Matt Reed, Ryan Andrews, Grant Duff, Ben Payne, Billy Manners, Colin Richmond, Sebastain Schoburgh, Bryan Glover, Elie Kayembe, Richard Brady, Dave Milton.
Subs: Hicham Akhazan, Joe Horlock, Tarik Ozresberoglu, Michael McLeary, Michael Makasi.

Goals: Dave Milton 80, Elie Kayembe 86

Booked: Richard Brady 34

Crowborough Athletic: Mark Oldroyd, John Sinclair, Kieran Wilson, Justin Harris, Steve Hunt, David Soutar, Wayne Clarke, Luke Gedling, Gavin Gordon (David Adams 82), Andrew Ducile, Andrew Crush.
Subs: James Pallett, Ashley Pickworth.

Goals: Gavin Gordon 22, David Soutar 75

Booked: David Suter 23, Steve Hunt 90

Attendance: 160
Referee: Mr Stuart Butler (Maidstone)
Assistants: Mr Rob Baker (Maidstone) & Mr Scott Fraser (Rochester)