Sittingbourne 3-2 Walton Casuals - Willis has a bright future in the game, says Lovell - EXCLUSIVE

The Brickies deserved their 3-0 lead through Steve Hafner, Lee Browning and a Bradley Spice penalty, but Walton Casuals’ substitutes, Chris Kiganda and Grant Keywood scored in the final six minutes to make it a grandstand finish.

However, a crowd of just 146 watched an impressive performance from Sittingbourne.

The Brickies, who had beaten Worthing and Leatherhead last week, started brightly, against a visiting side that started the game in a 5-3-2 formation.

And a cross from Hafner, a summer signing from Dartford, carved open the Kent side’s first chance of the game - after just 39 seconds.

His right-footed cross from the right was met by Spice, but his header was comfortably saved by Paul Smith.

Spice, back at Bourne Park following a season at rivals Dover Athletic, went close again, latching onto a through ball, but his right-footed angled shot from fifteen yards was saved low down by Smith at his near-post.

Sittingbourne dominated the early proceedings and Keiran Marsh drilled a left-footed shot into Smith’s grateful arms, via Browning’s foot.

And another chance went begging, after seventeen minutes.

Midfielder, Anthony Hogg, who played a part in all three goals, won the ball off Sol Patterson-Bohner and played in Spice, but the striker’s right-footed shot was comfortably saved.

But Sittingbourne fully deserved their opening goal after 18 minutes - Hafner scoring his first goal of the season.

Hafner, who switched with other winger, Mitchell Sherwood, during the game, took the ball in his stride, following a brilliant through ball from Hogg, and with his left-foot, from 20-yards, lobbed the ball over the advancing Smith and was delighted when the ball dropped into the roof of the net.

Walton Casuals’ first short, however, arrived just two minutes later, as Sittingbourne goalkeeper, Josh Willis was relieved to see Greg Ball’s left-footed shot fly just past the top of his near post, from a 16-yard shot on the left-hand side of the box.

The next chance, however, didn’t arrive until the 38^th minute.

Hafner whipped in a cross from the right, which struck Browning’s right-shoulder, enabling Smith to gather.

Another chance from the visitors came from Max Hustwick’s free-kick, John Ambridge, a central defender, climbed highest to direct his header wide.

And following a run from left-back, Jermaine Hinds, a right-footed shot from Craig Lewington from 25-yards, flashed harmlessly wide.

But Sittingbourne doubled their lead just six minutes into the second half, thanks to Browning opening his account for the new campaign.

Full credit, however, must go to midfielder Hogg, who sprayed the ball out to Hafner out on the right flank.

Hafner cut in past the left-back and raced into the penalty area before cutting the ball back to Browning who swept the ball into the bottom left-hand corner from eight-yards.

With all three of their substitutes now on the pitch, Walton Casuals created three successive chances for themselves around the 65^th minute mark.

After cutting in from the right, one of these substitutes, Kiganda, let-fly with a left-footed drive from 25-yards, which was brilliantly tipped over by Willis.

The highly-rated, eighteen-year-old goalkeeper, was alert from Ball’s resulting corner, tipping the ball onto the crossbar and out for another corner on the other side of the pitch.

And from that corner, again taken by Ball, Hinds nodded past the left-hand post from six-yards.

By this stage, the Surrey outfit were enjoying their best spell of the game, and were once again thwarted by Willis, who made a match-winning triple save.

Kiganda’s bullet header was brilliant beaten out by the teenager, who recovered to make a double save from Craig Lewington at his near-post.

But Spice won the Kent side a 75^th minute penalty, after being wrestled to the ground by Hustwick.

And the striker fired the resulting penalty into the bottom left-hand corner, despite Smith guessing the right-way, to score his third goal of the season.

Brickies boss Steve Lovell, at this stage, had used his three substitutes, especially with a Kent derby at Ashford Town following on Monday afternoon.

“When you go three-nil up and make a couple of changes, as we’ve got a game on Monday, that’s fair play to them, they had a go for the final ten minutes, quarter of an hour and made the scoreline a little bit more respectable for them, but it doesn’t reflect the game at all,” said Brickies boss Steve Lovell, EXCLUSIVELY to www.kentishfootball.co.uk afterwards.

“We absolutely dominated the game for like 90% of it and pleased with the result but disappointed to concede two goals at the end.

“That’s the disappointing thing. To go three-nil up, I’d expect it to finish three-nil but as I said, they went for it, they had four up front, put two wingers on, which caused us problems.

“You’ve got to hold your hands up to their management to do that.”

Lively Keywood was denied by Willis and then the striker unleashed a left-footed half-volley past the right-post from 25-yards, as Walton Casuals fought back.

They did pull a goal back with six minutes remaining, Kiganda striking his right-footed penalty straight down the middle after Sittingbourne substitute, Tristan Knowles gave away a soft penalty by fouling Keywood.

And Keywood made it a grand stand finish, scoring from a stunning left-footed lob from eighteen-yards, which dropped into the top far-corner with three minutes left.

Walton Casuals threw everything at the hosts during the nervous six minutes and eight seconds of stoppage time, but they couldn’t grab their third point of the season, as Steve Lovell’s side remain joint-tip as Dover Athletic and Kingstonian also maintained their 100% records today.

Lovell heaped praise on Spice - and goalkeeper Wallis - for their displays today.

On Spice, he said: “He’s a goalscorer and goalscorers, if they have chances, they’ll stick away.

“Bradley’s worked hard, he’s worked really hard today, not just in goalscoring, but his defensive work as well.

“We asked for people to work hard defensively from the front all the way through and him and Lee Browning are no different, and they worked really, really hard, as did everyone else.

“And it’s all about the hard work. We know we’ve got the ability when we’ve got the ball, but you’ve got to stop other people from playing and if you can do that, then we’ve got a chance.”

The Welsh manager insisted that Willis has a bright future in the game if he continues pulling of great saves.

“He’s a good keeper, he’s a good lad,” he said. “He’s still got a lot to learn, he’s very raw but potentially he’s got a good chance and hopefully he’ll go on and do better things later on n his career.

“But at the moment he’s with us and he’s doing very well for us.”

Sittingbourne: Josh Willis, Toby Ashmore (Tristan Knowles 74), Joe Dowley, Lee Hockey, James Campbell, Kieran Marsh, Steve Hafner (Sabeur Trabelsi 77), Anthony Hogg, Bradley Spice (David Morris 78), Lee Browning, Mitchell Sherwood.
Subs: James Gregory, Bradley Ashmore.

Goals: Steve Hafner 18, Lee Browning 51, Bradley Spice 75 (pen)

Booked: Anthony Hogg 44, Bradley Spice 63, James Campbell 83

Walton Casuals: Paul Smith, Jermaine Hinds, James Crowe, Youssef Metwali (Billy Rowley 56), John Ambridge (Grant Keywood 56), Max Hustwick, Craig Lewington, Sol Patterson-Bohner, Greg Ball, Scott Harris, David Ocquaye (Chris Kiganda 63).
Subs: Luke Milner, Ojo Lamin.

Goals: Chris Kiganda 84 (pen), Grant Keywood 87

Booked: Craig Lewington 32, Jermaine Hinds 39

Attendance: 146
Referee: Mr Ian Regan (Ashford)
Assistants: Mr Sean Harding (Walderslade) & Mr Gary Bryant (Folkestone)