Sittingbourne 0-3 Aldershot Town - It was amazing to see the whole place packed out red and black, that’s probably the proudest I’ve been in a long, long time in my life, never mind in football, says Sittingbourne manager Ryan Maxwell

Sittingbourne 0 – 3 Aldershot Town
Location	Woodstock Park, Broadoak Road, Sittingbourne, Kent ME9 8AG
Kickoff	01/03/2025 12:30

SITTINGBOURNE  0-3  ALDERSHOT TOWN
The Isuzu FA Trophy Quarter-Final
Saturday 1 March 2025
Stephen McCartney reports from Woodstock Park

PROUD Sittingbourne manager Ryan Maxwell says it’s been a hell of a journey and he was feeling gutted that their FA Trophy campaign ended this way.

 

The Brickies went into their maiden FA Trophy Quarter-Final tie sitting in second-place in the eighth-tier Isthmian League South East Division table, having picked up 77 points (24 wins, five draws and one defeat).

Sittingbourne welcomed Tommy Widdrington’s full-time side on a very impressive 32-match unbeaten run and they defeated Sutton Common Rovers (2-0), Kingstonian (4-1), Bognor Regis Town (2-1), Dover Athletic (1-0), Winchester City (5-4 on penalties after a 1-1 draw), Enfield Town (4-2), Salisbury (2-1) and Southend United (1-0) en-route to this stage of the competition.

The Kent club have banked £30,700 in FA prize money and a share of the gate receipts and memories that will last a lifetime, especially THAT victory at National League side Southend United in the last round.

Aldershot Town, meanwhile, arrived at Woodstock Park sitting in 17^th place in the fifth-tier Vanarama National League table with 36 points (eight wins, 12 draws and 12 defeats) and made just the one change from their side that beat Solihull Moors 3-1 at The Recreation Ground in midweek.

The Shots have beaten Wealdstone (3-1), Chertsey Town (8-0) and Boreham Wood (2-0) all at home to reach this stage of the competition.

Ryan Jones’ emphatic strike for the midfielder’s ninth goal of the season on the stroke of half-time gave Aldershot Town the lead going into the interval, watched by a record crowd at this venue of 1,300 on a sunny spring day.  The kick-off was brought forward to 12:30 due to the Police.

Sittingbourne had a go during the second half but Aldershot Town booked their place in the Semi-Finals for only their third time, courtesy of a header from Southampton loanee, centre-half Will Armitage and a clinical strike from wideman Tyler Frost, as Aldershot Town scored twice inside the final 15 minutes to seal their passage.

“I’m proud – I don’t think we got completely outplayed if I’m honest.  Three-nil’s flattering,” said Maxwell during the post-match press conference.

“I think we played really well in patches. We’ve put them under a bit of pressure, had chances without making the most of them and that was the key, we didn’t make the most of them.

“They didn’t have a lot of shots at our goal but they come away three-nil winners.  I take nothing away from them, I think the boys put in a pleasing performance, other than the scoreline so yes, a hell of a journey, gutted that it’s ended like this.

“If I’m honest, as I say, I’d rather have been outclassed and outdone but we weren’t outclassed and outdone. I suppose the players take great credit from that, that there weren’t three levels difference today and that was obvious.

“I’m proud of them. They will do everything for me and these fans. They would do anything and I’m absolutely gutted for them. I feel for them but yes, it’s come to an end but what a journey, what a phenomenal achievement for these boys have beaten seven teams I believe in a league or two or three above and that’s no fluke.  They are tremendous, a great team, great lads, great men and great people and I’m very proud to manage them.”

Aldershot Town assistant manager Hugo Langton, 50, said: “Tough game, tough pitch, tough opposition. It was always going to be harder because of the occasion, being a one-off game but overall, I think our quality eventually shone through and we got the job done.”

The Tonbridge resident, who has worked with numerous Kent clubs during his career, was asked what threats Sittingbourne posed his players.

“What they are, they go back-to-front really quicky with lads running in behind. They’ve got lads up front that will battle and try to plant themselves against centre-halves and try to bring the ball down and bring others in.

“But ultimately they want the ball off the pitch, throw-ins, corners, set-plays so they put it into your box.  I know they score a lot of goals from set-plays and corners here in their own league, so we knew we had to defend our own box well today and I thought overall we did.”

When asked about Sittingbourne’s unbeaten run of form, Langton revealed he know exactly what he was going to face here today.

