Sittingbourne 2-3 Whitstable Town - Seager "proud" of his players as Whitstable stay up

For Gary Abbott’s Sittingbourne, it was another blow to their play-off dreams, but for Marc Seager and the Oystermen, victory guarantees their Ryman League status for another season at least.

Afterwards, Seager admitted there has been downtimes this season, but added: “I’ve probably enjoyed this campaign and learnt more this season than I did last.

“It’s fantastic that we can secure our future by taking six points over Easter with wins over quality sides like Walton & Hersham and Sittingbourne.”

Take nothing away from Whitstable, they bossed this game for long periods and fully deserved the three points after scoring two quality goals in the opening 45 minutes, courtesy of Dave Cory and Jake Gess - both courtesy of the attacking principles that Seager and his assistant Simon Halsey have preached all season.

The visitors went ahead after thirteen minutes when Danny Tipple’s glorious through ball beat the offside trap, releasing Cory down the right.

The striker advanced into the penalty area before drilling his shot wide of Chris Lewington and not even a desperate lunge by full-back Ryan Andrews could stop the ball going over the line.

It could have been two for the Oystermen just moments later as Gess saw a header from Tommy Martin’s cross flash narrowly wide.

Sittingbourne at this stage looked sluggish and their equaliser midway through the half came out of the blue - but boy was it worth waiting for!

Lee Spiller flighted the ball in from the left hand side and Dave Milton, in space on the edge of the D, struck a sweet volley past Kevin Fewell into the bottom corner.

Now it was the Brickies who took the game on and Hicham Akhazzan was unlucky when good approach play saw him shoot just wide.

Eight minutes from the break full-back Andrews went even closer for Sittingbourne.

A free-kick on the edge of the box was blocked and as the ball looped high Spiller intelligently touched the ball back for the full-back to strike full on the half-volley and the ball whistled past the left post of the motionless Fewell.

Like a good old traditional derby the game flowed from end to end, and the goal of the game came five minutes before half-time as Whitstable retook the lead.

Cory again was released down the right but his pull-back beat defender and striker alike.

Ian Pulman did well to regain his footing after slipping and was able to roll the ball back into the danger zone where Marcos Perona delicately laid the ball into the path of Gess, whose pile-driver from 25-yards gave poor old Lewington no chance at all.

Seager’s side sealed the victory just past the hour mark, courtesy of a bizarre penalty.

Pulman’s mazy run into the box was ended when he ran into two Sittingbourne defenders, but as referee Mr David Buck waved away penalty appeals, as the Whitstable striker got back to his feet Brickies substitute Scott Lindsey inexplicably pushed Pulman back to the ground, leaving the Istead Rise official with no choice but to point to the spot.

Pulman duly despatched the spot kick and Whitstable lead 3-1.

Sittingbourne tried to rally with Bradley Spice leading the line and it was from his centre (looking for Milton at the far post) that somehow Tipple managed to somehow divert wide of his near post.

Pulman almost made it four for Whitstable after waltzing into the penalty area and drawing the keeper before miss-kicking as the ball bobbled wide.

Spiller then brought the very best out of Fewell in the Whitstable goal as his drive from 25-yards was superbly turned aside.

Spiller, though, would have the last word as on 88 minutes a long hopeful ball into the Whitstable area drew Fewell from his line only for Spiller to beat the goalkeeper to the ball to head a second for Sittingbourne.

The relief on the Whitstable’s players faces when Mr Buck blew for time was evidence that they had achieved a fine result.

As Seager himself admitted: “It’s important for a club like us to survive in this league and to do it with a month to go I’m very proud of my players.

“After all”, he said shrugging, “how many clubs can boast a 100% Easter. And yes you could say that I’m a very happy man tonight.”


Sittingbourne: Chris Lewington, Ryan Andrews, Joe Dowley, John Hyatt (Scott Lindsay 45), Billy Manners, Ryan Johnson, Dave Milton, Lee Spiller, Bradley Spice, Bryan Glover, Hicham Akhazzan (Richard Brady 71).
Subs: Colin Richmond, Tarik Ozresberoglu.

Goals: Dave Milton 22, Lee Spiller 88

Booked: Scott Lindsey 62

Whitstable Town: Kevin Fewell, Gary Sayer, Danny Tipple, Liam Quinn, Clint Gooding, Steve Lloyd, Jake Gess, Marcos Perona, Ian Pulman, Dave Cory, Tommy Martin (Dan Whisker 60).
Subs: Dan Lawrence, Nick Bagley, Tom Parker, Sam Denly.

Goals: Dave Cory 13, Jake Gess 40, Ian Pulman 62 (pen)

Booked: Clint Gooding 54

Attendance: 247
Referee: Mr Dave Buck (Istead Rise)
Assistants: Mr Tim Burman (Welling) & Martin Lehane (Bexleyheath)