Sittingbourne 3-1 Thamesmead Town

SITTINGBOURNE 3-1 THAMESMEAD TOWN
Saturday 2^nd September 2006
FA Cup (E.ON) Preliminary Round
Stephen McCartney reports from Bourne Park

Sittingbourne manager Steve Lovell admitted that he was delighted his side avoided slipping on a potential banana skin against fourth placed Kent League side Thamesmead Town at a blustery Bourne Park today.

The Brickies progressed into the first qualifying round of the FA Cup for the first time since 2003 and will welcome Sussex County League side Hassocks to Bourne Park in two weeks time.

The Sussex side took advantage of playing at home to knock out Southern League side Newport IOW, winning 2-0.

But Sittingbourne striker Mark Lovell opened his account for the new campaign with a brace, sandwiched between an own-goal from big central defender Ryan Royston.

Thamesmead striker Curtis Williams netted his fifth goal in four games in a game where his team-mate, left-winger Sam Thomas impressed whilst attacking.

The Ryman League Division One South hosts opened the scoring after 34 minutes - but against the run of play.

Boss Lovell felt a tactical change was in order after just twenty minutes with blonde haired Ricky Spiller replacing Tunisian Sabeur Trabelsi, who was making his first start.

And it was Spiller’s whipped in cross from the right that found Lovell at the far post, and after bursting past his marker, stroked home from ten yards.

Before Sittingbourne broke the deadlock their visitors created a couple of half chances.

Former Faversham Town striker Rikki Cable, 19, who signed a one-year contract - with a one-year option - with the Bayliss Avenue club on the morning of the game following a seven day approach from rivals Erith & Belvedere, fired over with a left-footed shot from 16-yards, after cutting inside following a hanging cross from former Sittingbourne player Scott Saunders.

Then Thomas’ left-footed 25-yard drive drifted wide of the far post after Scott Mulholland’s corner was headed clear.

Sittingbourne doubled their advantage with four minutes before the interval.

Knowles released striker Jon Neal down the right hand side and his whipped in cross was met by Royston’s glancing header, which gave his goalkeeper Chris Arnold no chance as the ball flew into the top far corner.

But the former Maidstone United defender almost made amends early in the second half.

The Sidcup based, 25-year-old PE Teacher, saw his left-footed 35-yard drive flash agonisingly past the foot of the left upright, much to the relief of Sittingbourne goalkeeper Steve Williams.

But it was Thamesmead’s Curtis Williams who found the target after 54 minutes, finishing off a fine move started by Thomas.

Thomas, who was tracked by Dartford and other clubs last season, made a seventy yard run on the left touchline leaving the home defenders in his wake.

After cutting inside into the penalty area, his cross found Cable, who laid the ball off for the striker to finish from 12-yards.

Midfielder Steve Searle, who re-signed for the Swale club from Chatham Town in the past week, found Lovell inside the penalty area, but the striker hooked the ball over from eight-yards.

But Lovell wrapped up the victory with twenty minutes left when he rifled Knowles’ cross into the roof of the net from eight-yards.

The visitors went route one five minutes later when Arnold launched a clearance down the left hand side for Thomas, who left Knowles in his wake, but his cross was volleyed wide by Pedro Knight.

But although his side are in the next round, boss Steve Lovell praised Thamesmead.

He told www.kentishfooball.co.uk:  “It weren’t the best of games, the conditions, the wind down here didn’t help the game at all, but at the end of the day the FA Cup ties can be a banana skin and Thamesmead are no mean side, top of the Kent League, and they had a go - I’m delighted with the win today.”

The Welshman praised his son Mark, whose now three goals behind top scorer Andy Doerr, who is currently on holiday.

“He’s come back from injury and he’s working hard to get himself back playing again and I’m happy to have him here,” said the proud father and manager.

“They were two good finishes and could have had a couple more as well, but he’ll be happy now and everybody at Sittingbourne will be happy tonight.”

Speaking about Thamesmead, Lovell said: “Very good, very strong, very organised and they’ve got some decent players who’ve played at this level for a long time, so very experienced.

“It took a bit for us to break them down but in the end I think we just edged it and I say they did put up a very good fight and they will do the Kent League proud this year I think.”

With Hassocks visiting Bourne Park in two weeks time, Lovell feels his side can help raise much needed funds for the Swale club.

He said: “It’s important that we have a bit of a run in the FA Cup and there’s a lot of people at Sittingbourne that put in a lot of time and effort in so it’s nice to pay back a little on the field.

“The money goes towards helping all the other things that are so necessary at clubs like ours.”

Thamesmead Town boss Keith McMahon, meanwhile, was disappointed that his side didn’t get anything from the game.

The Bayliss Avenue outfit won 4-3 at Reading Town in the extra preliminary round two weeks ago, and McMahon felt his side should have won this game.

“I feel a bit gutted for the boys,” he said in an EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW with www.kentishfootball.co.uk.

“I thought we were the better side to be honest. I thought we just gave three really poor goals and that’s the only real chances they had.

“A bit disappointing really because the lads conducted themselves well. We battled, I thought we played most of the football, so yes disappointed.”

McMahon takes his side to managerless Croydon in seven days time. The Trams, who were rocked by the resignation of Russell Harmsworth yesterday, beat Sporting Bengal United by three goals to nil to get their Kent League Cup group C campaign off to a winning start.

But McMahon is expecting a tough time at the Croydon Sports Arena in South Norwood.

He said: “It’s going to be tough for us to be honest with you. I’ve heard reports about the pitch isn’t the best over there.

“Running track grounds are always hard to get any atmosphere but a new manager will always lift them so it’s a game, we’re unbeaten in the league but we’re a few games behind people, I’m expecting to get three points.”