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Bourne break home duck

Sittingbourne at last won a Southern League Division One  East match at Bourne Park.

They just about deserved the victory as they looked by far the more dangerous throughout the game but there were still nervy moments when Waltham Forest equalised with just 7 minutes to go but a wonder goal from Adam Douglas secured the much needed points to haul the Brickies off the bottom of the league and to the heady heights of fourth from the bottom but with games in hand on those above them.

Sittingbourne started at a disadvantage as they were battling against a strong wind  for the first half, unfortunately the wind dropped in the second half so they didn't gain an advantage themselves from it.

Spurred on by a good crowd of 260, boosted by Woodcoombe youngsters and their parents Sittingbourne started brightly and with just 3 minutes on the clock David Cory had a great chance of giving the Brickies an early lead when he beat Forest Goalkeeper Gavin King to the ball but from an acute angle he sent his shot across goal and wide.

Sittingbourne were exerting plenty of pressure but without truly troubling King, Marsh's  shot over the bar on 7 minutes and a 20 minute Jon Neal effort that went just wide being the closest they got until 40 minutes when Lee Browning ran up the right and passed inside to Paul Manning lurking on the edge of the Forest area, Manning turned and fired a well placed shot past King and the Brickies were in the lead.

Waltham Forest showed a lot more urgency in the second half and Papa Kanyuku had a shot through a crowd of players that thudded against the Brickies post but bounced back straight into Kevin Fewell's arms.

At the other end an Adam Douglas free kick found Paul Manning who blasted the ball across the Forest area but the ball eluded the Brickies forwards.

Kevin Fewell was called into action on 69 minutes when he tipped Solomon Henry's effort the bar.

At the other end Cory went even closer when hit a post and the rebound was blasted just wide by Jon Neal. 

The game was getting nervy for Sittingbourne for although the defence, with James Campbell outstanding,  were repelling the Forest attacks well the Brickies fans were feeling that one goal may not be enough especially when Dewayne Clarke touched the ball just wide and Fewell was forced to run out of his goal and kick the ball to safety.

With just seven minutes to go Mark Beeney had lined up substitute Paul Ainsworth to come on and bolster the defence, however, before he could come on Forest won a free kick which ended up at the feet of Kanyuku who although not hitting the ball cleanly managed to get enough impetus on it  to avoid the desperate attempts of Hill to clear and nestle in the net.

It seemed another two points lost, that is until with just 3 minutes to go Jamie Coyle found the unmarked Douglas who from fully 20 yards coolly flighted a curling ball round King to score a truly spectacular goal.

The last agonising minutes were played out without mishap and the Brickies had broken their home duck.