Faversham Town 3-3 Sittingbourne - You can’t be 3-0 up and end up coming away with a draw, says unbeaten Sittingbourne manager Reece Prestedge

Faversham Town 3 – 3 Sittingbourne
Location	Salters Lane, Faversham, Kent ME13 8ND
Kickoff	14/02/2026 15:00

FAVERSHAM TOWN  3-3  SITTINGBOURNE
Isthmian League South East Division
Saturday 14 February 2026
Stephen McCartney reports from Salters Lane

FAVERSHAM TOWN manager Tommy Warrilow hailed his side’s character after fighting back from being three goals down in the 79^th minute to earn themselves a point against their in-form Swale rivals Sittingbourne.

A dominant Faversham Town were profligate in front of goal during the first half-an-hour at a sunny Salters Lane – but Sittingbourne were clinical in front of goal, scoring half of their six attempts on target.

Sittingbourne centre-half Jack Steventon poked in his sixth goal of the season from a free-kick to give his side the lead six minute before the break, before left-back Bagasan Graham buried a free-header from a second-phase of a throw in on the stroke of half-time.

Sittingbourne’s 44-year-old lone striker, Derek Asamoah tucked home a penalty to notch his sixth goal of the season as the strong travelling away support were enjoying their afternoon, especially with their side unbeaten since losing 1-0 at Margate on Tuesday 11 November.

However, Warrilow pulled off a tactical masterstroke and centre-half turned emergency targetman Matthew Newman scooped man-of-the-match despite only being on the pitch for 18 minutes and 39 seconds of playing time.

Newman changed the entire momentum of the game by smashing home from a corner inside the final 10 minutes to score his fourth goal of the season, before attacking midfielder Tashi-Jay Kwayie tapped home his 26^th goal of the season just 102 seconds later.

Central midfielder Ethan Smith flicked in his third goal of the season in stoppage time to ensure this enthralling Swale derby ended with honours even – and a lesson NEVER to leave a football match early - and ensured Reece Prestedge’s unbeaten start as Sittingbourne’s manager was extended to 12 games.

“Listen, it was just what everyone wanted, passion, a good game, a good crowd and loads of goals,” said Warrilow.

“From our point of view, disappointed. People know that we should’ve won the game. We had the better chances. We should’ve been two or three up before they even scored.

“Obviously, I don’t think the penalty’s a penalty but that doesn’t surprise me with the way the decision went today with us.

“So overall (I’m feeling) delighted. Great character from the boys especially at 3-0 and I can’t ask for much more. I’m gutted we haven’t got three points that’s all but when you’re 3-0 down, obviously it sounds mad but you’ve got to be here to see it.”

Sittingbourne’s unbeaten manager Reece Prestedge, 40, added: “I mean, if it went on any longer, I think I would be basically saying we earnt a point in the end – but you can’t be 3-0 up away from home at Faversham, 10 minutes to go and sort of chuck that away!

“Our performance (after half-time) was a lot better than the first half. I thought we were sort of on top of the game, controlled the game really well and goals change games and when that first (Faversham goal) one went in, we need to sort of galvanise for five minutes and we didn’t and when the second one went in, it was a bit of a, not panic stations but what they was doing was good and big long diags into our box, getting on firsts and getting the seconds and just causing a lot of havoc inside it.”

Both managers were asked whether their side dropped two points or gained one.

Warrilow said: “Two points, definitely, two dropped but we played well. We showed the whole squad, showed the strength in depth, so I can’t ask much more from them but I am obviously disappointed that we haven’t come away with three points.”

Prestedge added: “If you look at it from 3-0, it’s probably two points dropped but if you look at it with last 10 minutes to go, you probably come away thinking any longer, they would probably win their game.”

Faversham Town – who last took to the field a couple of weeks ago when they thrashed Hastings United 5-1 here – set the tone for what was to come, creating the first of their eight shots on target (seven others were off target, including hitting the woodwork twice), after only 73 seconds.

