ilford291005

Thursday 01st September 2005

Brickies leave it late but to no avail

Saturday 29th October 2005	Southern League Division One East	Peter Pitts reporting
Ilford	1	Nyman 49
Sittingbourne	0

Sittingbourne were left bemoaning what could have been as they put on a spirited last quarter of an hour fight back and had two penalty shouts turned down, the second one looking to be a cast iron penalty as the Ilford player clasped his hands to fend off the ball, writes Peter Pitts.

There was some excellent defending too in this period by Ilford culminating on 87 minutes in an amazing header off the goal line by Ray Taylor from a cracking shot by
Mitchell Sherwood.

But the score-line doesn't lie and this defeat was Sittingbourne's third in a row and they have now had five straight away defeats.

The first half was a very close affair with both sides having efforts which nearly all went wide giving the keepers a relatively easy time.

In fact the only time that the keepers had to make a save of note didn't come until 42
minutes when Ilford keeper Richard Wray made a good diving save from a Kieran Marsh header and then a minute later a James Campbell header from a corner was tipped over the bar by Wray.

Sittingbourne goalkeeper Steve Williams' only real save came a minute before half time when he easily held a long range shot from Dave Reilly.

Just four minutes into the second half with only their second shot on target Ilford took the lead through a stunning shot from Dean Nyman which seemed to come out of the blue.

Sittingbourne then responded well and Wray tipped over a Campbell effort this time from a free kick after Clint Gooding had been fouled. From the corner Wray was again in action this time punching the ball clear.

Ilford then got on top for the next ten minutes or so but without really troubling Williams.

Then the Brickies took complete control with Bradley Spice in particular causing problems to the Ilford defence with his direct runs at goal.

On 72 minutes one such run ended in a cross ball that was almost turned into his own goal by Ray Taylor. Six minutes later Lee Browning was fouled and from the free kick Paul Ainsworth's looping header looked like it was in but in reality the ball arced over the bar.

Sittingbourne continued to press with Ilford visibly tiring but in the end they were unable to make that all important break through leaving the question why do they keep leaving their best performances to the end of games?

Sittingbourne: Williams, Spiller, Dowley (Ashmore 46), Ainsworth, Campbell, Marsh, Browning, Gooding, Neal, Spice, Sherwood, Subs: Taylor, Styles, Davies, S Lovell.