corby121105

Thursday 01st September 2005

Sittingbourne enjoy Trophy triumph

Saturday 12th November 2005	FA Trophy Second Qualifying Round	Peter Pitts reports from Bourne Park
Sittingbourne	1	Marsh 65
Corby Town	0

Sittingbourne march on in the FA Trophy with an accomplished victory over a Corby Town that had gone nine games without defeat and who lie second in the league and who had a comprehensive 5-1 midweek victory in their county cup, writes Peter Pitts.

This is now Sittingbourne's best run in the FA Trophy since the 1996/ 97 season when they defeated Yeading and Aylesbury United.

Corby were at full strength, whilst Sittingbourne were without the cup tied Michael Smissen, the injured trio of Mark Lovell, Jon Neal and Dan Edwards and the suspended Joe Dowley so victory was even sweeter.

There were magnificent displays from the whole side and especially in defence where Lee Hockey was superb, although it doesn't seem fair to pick out just one player.

Saying that Bradley Spice was my man of the match because of the way that he ran at the Corby defence always causing them problems and making the Brickies goal.

The game had a lively start with Corby's Danny Marlow heading into the Brickies net after just two minutes but Assistant referee Mr Ajibola had spotted an off side in the build up to the "goal".

Sittingbourne though responded well and if it wasn't for some indifferent finishing from Bradley Spice, Mitchell Sherwood and Lee Browning they would have been ahead.

Corby were looking very lively at times but the Brickies defence was playing superbly and Steve Williams in the Brickies goal had a relatively easy afternoon.

On 23 minutes James Campbell headed a Ricky Spiller corner just over and although Corby's Carl Holmes repeated that feat at the other end his effort was way off target.

Ten minutes later Paul Ainsworth had a header turned over the bar by Corby goalkeeper Darren Watts.

Despite having the better chances Sittingbourne almost fell a goal behind on 36 minutes when a bullet shot by Jamie Clarke was brilliantly headed off the goal line by Browning.

If Browning had suffered a headache from the speed the ball had hit him you wouldn't have guessed it for on 47 minutes he made a great run and forced a diving save from Watts.

Corby were getting to the Brickies box but then the sheer resolution of the Brickies defence was causing them huge problems. On 51 minutes Hockey blocked a goal bound effort. but generally Corby just weren't looking dangerous where it counts.

Nine minutes later a Kevin Byrne header from a Glen Turner cross went straight to the safe hands of Williams. Sittingbourne were pressing too and a Spiller corner to Ainsworth set up a header for Dan Tanner who sent his effort over the bar. At the other end another saving tackle from Hockey thwarted Corby again.

The deadlock was finally broken after 155 minutes of football in two weeks between the two sides, (they drew 0-0 in the league last week), when a scintillating run by Spice down the right hand side ended in him crossing to the far post where an unmarked Kieran Marsh was lurking and he coolly tapped the ball into the net.

Corby were stung into action and a shot by Bobby White was blocked. The game
became extremely tense and this seemed to play on the Steelmen's nerves as
they adopted a somewhat desperate nature with their long range and hasty
shots that were never going to trouble Williams.

Indeed it was the Brickies who came closest to scoring when in the last quarter of the game a blistering shot by Spiller was headed off the line by White then Sherwood
headed narrowly over.

The Corby threat had been nullified and the Brickies now look forward to Monday's draw.

Sittingbourne: Williams, Spiller, Hockey, Ainsworth, Campbell, Marsh, Browning, Gooding, Tanner, Spice, Sherwood, Subs: Belcher, Ashmore,
Taylor, Davies, Friend.