Kwayie broke down the right, cut inside before switching the ball over to high left-back Frankie Smith, who laid the ball off to left-winger Kieron Campbell, who cut onto his right-foot and clipped his 25-yard drive, which was comfortably caught at head height by Sittingbourne goalkeeper Jamie Grossart.

Sittingbourne’s captain Graham travelled over the half-way line and towards the corner of the penalty area but lacked composure by drilling his left-footed shot high and wide of the near-post – as Sittingbourne created six on target and this attempt was their only one off target.

Sittingbourne’s holding midfielder Lee Woodward fouled Faversham Town’s debutant striker George Evans and Campbell’s poorly executed free-kick bounced into his centre-half Dexter Peter, who turned and sent his left-footed shot over a crowd of players and sailing over the crossbar from 18-yards.

Faversham Town went very close to scoring (21:02) when right-winger Nathan Wood cut in from the wing before switching the ball over to Frankie Smith again, who took a touch before drilling his low shot just past the foot of the near-post from outside the penalty area.

Faversham Town kept knocking on the door and cultured centre-half Peter threaded the ball along the deck, the ball was laid off by Kwayie  before Ethan Smith’s low right-footed drive from 22-yards was saved by Grossart, diving low to his left.

Faversham Town should have scored (23:09) when Peter played a long ball into the left-channel for an often high Frankie Smith, who put it on a plate towards the near-post but Kwayie stabbed his first-time shot just past the foot of the left-hand post from inside the six-yard box.

Bromley loanee Evans should have buried an even better chance when he missed an open goal with 28 minutes and 24 seconds on the clock.

Frankie Smith, who was allowed by Sittingbourne right-back Gavin Hoyte to put in some good deliveries from the channel – fizzed in another cross and Ethan Smith’s first time shot clipped the base of the near-post and fell to Evans, who placed his right-footed shot past the far post of an open goal.

“That’s what I’m saying, we should’ve been 3-0 up then,” admitted Warrilow, who was then asked how his debutant Evans performed for the 63 minutes that the number nine was on the 3G pitch.

“He done alright, he done alright George.  He was always going to be blowing. He was told sort of 60 (minutes). He’s had a game. He’s been out for a while, but he’s come into a tough game today but he done alright. He’ll be disappointed not to score obviously but that’s one of those things.”

Prestedge added: “I mean, you’ve got to put those chances away! At the same time we were fortunate to go 1-0 up and after that I think we got ourselves back into the game and the last 10-15 minutes (of the first half), I thought we sort of deserved the second goal.”

Sittingbourne were lacklustre for the first 35 minutes and created their first opening with 35:33 on the clock.

Ebbsfleet United loanee Elijah Anthony – who offered no threat for the 66 minutes that he was on the pitch – slipped the through ball in behind Ben Gorham (who was hitting countless long diagonals out of Faversham’s defence) to play in Woodward, who lacked composure and his left-footed swept shot was straight at the advancing Mitchell Beeney, who denied a former club.

Sittingbourne grabbed the lead – following a set-piece – with 38 minutes and 34 seconds on the clock.

Graham delivered a free-kick into a crowded penalty area from just over the half-way line, the ball was played across by Hoyte and Steventon was on hand to poke his first time left-footed shot through the crowd of players into the bottom right-hand corner from eight-yards, despite Beeney’s attempt to smother the ball on the line.  The match officials (assistant Piotr Zachwieja) deemed the ball had crossed the line to cue the celebrations.

“I think in previous games we haven’t been like that (clinical) and it’s good to see that sort of thing in the first half,” said Prestedge.

“But I mean the momentum with the last 10 minutes is the killer and you can’t be 3-0 up and end up coming away with a draw!

“It’s good that we get goals from everywhere. We sort of work on stuff like that and players have got to chip in. It’s not just your striker that has to score the goals, obviously we pay them to score your goals but other players have got to chip in at the same time.”