“It’s a hell of a record! Listen, it’s impressive at any level of the game. You can see why they win games here. They can really get on top of you. We were aware of it.  Obviously, you’ve known me for years, we do our homework, don’t take anybody lightly, don’t disrespect anybody but we came here today, I would probably describe as a professional job and our quality shone through.”

Not many teams in Sittingbourne’s division play a 3-4-3 formation and Aldershot Town bossed the possession and often played the ball around the back as Sittingbourne started with a resilient back five.

The 15-goal Josh Barrett dropped deep before pinging a 40-yard diagonal pass for his 12-goal strike partner Jack Barham, who cut inside and onto his right-footed before drilling his 25-yard effort over the crossbar of untroubled Sittingbourne goalkeeper Roco Rees inside the opening seven minutes.

Sittingbourne’s lone striker Ryan Kingsford received a pass from high right-back Donvieve Jones before curling his shot around the goalkeeper and past the far post with an angled effort from 15-yards just 111 seconds later.

Aldershot Town continued to dominate possession and a quickly taken free-kick came in from the left and Ryan Jones put the ball in and Barham cracked a volley at the near post which flashed harmlessly across Rees and wide of the target.

Langton said: “Our first half performance was a little bit frustrating at times because in these sort of games, when you play teams from lower divisions on an occasion like this and it is a big occasion because it’s a Quarter-Final of a national competition, they’re going to run hard, they’re going to believe they can beat us and I get all that because I’ve been in their position many, many times over the last 10-15 years.

“They would’ve believed that they could’ve beaten us today and we just wanted to try to take the game away from them.”

Sittingbourne keeper Rees made a couple of comfortable collections at his near-post down on his knees as Frost got in behind Jones and Henry Lukombo to put in a couple of testing balls in close to the by-line.

Sittingbourne’s main threat came from Richard Hamil’s left-foot from corners and in the 28^th minute he floated the ball towards the back post where left-winger Joe Boachie steered his header wide of the right-hand post from a tight angle.

A poor clearance from Aldershot Town goalkeeper Marcus Dewhurst saw Hamill press Cameron Hargreaves to nick the ball inside the Aldershot half but Kingsford went to pieces just inside the penalty area and the away side were able to clear their lines.

Central midfielder Hargreaves switched the play towards Frost on the half-way line but a poor touch saw the ball bounced off his legs and Donvieve Jones accepted the invitation to race down the right.

The Sittingbourne right-back fizzed in a great cross towards the back post where the unmarked Boachie slid in at the back post to stab his shot just past the foot of the near post from a tight angle in the 34^th minute.

“I think that’s why I’m frustrated.  We didn’t seem to get any rub of the green today and that’s football. It does happen and we certainly don’t cry about it, we get on with it.” said Maxwell.

“I don’t think three-nil was a fair reflection of the game. There were chances that we didn’t make the most of, that were nearly this, nearly that and that’s the frustrating thing. We deserved better. We didn’t deserve to win but we deserved better.”

Kingsford put the ball into the Aldershot penalty area from within the right-channel and Boachie managed to get across his man (centre-half Armitage) at the near-post but Armitage shut the gate and hooked the ball behind for yet another Sittingbourne corner.

Aldershot Town turned defence into a blistering attack, grabbing the lead with their first shot on target, with 45 minutes and 29 seconds on the clock.

Kingsford cut inside and towards the edge of the Aldershot penalty area but he was tackled by Luca Woodhouse – who plays on the left of a three man defence.

Woodhouse clipped a long ball over the top to release Barham down the left channel and he cut into the box and put it on a plate for Ryan Jones (who found a pocket of space in behind Sittingbourne’s centre-half Liam Smith) for Ryan Jones to take a touch and emphatically stroke a left-footed shot into the roof of the net from 12-yards.

Maxwell said: “Gutted at the time but timing is the key, just before half-time. It’s a bit of a sickener isn’t it?

“It was there first real chance and they scored. The team talk completely changed at half-time, that was the sickener.

“I said we’ve just got to keep on doing what we were doing. I can’t knock the performance. I just want more end product. The scoreline is false, don’t worry about it, keep going, keep going and hopefully the tide will turn because I couldn’t fault the performance first half. We’ve limited them to very little.”

Langton added: “I think we popped the balloon a little bit with a late goal in the first half and I felt mostly in the second half, I thought we were quite comfortable.

“Luca Woodhouse won the ball back. He stuck it in behind, Jack Barham got in front, run into the box, pulled it back and Ryan Jones scored.

