Hythe Town 1-1 Sittingbourne - I can't put my finger on what's gone wrong at home, says Scott Porter

Indeed the Brickies had seemingly led all afternoon from when Tommy Loynes swept home after a cross hadn't been dealt with. But it took a moment of brilliance from Lee Winfield to conjure an equaliser for the home side with Cook heading home his 15th goal of the season as time elapsed!

Despite their last gasp equaliser, Hythe boss Scott Porter - who spent the afternoon watching the game from the Press Box as he's currently serving a touchline ban, was a frustrated manager.

He said: "Our quality in the final third was poor all afternoon - our back five just weren't there today which is the exact opposite to last week when we dug in superbly and created loads of chances.

“This week we looked like we were going to concede and had no desire to score. The wanted desire all over the park, just wasn't there today - the quality from corners, in front of goal just wasn't there!

“That said though we had so much possession second half that you'd probably say that a draw was the right result, but they really should have been two or three up in the first half - we just didn't turn up today and that’s the second home game running that's happened and it’s not good enough!

“I can’t put my finger on what’s gone wrong at home (we've only lost once away from home), and whether that puts too much pressure on us I don’t know!

“But that sort of pressure comes from playing well and the way we've been playing, and if you can’t live with that, you shouldn't be playing. We should be thriving on day’s like today - a descent crowd came to support us - which we all do really appreciate - but I just can’t put my finger on it and it is so frustrating!

"If only the home form was as good as our away form, we'd be something like ten points clear - it just wasn't there today, and I just can’t put my finger on why."

Sittingbourne joint boss Danny Ward, meanwhile was frustrated that his side couldn't have held on for all three points after leading for 87 minutes.

He said: "Yes, it is probably two points dropped for us today. We had the chances to win the game in the first half. Tommy Loynes has come in for us today and was fantastic for an hour before he got tired and to be honest we could have had three or four. Second half we had a couple of great chances but the linesman's given a couple of decisions against Tommy that were in my opinion embarassing.

“They're a good side Hythe - you know what you're going to get when you come here - didn't help that we were thin on the ground; Tommy and Connor Coyne came in absolutely shattered - they didn't have anything left in them! Joe Taylor's come in with three different injuries but was excellent.

“It was a good performance against one of our rivals at the top of the table, and as we've already said I have to be disappointed that we haven't got the three points!"

It really was a dream start for Sittingbourne, as barely 180 seconds had ticked by when after a throw into the home box caused absolute mayhem as it ricocheted around the box Loynes coolly stepped up to sweep the ball home from the edge of the box with a shot in off the right post.

It could so easily have been two inside the first ten minutes as Adam Molloy's long kick was helped into Loynes’ path by the hard working Connor Coyne, and as Hythe keeper Dean Ruddy came out, Loynes not only lifted the ball over the keeper but sadly for the Brickies over the bar as well.

Yet despite their great start, Sittingbourne were indebted to a truly stunning save from Molloy to keep them in front on 14 minutes.

A super cross from John Walker wide out on the left was met at the back post by the flying Cook only for Molloy to somehow claw the ball away as the ball seemed to be behind him.

On the half hour, the outstanding Nick Davis almost doubled Sittingbourne's lead when following another long throw, Davis' looping header beat Ruddy but was somehow scrambled off of the goal line by some desperate defending, and then on the stroke of half time Loynes came within inches of his and the Brickies second as he shot wide after some super play from Joe Taylor, as the former Margate player held off two with a powerful run across the box.

Half time came and went and the only thing that really changed in the game was the fact that Sittingbourne were now happy to hit the home side on the break more and more.

Yet it was only the introduction of substitute Craig Thompson that seemed to kick start the home sides forward progress, and within minutes James Everitt should really have done better after Thompson's burst down the right. As the ball came in, Everitt snatched at the shot and the chance was gone.

On 66 minutes, Hythe were presented with a golden chance to get level when Molloy collected the ball and referee Potter deemed it to be a back pass, yet as was so often the case, Cook's powerful drive deflected high over the bar.

Try as they might the home side just couldn't get a foot hold with Davis and central defensive partner Ollie Gray outstanding, as Molloy and his defenders put a blue wall across the pitch which Hythe just couldn't penetrate as wave after wave of red possession floundered on the Brickies defence limiting Porters side to half chances.