Warrilow added: “The first goal went in to be honest, I’ll have to see it on the Veo or whatever because I don’t know what’s happened.  Honestly, I need to see it. Did it go in? Didn’t it go in? I don’t know.”

Faversham Town’s second largest crowd of the season (848) were feeling different types of emotions when Sittingbourne grabbed their second goal with 43 minutes and 59 seconds on the clock.

It came from the second phase of Hoyte’s throw in and the 35-year-old right-back cut the ball onto his right-foot before putting in a deep cross from within the right-channel towards the far post where the unmarked Graham buried his header into the top near corner from 10-yards.

“It’s a good goal, probably a nice worked goal. Bags’ got in around the back, basically he’s got a free header. I’d be pretty annoyed about that if I’m honest,” added Prestedge, who’s side had scored two goals from their three attempts on target at that stage of the game.

Warrilow felt there was a foul on his right-back Tariq Ossai in the build-up.

“The second one’s a free header at the back stick, which is disappointing.

“Again, the foul on Tariq prior to that, from a throw in because he’s gone and chased the ball and headed it out and he’s got a shove in the back and the linesman hasn’t given it and they say ‘it doesn’t matter’ sort of thing but they score from that resulting phase of play, so I’ll pick holes in it like that.

“They’ve scored from that, so that’s what happens to us. We get punished, so at 2-0, it’s important we keep our discipline.”

Sittingbourne centre-half Ben Swift escaped with a yellow card for a bad tackle on Kwayie (who recovered after treatment) and Campbell’s resulting 35-yard drilled right-footed free-kick (48:46) which was destined for the bottom left-hand corner, was tipped around the post by the diving Grossart, as referee Nicholas Dunn blew his half-time whistle (49:28).

Warrilow admitted he was feeling ‘frustrated’ that his side were 2-0 down at the interval – but Sittingbourne were clinical when the big chances came their way.

“Of course it is (frustrating), of course it is because what happens is why it’s frustrating. If they score a goal when you’re two or three nil up, it’s a little bit of a different environment but to go 1-0 down it’s not feeling sorry for yourselves but of course it’s frustrating.”

“(I told them at half-time) to keep your discipline and keep going because we are going to create more than two chances. If you don’t create more than two or three chances in the second half we don’t go out, so there one thing we do is create chances and the only difference is we’ve got to start taking them!”

When asked his half-time thoughts, Prestedge replied: “Not being complacent. Make sure that we come out for the first 15 minutes, like we did probably and still go for that third goal. Be more positive than we was at the start of the first half and I think up until the 80^th minute, I  thought we did it really well.”

Faversham Town came out with all guns blazing at the start of the second half and struck the woodwork for the second time with five minutes and 58 seconds on the clock.

An unpressed Gorham delivered a long ball towards a couple of his team-mates at the near-post and Kwayie’s right-footed shot bounced off the base of the near-post from the corner of the six-yard box.

“Again, frustration. Another one. We’ve hit the post a couple of times and the keeper’s made a great save as well, so I’m like….,” added Warrilow.

“It’s just the thing, I don’t want to go through every single attack because we were knocking on the door and we’ve cashed in with three well-deserved goals.”

Prestedge admitted: “I mean, it’s part and parcel of the game, so it doesn’t put any sort of fear into it when you’re 2-0 up.”

Sittingbourne were offering little threat in attack but they did link up well down the left involving attacking midfielder Joseph Boachie and Anthony before Boachie’s left-footed effort from the corner of the penalty area was comfortably held by Beeney, low to his right.

There was a controversial penalty decision from referee Dunn when a long ball up towards lone striker Asamoah resulted in a hesitant delay from the referee before deciding that Asamoah was impeded inside the box by last defender Gorham, who escaped with a yellow card.

There was to be a 68 second wait before Asamoah clinically despatched his right-footed penalty into the right-corner – sending Beeney the other way – as ruthless Sittingbourne found themselves 3-0 up with 12:00 on the clock.

