Ryman Reports: Margate reclaim top spot

This result coupled with Bromley scraping a 1-1 draw against Boreham Wood with a last gasp strike from Nic McDonnell, saw the Blues reclaim top spot in the Ryman Premier League table as we enter the crucial Christmas period.

Hit-man Danny Hockton took his tally up to 24 goals from 23 games with two strikes with Lee Protheroe and Steve McKimm also getting on the score sheet.

But assistant manager Mike Flanagan told www.margate-fc.com  that he was pleased with the team’s battling qualities against a side at the foot of the table.

He said: “It was a very good win. In the first half they made it very difficult for us, scored a really good free-kick but we got ourselves back in the game just before half time and I always left we could go on and win the game.

“When you play teams in the bottom half of the table, they do battle, and I think you’ve got to match them first, and then you start to play your football.”

The Sittingbourne supporters’ club ran a coach to Fleet Town for yesterday’s Ryman League Division One South clash, writes Peter Pitts.

Sittingbourne were without goalkeeper Steve Williams who has still not 100% recovered from his injury but he was on the bench and also missing was Mark Lovell who is also recovering from injury.

Jon Neal failed a pre match fitness test and so the side had a strong midfield feel about it. On the plus side James Campbell continues his fight back to fitness and came on for the last ten minutes of the game and young Josh Willis took over in goal and had a competent game.

Sittingbourne Supporters club arranged the coach for this game and so the Brickies had a strong festive following, and despite the result a good time was had by all!

Fleet started well in their quest to improve on the four defeats that they have suffered in the last four games against the Brickies as Eddie Smith tried to lob Willis in the first minute but the Brickies keeper was well placed and turned the ball round for a corner

Sittingbourne were kicking down the pronounced slope, however, it was far from an advantage for them as they couldn't get to grips with it, the ball frequently running away for a goal kick.

At the other end though Fleet were having a lot more luck and on 13 minutes the ball broke to Eddie Smith from a cleared Sittingbourne free kick.

Smith's fierce shot bounced off Willis for a corner and from the corner Steve Noakes found space to head past Willis to put the fleet a goal up.

Sittingbourne were struggling to get going whilst Fleet continued to look dangerous and a James Field free kick looped narrowly over the Brickie bar.

Sittingbourne's first serious effort had to wait until 18 minutes when Andy Doerr's shot flew just wide.

At the other end Adam Wallace spurned a good chance by scooping the ball over the Brickies bar from a couple of yards out.

A minute to go to half time Mitchell Sherwood ran through the Fleet defence and went tumbling, there were cries for a penalty but it was a rather ambitious shout.

Fleet had managed to stifle the wide threat of Lee Browning and Mitchell Sherwood forcing the Brickies down the middle where they weren't at full strength.

The second half started similar to the first with Fleet pressing. However, Sittingbourne began to push forward and they looked far more comfortable kicking up the slope and it was Fleet who were now suffering with the ball running away from them down the slope.

Kieran Marsh had a long shot go wide then he swapped passes with Doerr and sent in another shot which went a little nearer the goal...but still not close enough!

Sittingbourne continued to press for the elusive equaliser and a Ricky Spiller free kick found Paul Ainsworth on the left who crossed into the Fleet area but the ball went straight across the Fleet area to Doerr on the right, he crossed the ball back but the ball was cleared. Ainsworth got into the act again this time side-footing a corner just wide.

Despite all the Brickies pressure it was Fleet who came the nearest to scoring again when a long cross-field pass found Darren Campbell who headed the ball against the bar then Jermaine Henderson fired the rebound wide.

Marsh had another effort easily held by Fleet Town's keeper Justin Gray and at the other end Willis made a good save from Jermaine Hamilton.

On 89 minutes Ainsworth, who was probably Sittingbourne's most dangerous attacker, had a header tipped over the bar by Gray, but time was running out for the Brickies and deep into the time added on for stoppages, (an amazing 11 minutes), Marsh had a bullet of a shot go narrowly wide but with that miss you could tell that it was not to be the Brickies day.

Sittingbourne: Willis, Ashmore, Dowley, Ainsworth, Searle (Campbell 85), Marsh, Browning, Spiller (Akhazzan 67), Hockey, Doerr, Sherwood. Subs: Knowles, Gooding, Williams

Sittingbourne 0-0 Dulwich Hamlet (last Tuesday)

Meanwhile, last Tuesday, Sittingbourne held leaders Dulwich Hamlet to a goal-less draw at Bourne Park.

On paper this looked the most difficult match Sittingbourne have played so far. They were playing a Dulwich Hamlet team who were top of the league and have a reputation for goal scoring. Also, Sittingbourne had to make do without Mark Lovell and Steve Williams, both injured, writes John Pitts.