“Listen, he’s been doing it all season, good player. There’s some things we’ve had to work really hard with him in and to be fair to him he came out of the side for a while and he took on board the feedback we’ve given him and now he’s had a good week, I think he’s scored two in the last three games this week.”

When asked whether it changed the team-talk inside the away dressing room, Langton replied: “Not really. We always believed we’ll have enough quality to win the game today. We knew we had to defend our box well. When they had opportunities to stick it in from corners and throw-ins - and that’s largely what they’re about - because you can hear the crowd signing ‘set piece again, set piece again,’ and that’s why we’re quite pleased our second was from a set-piece.”

Kingsford tracked the run of Ryan Jones, who cut from the middle of the pitch to the left before looping his left-footed angled drive over Rees’ fingertips and just over the Sittingbourne crossbar from 25-yards out after only 74 seconds.

Right midfielder Aaron Jones put the ball in and central midfielder Theo Widdrington laid the ball off for Josh Barrett, whose 20-yard drive deflected off Hamill and flashed across the keeper and past the far post for the away side’s second of six corners.

Aldershot Town produced a well-worked move following their fourth corner of the game in the 51^st minute.

Barrett played the ball short to Widdrington, who played the ball back to Barrett, who cut into the box before playing a short one-two with Ryan Jones before sweeping his first time right-footed shot over the Sittingbourne crossbar from 15-yards.

Frost and Hargreaves both linked up inside the Sittingbourne half before the ball was played inside to Ryan Jones, whose left-footed drive from 18-yards flashed past the diving Rees and only just flashed past the foot of the near-post.

Sittingbourne should have done better with a free-header following a 56^th minute set-piece.

Hamill floated a free-kick into the penalty area where an unmarked Boachie flicked his header across goal and harmlessly past the far post from 16-yards.

Sittingbourne missed a glorious chance to notch an equaliser in the 65^th minute when left-back Bagasan Graham hit a long ball over the top to put Boachie through on goal but his left-footed shot from 16-yards bounced into the gloves of Dewhurst for a comfortable save.

“We just weren’t quite clinical enough and we didn’t have that little bit of luck that we needed as well,” admitted Maxwell.

“We made a few, a number of half-chances, without really making any proper, proper chances.”

Langton added: “I wouldn’t say it was so much of a storm. Sittingbourne have a very clear way of playing, it was just defending. Perhaps the thing we can be a little bit critical about is the front three which is Jones, Barrett and Barham, probably could’ve held the ball up a little bit better and when you don’t do that the ball will come straight back down your throat, which is what they are but largely most of the chances they had, they were all scrambles.  Marcus Dewhurst in goal wasn’t really stretched to make a good save today.”

This signalled a momentum shift for the part-time hosts with Boachie leading the charge through the heart of the pitch.

Lukombo played the ball down the line to release Donvieve Jones down the right and he put in a low cross from within the channel but Boachie failed to get any change out of Aldershot centre-half Christian Maghoma at the near-post and Dewhurst grabbed hold of the ball low to his left.

Sittingbourne were now on the front foot with Maxwell throwing on striker Ade Azeez and asking winger Troy Howard to partner him with Kingsford dropping behind the pair in an attacking midfield role.

Azeez hooked pass released Howard down the right and his low cross was poorly cleared away by Maghoma at the near-post and Kingsford pounced on the loose ball but his right-footed angled drive appeared to be flashing wide of the near-post but Dewhurst dived to his left and comfortably gathered the ball.

“We did (have a go), yes, we have to, we were losing 1-0 but ultimately it wasn’t to be,” added Maxwell.

“We tried and we tried, we changed the shape three times, personnel changes were pretty positive and we got some joy out of them. We just couldn’t get the ball in the net.”

However, Aldershot Town killed Sittingbourne’s momentum by grabbing their second goal, following their fifth corner of the game, timed at 29 minutes and 57 seconds on the clock.

Barrett floated the ball in from the left and the Southampton loanee came up from the back and glanced his towering header bouncing across Rees to find the far corner.

“That looked a little bit soft that one, I have to be honest.  I didn’t like the way that one went in,” admitted Maxwell.

“I’m not going to point the finger at my players. They’ve been outstanding. I didn’t like the goal but it’s an error. I’m sure the person that’s made the error will know exactly what it is and I’m sure he’ll beat himself up.”

