Lordswood 0-1 Sittingbourne - Nothing was missing, it was all blood and guts and thunder, what a Kent derby should be, says Lordswood boss Nicky Southall

Lordswood 0 – 1 Sittingbourne
Location	Martyn Grove, North Dane Way, Walderslade, Chatham, Kent ME5 8YE
Kickoff	14/09/2024 12:30

LORDSWOOD  0-1  SITTINGBOURNE
The Emirates FA Cup Second Qualifying Round
Saturday 14 September 2024
Stephen McCartney reports from Martyn Grove

LORDSWOOD manager Nicky Southall says playing in The FA Cup Second Qualifying Round and live in front of the BBC cameras was a good experience for everyone at the club.

 

A record crowd of 745 watched a cagey tie, which was settled by a headed goal from impressive Sittingbourne left-winger Henry Sinai, who notched his third goal of the season to ensure Ryan Maxwell’s side reached the Third Qualifying Round for the first time since losing 4-1 at Staines Town back in 2013.

Lordswood, who went into the game on the back of a 5-0 home defeat to Tommy Warrilow’s Faversham Town on Tuesday night, were in seventh-place in the Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division table, having picked up 10 points (three wins, one draw) from their seven league outings.

Sittingbourne, who play one level higher and arrived at Martyn Grove sitting in the top-four in the Isthmian League South East Division table, had picked up nine points from their opening four league outings.

Ninth-tier Lordswood have picked up £5,944 from their FA Cup campaign, which saw them beat league rivals Erith & Belvedere (1-0), Shoreham (3-1) and Binfield (3-1) to reach the Second Qualifying Round for the very first time.

Sittingbourne had beaten Farnham Town (4-2) and were held to a 2-2 home draw by relegated Isthmian League Premier Division side Dover Athletic, before pulling off an upset with a 1-0 replay win at Crabble through Troy Howard, who was a threat down the right-wing here today.

Sittingbourne have scooped £7,069 in prize money and both club’s received an additional £2,000 each as this tie was screened live on the BBC iPlayer and red button.

However, this was a typical cagey local derby, which often lacked quality, so much so that Essex resident Maxwell declined a request for a post-match interview with this website.

“Listen, I’m delighted with the way that we played. I thought it was a good Cup tie,” said Southall, 52, who made it to the Quarter-Finals of The FA Cup twice as a player.

“I think probably a draw was a fair result. I think we both cancelled each other out. One moment when we switched off, they score but overall, I’m really pleased, really pleased.”

When asked what this FA Cup run has brought to Lordswood, Southall replied: “An experience for the boys, playing in front of big crowds, BBC cameras are here, what more can we ask for? It was a great occasion for the club.

“To take it to 1-0 and to get beat, I didn’t want a thrashing live on the BBC and with the big crowd, so we were a little bit more cautious but we had to be like that because listen they’re a good side and we were well aware of their speed and quality up top.

“The club is moving in the right direction. We’ve got to focus now, we’ve got Larkfield on Tuesday and then we’ve got The FA Vase, which is our FA Cup for non-league teams.

“I’ve just said to the boys there, there’s no way I can have a go at anyone, they were all absolutely fantastic!  They’re out on their feet now. It was a hot day, against a strong Sittingbourne team. They’re a good team. I thought we were untroubled really. I know they had a couple of chances at the end but we were chasing the game trying to get that equaliser.

“There were no nerves. I don’t think there were any nerves. I think it was all heart, desire, courage and commitment.

“I asked for the players in the dressing room, everyone has to be a minimum seven, eight, nine out of 10.  From 1-11 and the boys that came on today, so after last Tuesday’s performance (against Faversham), I was a little bit unknown what I was going into but overall, I’m delighted, just really gutted. It was definitely worth a replay.”

Sittingbourne’s back-four, with Liam Smith and fellow centre-half Chris Arthur resilient, kept a high line outside of their penalty area as Lordswood (mainly left-back Nico Cotton or combative left-winger Callum Peck) delivered free-kicks from close to the half-way line into the Sittingbourne box.

“They will do (their homework on us) and I’ve done my homework on them.  We know they go very direct, long, so we set-up as a mid-block. I didn’t want to drop on the edge of the box.  I didn’t want to give them a high line to drop balls over, so we dropped in a mid-block and we pretty much dealt with everything.  We nullified them to a couple of shots from range,” explained Southall, when he was asked about Sittingbourne’s high-block at his side’s set-pieces.

Cotton’s first delivery bounced over the head of striker Matthew Gething outside the box before centre-half Jacob Strouts stabbed the ball to Jake Embery but a miss-kick inside the Sittingbourne box (196 seconds in) ensured the chance went begging.

Sittingbourne’s seven-goal targetman Mitchell May missed a glorious chance to smash the deadlock with five minutes and seven seconds on the clock.

An unmarked Howard whipped in a cross from the right and May’s towering free-header from the middle of the penalty area sailed over the top of the far post.