“I didn’t think it was a penalty if I’m honest but their players turned round after the game and said ‘yes, it was, it was a foul,” said Prestedge.

“Different angels. I was probably the same as Tommy and that. I didn’t think it was a penalty but one of their players said ‘yes, it was defiantly a pen’.

There aren’t many 44-year footballers playing nowadays and Prestedge paid tribute to Asamoah.

“To be that sharp at 44 is credit to himself to be honest. To keep going. I know I couldn’t do that. He gives you a lot, experience and stuff like that and just our look at it, you can’t draw a game (after being) 3-0 up with 10 minutes to go!”

Warrilow claimed: “The third goal, again, it’s not a pen. Noones appealed for it. He (the referee) delayed giving it, but it was a shock that he’s given it, wasn’t it? At 3-0 you think it’s done and dusted – but it weren’t!”

Sittingbourne switched from a back five to a back four to a back five  – but left Asamoah as the lone striker – but the momentum switch came from the substitutes bench.

Warrilow threw on two full-backs (Bradley Simms, who threw three long throws into the Sittingbourne penalty area) and Jack Parter and striker Josh Ajayi in the 63^rd minute – and Warrilow kept his full-backs high, leaving Gorham and Peter as defensive cover.

Three minutes later, Prestedge  threw on Funsho Sinai and Jean-Baptiste Fischer – who failed to impose their threats on this local derby.

Both managers were asked when the momentum shift during the second half took place, with Prestedge replying it was “Faversham’s first goal.”

Warrilow said: “I don’t know.  I think the substitutions.  The two full-backs (Ossai and Frankie Smith), I felt were blowing. We wanted to get Bradley’s (Simms) long throw into the game and try to cause a bit of carnage.

“Matt Newman going on and putting himself about. Just the good old, what we call, the focus about the long ball, the right ball. We played some really good football today but at the same time we’ve gone long and got success out of it as well, so I think the momentum, I think nothing changed because I thought we were knocking on the door still but we were taking our chance.”

Parter was a threat and linked up well with Campbell within the left-channel before Parter put in a cross from just outside of the corner of the box and the ball was cleared out to Wood, who hooked his right-footed volley whistling just past the left-hand post from 18-yards from a central position.

Newman entered the field with 31:28 on the clock and turned the game in Faversham’s favour, putting the key in the ignition for the home side’s comeback with 34 minutes and 59 seconds on the clock.

Faversham Town – who dominated the corner count by 10-1 – seven of them coming in the first half – pulled a goal back following their ninth corner.

Campbell floated the ball in from the right and there was some pinball inside the crowded six-yard box but the ball fell to Newman at the back post, who emphatically smashed his right-footed half-volley over the crowd of players into the top far corner.

You then got the feeling that the Lilywhites were not going to suffer their fifth League defeat of the season against their noisy-neighbours.

“That’s what it’s all about, so are we going to run out of time?  That was all. We knew we’d create chances,” added Warrilow.

Prestedge added: “Well, to be fair, there’s only one place he could’ve put it and he actually stuck it in there.

“I mean, I’m just speaking to hm in there (Prestedge tucked into his post-match meal in the boardroom before doing his post-match media duties), it probably come of his shin but no their luck.

“They could’ve had some goals during that game before them. It gave them a right bit of momentum then, something to cling onto and hang on in there and I think it really turned it a little bit.”

Faversham Town kept hitting long balls into a crowded Sittingbourne penalty area and they scored their second goal, with 36 minutes and 41 seconds on the clock.

A long ball found Ajayi on the left hand side of the Sittingbourne penalty area and he put it on a plate for Kwayie at the near-post and his first-time shot at the near-post was tucked into the bottom left-hand corner.

“Again, good play by Josh.  I’m pleased for him. He’s had a dead leg but that’s the impact that he went on and done,” said Warrilow, who rates big targetman Eniyelayefa Amgbaduba as being “one or two weeks away” from recovering from his foot injury.

