corbvsitt131203

Sittingbourne continued their unbeaten record at Corby since coming down from the Dr Marten Premier Division by winning by 4-0  after the Steelmen had two players sent off in the first half. This was the second game in succession that the Steelmen have had two men sent off as Scott Marshall and Andy Brown were shown their marching orders in last Saturdays 5-2 defeat at Burgess Hill.

Sittingbourne were without Flu Victim Michael Smissen, Bradley Spice who was injured and Tom Berry who had work commitments. James Campbell starting on the Bench was recovering from injury. The side therefore had only one recognised forward in Jon Neal.

The first half was incident packed and started promisingly for Corby as after just 5 minutes Jamie Clark broke away and rounded Kevin Fewell in the Brickies goal, but then fired wide of an open goal. A minute later came Sittingbourne's first chance as a pin point Clint Gooding cross was headed just wide by Darren Smith. Jamie Clark missed another golden opportunity for Corby on 10 minutes when he latched onto a poor kick out by Fewell only to see his lobbed shot sail across the front of the Brickies goal.

The game was end to end  and next it was Sittingbourne who had a chance as Jon Neal did his usual neat trick of holding the ball up and he found Kieran Marsh who had his powerful shot blocked.

Then came the incident that turned the game as Clint Gooding beat the Corby off side trap to race away. Corby keeper Richard Lavin came rushing out of his goal area and appeared to handle Gooding's shot as he also brought the Brickies midfielder down. Referee Mr Hodgson consulted with his assistant and produced a red card. Corby substituted Michael Sneddon immediately and brought on youth team keeper Paul Mackay to keep goal.

The Brickies then took control and Clint Gooding almost put them into the lead but his header went just wide.  Then a Jamie Coyle cross gave Marsh a chance but he shot just wide. Gooding had another chance on 35 minutes after Taylor had threaded through a great ball but Gooding's shot hit the side netting. 

Sittingbourne seemed to have left their shooting boots at home when on 32 minutes Darren Smith broke away with the Corby players calling for off-side and rounded the keeper, but his goal bound effort was  blocked on the line. The ball bounced back to Smith who had his shot  deflected for a corner. Danny Lye took the  corner kick which went straight to Paul Ainsworth who blasted it past Mackay to score his first goal for the club and put the Brickies a goal up.

The Brickies were now in complete control and on 42 minutes the Corby cause became hopeless as Dean Foley elbowed Clint Gooding just 5 yards from the referee who promptly showed a red card and Corby were down to nine men.

With half time approaching Corby's Jamie Clark just failed to get his header to a chipped ball but in the sixth minute of injury time added on for Gooding's treatment Paul Ainsworth rose unchallenged to head the ball powerfully past Mackay to double the Brickies lead.

The second half was a strange affair with Sittingbourne unable to shake off the lethargy caused by playing against nine men. They started promisingly when on 50 minutes Jon Neal glanced a Kieran Marsh pass just wide, but 4 minutes later a Corby effort was kicked off the line.

Goal-scoring hero Paul Ainsworth was substituted because of injury on 57 minutes and replaced by the still not fully fit James Campbell.

The game was now very scrappy with Corby unable to make much ground but the Brickies were making it hard for themselves with passes that just weren't finding the men.

On 69 minutes Jon Neal had a lobbed shot go just over, but Corby too were making some moves forward without seriously threatening Fewell.

Corby's nine men were now visibly tiring and with ten minutes to go Danny Lye found  Darren Smith, Smith passed infield to Jon Neal who flicked the ball first time into the net for the Brickies third.  Two  minutes later Jon Neal repeated the feat, this time the provider was Clint Gooding, and the Brickies had recorded their best league win of the season so far.

Sittingbourne: Fewell, Coyle (L Smith 83 mins), Dowley, Yorath, Ainsworth (Campbell 57 mins), Taylor, D Smith, Marsh, Neal, Gooding, Lye (Marshall 83 mins), Subs not used Beeney.