Sittingbourne’s direct play would have had the viewers grabbing the remote to turn channels as they often over hit long balls into channels, the main culprit coming from Smith’s right-boot.

“Listen, nothing was missing. It’s the Second Round Qualifying, nothing was missing. It was all blood and guts and thunder, what a Kent derby should be,” added Southall.

“It was a great atmosphere by the fans. We’ve set an attendance record but I’m just delighted.  There’s nothing negative. The only negative is the goal, other than that, it was just all fantastic.”

Sittingbourne were to be denied the opening goal in the 28^th minute when Smith’s bullet header flew out of defence and Cotton opened the gate at the other end and let in May, who cut onto his left-foot and stroked an angled drive, which was beaten away by Lee-Wharton’s two hands.

“That was probably the only moment first half that caused us any problems,” said Southall.

“Mitchell May is a good player, so really pleased with Aaron.  Maybe he could’ve held it, I don’t know at that moment.

“They had a bit of possession but we set-up as a 4-4-1-1 out of possession and made it hard to beat.  They were really dangerous down wide areas.”

Sittingbourne dominated the corner-count by 8-1 and Lordswood’s left-winger Peck was combative committing the most fouls (5) of the 20 outfield players.

“I thought Callum Peck was absolutely brilliant first half, he was everywhere! He did a great job just in front of Nico Cotton and the game plan worked perfect,” said Southalll.

Lordswood’s right-back George Miles launched the third of his four long throws into the Sittingbourne box, which was cleared out to centre-half Danny Keyte, who used his head to recycle the ball back into the box and impressive central midfielder Mobolaji Dawodu’s flick on was comfortably gathered by untroubled Sittingbourne goalkeeper Dion-Curtis Henry.

Sittingbourne produced a well-worked move in the 36^th minute when right-back Codey Cosgrave drove forward and cut inside Peck, before playing the ball inside to attacking midfielder Ryan Kingsford.

The ball was played out to Howard on the right before Kingsford whipped in a cross from within the right-channel which was hit first time on the turn by May at the near-post, sweeping the ball over the Lordswood crossbar.

Lordswood should have grabbed the lead four minutes before the break, when Sittingbourne did not have a high defensive line for the first time at a Lordswood set-piece.

Smith was penalised by referee Tolu Sangowana for barging into Gething from behind in the air and the home side were awarded a free-kick some 30-yards, outside the corner of the Sittingbourne box on the left-hand side.

Peck delivered a right-footed free-kick towards the near-post and two-goal former Snodland Town striker Gething found a pocket of space inside the six-yard box to send his towering header over the crossbar.

“We probably had the best chance of the first half when we headed it over,” admitted Southall.

“We were never going to create loads of chances because you’ve got to look at the levels. They are a level above and they’re up there for a reason.

“I think if he had ducked under it, it probably just goes directly in but it is what it is.”

Sittingbourne suffered similar fate with the last kick of a dull first-half.

Right-back Cosgrave launched a long throw into the Lordswood penalty area, the ball was flicked on by Smith at the near-post and Sinai hooked his right-footed volley over the crossbar from within a crowd of players.

“I honestly believe it was defiantly a replay game. That’s the only negative really but as all the quality they have, they didn’t really create much.  We nullified them from the beginning,” added Southall.

Only one manager put themselves forward to be asked what their thoughts were at the break.

Southall replied: “Just keep going really, keep doing what you’re doing, keep going, in two banks of four in front of the boys. Hopefully something will drop for us. 

“It was difficult going up the hill second half, they were going down but they play long balls and I basically said ‘keep doing well, keep believing and hopefully somebody will have that magic moment that The FA Cup brings but unfortunately we didn’t get it and they got it so that’s the way football goes.”

Lordswood should have done better following their only corner of the game, 141 seconds into the second half.

Peck delivered a deep corner with his right-foot from the right and Miles was in oceans of space at the back post and sent his free-header sailing over the keeper and landing on top of the roof of the net.

“We worked on a set-piece where we had a late run from George and it worked absolutely brilliantly but we just couldn’t direct it back onto goal like I wanted him to do, so there’s loads of different half-things that we just didn’t quite get on the end of,” said Southall.

With the quality of the game deteriorating, Sittingbourne grabbed the victory with 15 minutes and 57 seconds on the clock following their sixth corner.

Holding midfielder Richard Hamill – who played in the ITV televised FA Cup First Round tie between Sheppey United and Walsall last season – floated in a corner from the right with his wand of a left-foot towards the near-post where Sinai stopped to guide his header into the bottom left-hand corner from three-yards.

“It’s the smallest guy on the pitch, they’ve got six-foot-four and six-foot-five defenders and the smallest guy on the pitch scores a header,” agonised Southall.

“It baffles me but people switch off and think ‘he’s only small, he’s in the box and we don’t have to pick him up,’ but ultimately you have to pick people up in the box whatever size they are, otherwise the ball will be in the back of the net.”