“That’s the Josh that we’ve brought into the football club and we’re hoping now that he can build on that – but a good well-worked goal.

“I think there’s eight minutes to go when that happens plus (five minutes and seven seconds of) injury time, which there should’ve been more than five! How many subs went on? Five minutes of extra time is an absolute embarrassment!”

Prestedge admitted his side couldn’t deal with the aerial bombardment often coming into Sittingbourne’s penalty area.

“Well again, just from them putting balls into boxes. They done it very well. They put Matt Newman up top. They’re a good team, a very good team, so they’ve lived on quite direct with it and they done it really well.”

Kwayie missed a great chance to draw this enthralling game level (39:27) when Parter put the ball in from the left and Kwayie’s flicked header lacked power and bounced into the gloves of Grossart for a comfortable save.

“He just didn’t get connection on it but this is what I mean. We’re creating chances, so I’ve got no problems with my team not creating chances. It’s just taking them and that’s the fine margines,” added Warrilow, as the whole stadium sensed a dramatic late ending to this Swale derby.

The dominant hosts were knocking on the door and holding midfielder Harrison Pont drilled a right-footed shot towards the near corner from 16-yards, which was beaten away by the Sittingbourne keeper (44:55).

Faversham Town deservedly restored parity with 45 minutes and 58 seconds on the clock when another long ball was played into the crowded penalty area and Newman knocked the ball across the keeper towards the far post and Ethan Smith flicked the ball into the bottom right-hand corner with his boot.

“That’s what we were doing, packing the box out more, playing in the right areas because we needed a goal and we got..,” said Warrilow.

“I keep saying, we deserved it, so we didn’t want to just settle on that.  Get the ball, we wanted to go and get another one. We weren’t changing nothing; we were going for the win. Unfortunately, we just ran out of time.

“Listen, I’m not going to knock Sittingbourne. I’m talking from my point of view. I’m not going to disrespect Sittingbourne or whatever but I’m gutted we’ve not come away with three points today. That sounds mad going 3-0 down but I thought we played some good stuff but unfortunately they were more clinical with the chances they had.

“But listen, we’ve got to be happy with the point when you’re 3-0 down but we’re not so that’s the expectations that we expect of the lads.

“Do you know what, if it finished at 3-0 down or 2-0 down I’ll still would’ve been angry but not disappointed of our performance because I thought we were the better team – against a team in form as well.”

Prestedge added: “Fair play to them, they kept going, put the balls into boxes. It was causing us problems, so why not just keep doing it? And they’ve come away with three goals in 10 minutes.”

This was Sittingbourne’s first League game since holding Jersey Bulls to a 1-1 draw at Woodstock Park on Saturday 17 January, although they did play a friendly away to National League South side Tonbridge Angels last weekend.

“I don’t want to use it as an excuse but it is tough. At the same time, you’re 3-0 up. Could we manage the game better? Of course, 100 per cent and we probably should’ve,” added Prestedge.

“Match fitness, I mean just that sharpness and probably four weeks without a competitive game is a long time for any team.”

There are four Kent sides in the top eight in this eight-tier Isthmian League South East Division promotion race.

Jamie Crellin’s Three Bridges look on course of winning the title, having picked up 69 points (22 wins, three draws and four defeats) from their 29 of 42 games.

Danny Kedwell’s AFC Croydon Athletic (61 points from 30 games), Faversham Town (56 points – 16 wins, eight draws, four defeats) from 28 games), Ennio Gonella’s AFC Whyteleafe (54 points from 29 games) and Jersey Bulls (53 points from 31 games) remain in the play-off zone tonight.

Sittingbourne remain in sixth-place with 52 points (15 wins, seven draws and three defeats) from 27 games, while Ben Greenhalgh’s Margate (48 points from 31 games) and Steve King’s Deal Town (45 points from 28 games) make up the top eight.

Warrilow’s men fly to Jersey Bulls for their next outing next Saturday.