Thompson came within inches of Craig Cloke’s long ball, whilst Brendon Cass' clever footwork came within inches of a terrific goal as the strikers flick just flew over the bar.
 
With the clock showing 90 minutes, Winfield finally escaped the shackles of Luke Girt, and skipped his way into the box as he sent a stunning cross to the back post where this time Cook gave Molloy no chance at all with a thundering header
 
Reflecting on the change that ultimately finally gave his side some impetus, Porter was far from happy with Hythe's overall performance.

It really is amazing that a side who have won seven of nine away games, have now only won three times at Reachfields so far in ten games especially when Reachfields is traditionally such a fortress.

The Hythe boss said: "Craig Thompson made a difference when he came on, but there were too many people on the pitch today who just didn't want it. Winfield was our oldest player out there and he was different class, but there were a few people who didn’t want it today and that’s not acceptable.

“I've had a word in the dressing room and told some people what I've seen from watching the game up there and what I want going forward and that’s for people to take on board.

“Thommo though was one of those who worked his socks off, and if the rest had been like that I'm sure the result would have been different.

“Where we are on the League performances like that simply aren't good enough - at the end of the season you always look back at games where you should have done things differently and today will be one of those.

“We can go to the Dulwich's and the Maidstone's, the Crawley Down's and the Eastbourne's and grind results out but against lesser sides we just haven't been able to do it at home. Obviously Sittingbourne don’t come into that category as they're right up there with us and deservedly so.

“It’s frustrating at the minute as it’s so up and down - but we are where we are - we want to be in the Play Offs so hopefully we'll be able to stay where we are."
 
The mood in the Sittingbourne camp was perhaps surprisingly also one of frustration, yet Danny Ward was full of praise for the way his back line had held so firm for so long without allowing the home side any real chances.

"Our centre halves were a different class today," he said, "Nicky Davis was Nicky Davis; he missed an open goal - I've been a lot harsher with him in them but he was immense! Ollie Gray people keep telling me is a right back - he won every header. Talk about being harsh, I've just had a go at Girty (Luke Girt) as the first time that he lost the number six (Lee Winfield) - he played him off the park second half - the boys got a lot of quality, he dropped his shoulder put in a quality cross for the goal. Did we deserve it especially that late? No I don’t think so, but did we deserve a last minute equaliser in Wednesday at Eastbourne? No I don't think we did but it evens itself out over the season but if you'd have told me four months ago that we'd come down to Hythe with them sitting third in the League and we'd be disappointed to leave with just a point, well its fantastic and shows what we've done.

“And we've done it without Ryan Golding, Nick Tredwell and Ashley Ulph - we're getting there, and they're all back at Leatherhead, so we've got a hard job to pick a team now.

“We're disappointed that we haven't got the win today - I didn't think we'd say that four months ago after leaving Hythe.

“We've got 30 points now which is the total the club got last year, and at the interview Mr Spice said to me that his ambition was to do better than last year - some of the football we've played will have pleased him - it'll come I'm sure - exciting times ahead!”

Hythe Town: Dean Ruddy, Nick Reeves (Ashley Porter 77), John Walker, Pat Kingwell, Craig Cloke, Lee Winfield, Dave Cook, George Savage (Craig Thompson 58), Jake Hobbs, Brendon Cass, James Everitt.
Subs:  Tom Elliott, Lloyd Blackman, Taser Hassan

Goal: Dave Cook 89

Booked: Ashley Porter 82

Sittingbourne:  Adam Molloy, Ryan Cooper, Anthony John, Nick Davis, Ollie Gray, Luke Girt, Joe Taylor (Antonio Gonnella 69), Russell Bedford, Connor Coyne (Hicham Akhazzan 73), Tom Loynes (Jonathan Hogg 73), Jason Dolby.
Subs:  Ryan Golding, Curtis Winnett

Goal: Connor Coyne 3

Booked: Anthony John 49, Ollie Gray 90

Attendance: 268
Referee: Mr Simeon Potter (Sutton, Surrey)
Assistants:  Mr Roger Wells (Coulsdon, Surrey) & Mr Jamaal Horne (Thornton Heath, Surrey)