Langton added: “We’ve got Will on loan from (Premier League) Southampton, good player. This is his first foray into men’s football as it were out of the 21s out of at Southampton.

“He’s learning on the job as it were but he’s a good lad and I’m glad he’s got the header because I know he wants to weigh in and it’s nice to see that nestle in the back of the net.”

Woodhouse was the weak link in Aldershot’s back three during the second half as Sittingbourne were getting plenty of joy down their right.

Azeez put in a cross from within the channel and Dewhurst plucked the ball out of the air with two hands above his head but even full-time goalkeepers can drop the ball under no pressure at all before gathering the ball at the second attempt.

Aldershot Town produced a well-worked move to notch their third goal to comfortably seal their passage, timed at 42 minutes and 8 seconds on the clock.

Hargreaves played the ball out to Frost on the left who cut inside and played the ball back to Hargreaves within the final third before Frost cut inside and placed his right-footed drive past the diving Rees to nestle inside the bottom left-hand corner from 18-yards.

Maxwell said: “Just flattering. It looks a bit soft. He’s cut inside and put it in the bottom corner. It doesn’t look like a great strike but it’s found it’s way in. I’m disappointed with that one, yes and it certainly flatters them.”

Reflecting on the goal, Langton added: “Frosty’s been pretty consistent throughout this season and last season since we’ve come into the football club, so we know what he is.  A lot of people think that he’s a central midfielder – he probably thinks he is as well – but we kind of play him out there for a reason because we know he’s a threat when he has the ball and we just encourage him to just run at people and if you get into the box and then they can’t touch you and then just make whatever magic you can happen next and he did that today.”

Aldershot Town went close to score a flattering fourth goal (46:03) when substitute pair Maxwell Mullins and Kai Corbett linked up well on the right before the ball was worked on the overlap to West Ham United loanee Brad Dolaghan, who dragged his right-footed angled drive across Rees and trickling past the foot of the far post.

Dewhurst maintained his clean-sheet when he got down low to his right and pushed away Azeez’ right-footed drive from 20-yards (48:31) before Sittingbourne’s record Woodstock Park crowd gave their heroes a standing ovation at the final whistle as their epic FA Trophy campaign came to an end.

“We did deserve a goal today, we did. I’m gutted that we haven’t scored for these fans if I’m honest.  I’m gutted that we haven’t seen a goal. I think it’s only the third time all season in all competitions that we haven’t scored at home, so I’m shocked at that. We deserved a goal. We just didn’t get one,” said Maxwell.

This was Sittingbourne’s first defeat since Saturday 28 September when Plymouth Parkway came away from here with a 3-0 win in The FA Cup Third Qualifying Round.

When asked how his players’ are feeling as they experience defeat for the first time in such a long time, Maxwell replied: “I’ve not been in the dressing room yet, so I don’t know. I’m sure they’ll be deflated but they can’t last for long. We’ve got a league campaign to ride and we’ve got a job to do so it’s upset today and move on.”

Ramsgate were held to a goal-less draw away to third-placed side Burgess Hill Town today and extended their 10 point gap at the top of the table with 87 points (28 wins, three draws and one defeat) with 10 games remaining.

Sittingbourne are in second-place (77 points but with two games in hand) and Burgess Hill Town are in third-place with 70 points from 31 games.

Margate – 4-2 winners at Eastbourne Town today – are in fourth-place with 66 points from 32 games and Merstham remain in fifth with 52 points from 30 games following their 3-0 win at relegation threatened side Phoenix Sports.

Beckenham Town (51 points from 27 games), Three Bridges (48 points from 31 games) and Sheppey United (48 points from 33 games) make up the top eight tonight.

When asked how Maxwell picks up his players ahead of their trip to Margate on Tuesday night, the Belfast born manager replied: “I think that’s when the character really kicks in doesn’t it? I don’t even think that’s my job. I think that’s individually, internally. I think you’ve got great character. They’re great people.

“I want them to be disappointed but we just can’t afford to be disappointed too long because the reality is this is what we signed for. We signed up for a successful league campaign that ends up with a promotion. That’s what I’m here for and that’s what I signed those players for because we are a good side. 

“We’ve gone this far in The Trophy, good teams get success. We’ve had our own success in this competition but the reason we’re all here is to be successful in a different competition and that’s the league.

“It’s good to be around good people. It’s good to be around honest, hardworking, trustworthy people that are inspired by honesty and trust around them. It brings the best in people. People do more for you and not only is that a reflection in my team, it’s certainly a reflection in me and I will go above and beyond anybody connected with this football club.”

