Berkhamsted Town 1 Sittingbourne 3

Sittingbourne shook off their poor performance on Saturday, where they lost 2-0 at home to Wivenhoe Town, to race into a two goal lead within 25 minutes at struggling Berkhamsted Town last night, writes Peter Pitts.

 

However, a spirited comeback by the home side in the second half caused a few scares in the Brickies camp and the three points were only really secured in the 89^th minute when Mitchell Sherwood scored.

Sittingbourne welcomed back Kieran Marsh and James Campbell and Lee Browning started. Tommy Price kept his place in the attack and did well.  
Sittingbourne came out of the blocks smartly and on two minutes a Bradley Spice free kick was deflected for a corner by Henry Thomas and from the corner Tommy Price headed narrowly over.

Four minutes later a long Lee Hockey throw was back headed by Campbell forcing Berko keeper Sam Mazurek to tip the ball round a post.

Berkhamsted were lucky not have conceded a penalty on ten minutes when Mazrek came rushing out of his goal and flattened Spice without getting anywhere near the ball. 

However, referees have to be brave to give a decision against a keeper like that.  Spice had to limp off five minutes later and was replaced by Ricky Spiller.

Berko’s first test for Steve Williams came on 14 minutes when Ben Porter's shot was well saved by him.

However, Sittingbourne were looking the pick of the two sides and nine minutes later a Toby Ashmore run ended in a pass to Sherwood who cleverly cut inside his defender and found  Marsh lurking on the edge of the Berko area.

The Brickies supporters are always expectant when Marsh receives the ball in that area and he didn't disappoint as he crashed home an unstoppable shot to give Sittingbourne a deserved lead.

Two minutes later it was 2-0 as a trademark long Lee Hockey throw found its way to Ricky Spiller on the far post and Spiller stabbed the ball in the net.
Spiller was in action again on 29 minutes this time firing the ball over the Berko bar.

A rare Berko shot on 30 minutes was blocked and Sittingbourne weren't being troubled by them.

However, with Spice off and Browning and Campbell struggling with injuries at this point there was a  worry in the Brickies camp that Berkhamsted could come into the game.

However, Browning recovered enough to swap passes with Price and he was unlucky when the ball just ran away from him in the area as he was about to shoot.

If the first half belonged to Sittingbourne then the second definitely belonged to Berko. The half started badly for the Brickies as Marsh had to limp off and be replaced by Peter Taylor. Marsh is an influential player and he was definitely missed as Sittingbourne never regained the rhythm that they had enjoyed in the first.

On 57 minutes a long diagonal pass by Andy Mullins hit the top of the Brickies crossbar, the first of three times that Berko would hit the woodwork. Sittingbourne responded when a Spiller corner was headed straight into the keepers arms by Hockey from a good position.

Berkhamsted's pressure told on 63 minutes when a desperate attempt to clear by Joe Dowley ended in him mistiming his tackle and bringing down a Berko player in the area, referee Mr Smith had no hesitation in awarding a penalty which was duly despatched by Mullins.

Berko's tails were up and shots by Mohamed Khan and Pablo Ardiles (Son of Ossie) whizzed narrowly past the Brickies goal.

Toby Ashmore broke the monotony of Berko pressure with a vicious shot that dipped just too late.

Sittingbourne had a lucky escape on 75 minutes when Mullins cross field shot hit Williams in the Brickies goal and bounced up to hit the bottom of the crossbar before  the ball was scrambled away.

It was all Berkhamsted and Ashmore ( who had and excellent game) kicked the ball off the Brickies line with Williams off balance.

Despite the pressure Sittingbourne responded just at the right time to settle the travelling supporters nerves and it was Sherwood who took the bull by the horns when on 87 minutes he made space for a shot that went narrowly over the Berko bar.

Then on 89 minutes a Hockey throw found Price whose first time pass was turned on by Sherwood, who had his best game for Sittingbourne to date, and his shot sailed into the Berko goal for Sittingbourne's third and clincher.  
To their credit Berko battled on and Mullins forced a good save from Williams. 

They almost clawed another goal back deep into injury time  but Leon Hibbert's header struck the Brickies bar and bounced away to safety.  
There is no doubt that the injuries disrupted the Brickies flow but the good news is that all should be back for Saturday's trip away to Rothwell Town where Sittingbourne will be looking for another double following their narrow
1-0 victory way back in August.

Sittingbourne: Williams, Ashmore, Dowley, Ainsworth, Campbell, Marsh (Taylor 56 mins), Sherwood, Hockey, Price, Spice (Spiller 10 mins), Browning, Subs not used: Tanner, Knowles