“Tough game. They got a draw today as well,” said Warrilow.

“They’re a hard team to beat, so we’ll go there full of confidence and we’ll just see where it goes.

“We don’t get carried away. It’s another tough game. The most important thing is not to lose to teams like that and the same as today.  If you’re not going to win the game, don’t lose and they got a 0-0 down at Whyteleafe, so they’re a very, very good side.”

When asked about his side’s third place, Warrilow replied: “It’s good. I’m really pleased and I’m pleased the fans saw a good game as well. Passionate and that’s what it’s about. Bits going on, whatever but that’s football, you want that. You don’t want it to be all nicely, nicely. I don’t like that injury feigning, I must admit but I love a good tackle and I love a little bit of disruption and whatever I think that’s part and parcel of a local derby. At least they got treated to some goals.

“Brilliant, happy, happy, got to be. We’ll get to the end of the month and see where we are and next week it could all change, the following week it could all change, so we’ll just see how we go.

“We’ve got 14 games to go, it’s a long way to go so we’ll keep playing like we do and just convert our chances, we’ll be fine.”

Prestedge, meanwhile, hopes to return to action on Tuesday night with a trip into Sussex to tackle Broadbridge Heath.

Their hosts sit in thirteenth-place in the pecking order, having picked up 40 points (12 wins, four draws and 13 defeats) and claimed a 2-1 win over Sheppey United today, in George and Ian Batten’s first game in charge following Kevin Watson’s departure from Holm Park.

“We’ve got to go there and win three points. It’s just as simple as that now. If we want to be in those play-off positions, especially at this time of the season, you’ve got to go there and get the three points,” said Prestedge.

“I think we’re one point outside it with games in hand but you’ve got to win those games in hand but we’ll just take each game as it comes.”

The Isthmian League are asking clubs that are struggling with the wet weather to re-arrange their home games at club’s that play on artificial pitches.

“I mean there’s nothing they can do about it (the weather).  The League have been asking to maybe do precautions for 3G pitches to speak to them about organising if games do get called off, which is a good idea – but I  feel like the Tuesday game could be on.

“This is probably the reason why a lot of teams do the 3G, so you don’t get many games called off.

“It kills the momentum of the run and stuff like that but you can only do what you do and we’ll just go to the next game with positivity and belief that we can come away with three points.

“It’s great being unbeaten but we’ve gone two draws in a row now, where if you’re fighting for that top spot – it’s probably gone now if I’m honest.

“I know I keep repeating myself but 3-0 up to Faversham, I mean not many teams come and do that – and then you’ve got to see it out.”

Faversham Town: Mitchell Beeney, Tariq Ossai (Bradley Simms 63), Frankie Smith (Jack Parter 63), Harrison Pont, Dexter Peter, Ben Gorham, Kieron Campbell, Ethan Smith, George Evans (Josh Ajayi 63), Tashi-Jay Kwayie, Nathan Wood (Matthew Newman 77).
Sub: Jacob Russell

Goals: Matthew Newman 80, Tashi-Jay Kwayie 82, Ethan Smith 90

Booked: Harrison Pont 45, Ben Gorham 56, Kieron Campbell 62

Sittingbourne: Jamie Grossart, Gavin Hoyte, Bagasan Graham, Luke Woodward, Jack Steventon, Ben Swift (Jaden Crowhurst 82), Elijah Anthony (Funsho Sinai 66), D’Sean Theobalds, Derek Adamoah (Harvey Smith 81), Joseph Boachie (Jean-Baptiste Fischer 66), Darren Foxley.
Sub: Richard Hamill

Goals: Jack Steventon 39, Bagasan Graham 44, Derek Asamoah 58 (penalty)

Booked: Joseph Boachie 41, Ben Swift 45, Darren Foxley 56, Jack Steventon 70, D’Sean Theobalds 90

Attendance: 848
Referee: Mr Nicholas Dunn
Assistants: Mr Samuel Girt & Mr Piotr Zachwieja