When asked whether he had the message for his vocal fan base, Maxwell replied: “Absolutely love you all! The support was incredible. It was amazing to see the whole place packed out red and black, that’s probably the proudest I’ve been in a long, long time in my life, never mind in football.

“Just seeing this place packed with red and black, I know how much it means. We’ve got fans here in tears, that’s how much it means and I’m proud to be part of that.”

The Shots have slipped down a place to 18^th following today’s National League results and are only three points clear of the relegation zone that contains AFC Fylde, Maidenhead United, Boston United and Ebbsfleet United.

All attention now turns to the fifth-tier before they can look forward to plotting a one-legged Semi-Final against bitter-rivals Working, Rochdale or Spennymoor Town on Saturday 5 April.

“Obviously we’re happy to be there but it’s a weird one because it’s very easy to go over the top and celebrate the fact that you’re in the Semi-Final and we want to be doing that because you don’t win anything by being in the Semi-Final,” added Langton.

“What you’ve got to focus now on, we’ve got a lot of league games coming up. Our schedule’s mad, we’ve got Saturday-Tuesday-Saturday-Tuesday forever so all attention for us now turns to Dagenham (at home on Tuesday night).

“We’ll see who we get in the draw on Monday but we won’t think about that game for a while yet because we’ve got business to take care off in the league.

“I know it sounds like an obvious thing to say but it’s just what it is because we feel like our position is a little bit false in the National League table and we know we’ve got enough quality to pull ourselves away from it, which is hopefully what we’re starting to do.”

Langton cut his managerial teeth with Rusthall when they were in the Kent County League Premier Division back in 2007 and has either managed or coached at part-time clubs Holmesdale, Ashford Town, Thamesmead Town, Horsham, Herne Bay and Bromley, leaving Hayes Lane in 2015.  

When asked about life in the pro game at Aldershot Town, Langton replied: “Listen, I’ve enjoyed every minute of it! Last season was great. We had a great FA Cup run and we were close to getting to the play-offs last year but putting seven past Swindon at their gaff, beating Stockport away, going to West Brom.

“We sold a lot of players in the summer so they were big, big changes to the squad and we’ve become a little bit younger, if you know what I mean, so a little bit less experienced.

“This season seems to be a slightly different challenge but listen I wouldn’t change it for anything! I get out of bed at half-past-five every morning. I meet Tommy Widdrington at quarter-past-six, meet in Chipstead and then we drive into training from there.

“I wouldn’t change it for anything. To wake up at half-five every morning and never ever do you think I’d love another 15 minutes here in bed – I’m up and ready, let’s go!

“You’ve known me a long time (since 2007). It’s a job I love and the fact I do it every day and have done for a long time now and the way I look at it is that I’m sure I’ve done well. I’ve had to work hard to get myself into this situation but now I’m here and I have been for a while, same as Kings Lynn because that was a full-time job and full-time at Eastleigh.   A few bumps in between which we won’t mention too much about but you’ve just got to stay there and to stay there you’ve got to keep working harder and be the best possible person of yourself as you can and that’s what I do.”

Sittingbourne: Roco Rees, Donvieve Jones, Bagasan Graham, Liam Smith, Henry Lukombo (Funsho Sinai 77), Chris Arthur, Joe Boachie (Ade Azeez 69), Richard Hamill, Ryan Kingsford (Jay Beckford 85), Ayman El-Mogharbel (Anthony Church 81), Troy Howard (Mitchell May 76).
Sub: Codey Cosgrave

Booked: Chris Arthur 44, Liam Smith 48, Richard Hamill 63

Aldershot Town: Marcus Dewhurst, Aaron Jones, Tyler Frost, Christian Maghoma, Luca Woodhouse, Will Armitage, Ryan Jones (Brad Dolaghan 89), Theo Widdrington, Jack Barham (Kai Corbett 89), Josh Barrett (Maxwell Mullins 77), Cameron Hargreaves.
Subs: Jordi Van Stappershoef, Ollie Harfield, Dan Ellison, Zion Nditi

Goals: Ryan Jones 45, Will Armitage 75, Tyler Frost 88

Booked: Christian Maghoma 60

Attendance: 1,300
Referee: Mr Aaron Bannister
Assistants: Mr Ryan Whitaker & Mr Daniel D’Urso
Fourth Official: Mr Matthew Norton
Observer: Mr Ian Corner