The game was only given the go ahead at 11:00am on the morning of the match because of the amount of water there has been on the pitch.

The grounds man, however, worked wonders to ensure that the playing surface was not too bad although I'm sure Dulwich will feel that they would have done better if the pitch was better.

However, so will Sittingbourne, obviously it was the same for both teams.

Sittingbourne started the match brightly and had numerous attacks in the first ten minutes. Dulwich seemed to be content to allow the Bourne to play and seemed very slow to get into the game.

The best chance in this period was when Mitchell Sherwood, who had another good game, broke down the left and sent a long low cross across the Dulwich area that just evaded the onrushing Doerr.

The next good chance fell to Kieran Marsh who, receiving a pass from Lee Browning, hit a tremendous shot just over the bar.

After twelve minutes it was Toby Ashmores turn to put in a good cross but again Doerr just failed to connect.

It took Dulwich 15 minutes to have a first pot at the Bourne goal. Chris Dixon beat two defenders to put himself in a good position but fired wide.

Two minutes later it was David Moore's turn to have a shot but again it was a poor one and failed to trouble Josh Willis the seventeen years old who was making his second consecutive appearance in the Bourne goal because of Steve Williams's injury.

There was a controversial moment after 23 minutes when Chris Dickson theatrically tumbled in the area (shades of the premiership!). Referee Ian Fissenden, who had an excellent game, saw it for what it was and waved play on. Obviously Dickson was not impressed by this and promptly crashed into Toby Ashmore. Dickson was cautioned for his misdemeanour.

There were then two good chances for the Bourne, falling to Neal and then Browning but the keeper just managed to gather the ball on both occasions.

Just before half time, Sherwood made progress down the right, beat a defender and slipped the ball to Neal. Neal's point blank shot was straight at the keeper and the ball bounced off him and to safety

The half ended then with Sittingbourne having had the majority of play. The Dulwich Hamlet forwards weakness was that they continually tried to take on Sittingbourne players and invariably lost the ball. A tactic that did not change in the second half.

The wind got up for the second half and was in Dulwich Hamlet's favour. It was Sittingbourne through Marsh though who had the first decent chance of the half.

To aid Sittingbournes cause, Steve Lovell withdrew Jon Neal and put on Ricky Spiller with Mitchell Sherwood playing a more forward role.

Dulwich were now having more of the play but the tactic of trying to walk the ball in the net by their forwards was no more successful in this half than it was in the first.

There best chance came from when Dixon's long hard cross evaded everyone and went out for a throw in.

This half wasn't quite up to the standard of the first and neither goalkeeper was seriously troubled.

So the match ended as a goaless draw. However, although it was two home points that Sittingbourne have dropped they can be very pleased that they matched the top of the table team all the way.

In fact they spoilt Dulwich Hamlet's record of having scored in all the league game they have played this season.

Sittingbourne: Willis, Ashmore, Dowley, Ainsworth, Searle, Marsh, Browning, Hockey, Neal (Spiller), Doerr, Sherwood: Subs: Gooding, Nicholl, Knowles, Campbell.

The Brickies welcome Molesey to Bourne Park next Saturday before they play lodgers Maidstone United at Bourne Park on Boxing Day (3pm).

Molesey 1-1 Chatham Town

Chatham Town's second trip to Surrey in a week resulted in a well earned point at Molesey, writes Neil Sanders.

The visitors had most of the early possession and twice went close from Luke Harvey shots.

At the other end Phil Ruggles hit the side netting after being forced wide by Tom Binks and Rob Goodger.

But nine minutes after the half time Molesey took the lead. Mazin Ahmad's shot from the edge of the box found the top corner, after Chatham had been unable to clear from a corner.

Both sides created further chances with Mark Brooks and Tyran James causing problems for their opponents defence when cutting in from the wings.

Chats deserved an equaliser and it duly arrived in the 77th minute. A quick twist and turn on the edge of the 18 yard box gave Rob Denness enough space to shoot low past Chuck Martini.

After that a draw looked a fair result but it took a superb saving tackle from Danny Larkin to prevent the home side from nicking a winner three minutes from time.

Chatham now have two home fixtures against Horsham YMCA and Dartford to look forward to over the Christmas period.

Chatham Town: Whitehouse, Binks, Goodger, Larkin, Brown, Best, Smith, Brooks, Harvey, Denness, James. Subs: Boyle, Douglas, King, Lyons, Winter-Nolan

Ashford Town 1-2 Fleet Town (last Saturday)

Ten-man Fleet Town picked up their title challenge at the Homelands with a gritty 2-1 defeat over an Ashford side featuring three new faces, writes Will Sun.