Cotton gave the ball away inside his own half and the ball was intercepted by Hamill, who drove forward before slipping the ball into Howard, who played the ball inside to a deep Kingsford, who swept a first-time shot towards the corner flag than the goal from 16-yards.

Lordswood didn’t throw caution to the wind going into the final 20 minutes as the gate was firmly shut by the resilient Smith and Arthur.

Howard looped his only long throw into the Lordswood box from the right and the ball came out to Sinai, who easily cut inside Miles before sweeping his left-footed shot flashing just past the foot of the left-hand post from 18-yards with 16 minutes left.

“We were chasing the game when we were 1-0 down. We tried to get another striker up top, so we put (seven goal) Elliot Duncan up top and we went a bit more of a diamond with Bradley Schafer behind the front two.

“I thought Bola (Mobolaji Dawodu) was absolutely incredible today with his work-rate. He’s totally out on his feet. He was a man-mountain in there as well as my skipper (Danny Keyte) and Jacob Strouts, every single one of them.”

Miles played the ball down the line to release substitute right-winger Bradley Jeffery, who replaced the disappointing Embery, the former Hythe Town attacker who let this game go by without making any impact.

Jeffery put over a cross from the right towards the near-post and Gething’s towering header lacked power and direction and failed to trouble Henry in the Sittingbourne goal.

“A great ball in from Bradley Jeffery, a great cross across the box and we couldn’t get on the end of it. That’s probably the best cross of the game by anyone on the pitch,” added Southall.

Sittingbourne were to be denied a flattering second goal thanks to Lee-Wharton’s smart double save, 27 seconds into stoppage time.

Lee-Wharton dived low to his right to parry Kingsford’s low right-footed drive from 18-yards and recovered well and swiftly to deny an unmarked May scoring from the rebound.

“They didn’t deserve to score the second goal. We ended up playing (centre-half) Jacob Strouts up top just to go a bit more direct to get another body up there, flick on stuff but listen, this game was probably over, it petered out,” said Southall.

“Listen, we’ve got a really, really new team, the bench was really young and it’s a good experience for everyone and hopefully this will progress (the players).

“But these are the days this club wants. We want these kind of days. You look at, it wasn’t five to 10 years ago that Chatham down the road were only getting a few (hundred) fans and look at what we get, so hopefully the club is moving in the right direction.

“We’ll get the 3G pitch down and bring the training facilities here and everything else and a nice pitch where we can start expressing ourselves and go and start getting crowds.

“Hopefully the Lordswood community can see the boys there and it’s difficult because we’re in the heartlands of Gillingham and Chatham but we want some support. We want some support from the locals of Lordswood.”

Lordswood remain in Cup action, with a trip to Larkfield & New Hythe on Tuesday night in the Kent Senior Trophy Preliminary Round.

Danny Lye’s side put in a chalk-and-cheese performance in The FA Cup, giving Cray Wanderers a scare at home in a 1-1 draw, before losing 8-0 at Flamingo Park in the First Qualifying Round Replay.

The Larks came away from Glebe with a 3-1 league win today and go into the County Cup tie sitting in seventh-place in the Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division table with 13 points (four wins, one draw, one defeat).

Lordswood, now in 12^th place following today’s league card, then travel to tenth-tier side Canterbury City next Saturday in The FA Vase Second Qualifying Round.

Southall said: “We’ve got to look forward to Tuesday now. I will mix it up and we’ve got The FA Vase the following week.

“Larkfield have had a good start to the season themselves but it’s the Kent Senior Trophy, it’s not really my focus to be honest.  I just want the league and The FA Vase that I’m more concerned about.  I will make changes and I will get players much-needed game time.”

Dan Lawrence’s Canterbury side were held to a 1-1 home draw by league leaders Croydon today and are currently in third-place in the First Division table with 16 points (four wins, four draws and a defeat), three points behind leaders Croydon, having played a game more.

“It’s a long trip, one of the longest in Kent. They call it a local derby but it’s not really local to us.

“A lovely pitch (at Margate’s Hartsdown Park), 3G pitch to go and play on, so I’m expecting us to move the ball really well.  Take this performance into the game and hopefully go through to the next round.

“Our target is play-offs and if we can do that then it’s been a great season.  Since we’ve been here, the club’s moving forward, so I’m happy about that.

“We’ve got to take this performance forward. I think if we play like that against most sides in this league, you’re going to win and we’ve got to set the standard now, so that standard has to stay.”

Lordswood: Aaron Lee-Wharton, George Miles (Quadri Green 83), Nico Cotton (Robert Myles 75), Jarred Trespaderne (Elliott Duncan 75), Jacob Strouts, Danny Keyte, Callum Peck (Harry Fleming 81), Mobolaji Dawodu, Matthew Gething, Bradley Schafer, Jake Embery (Bradley Jeffery 64).
Subs: William Currie, Luke Carey

Booked: Aaron Lee-Wharton 45, Callum Peck 60

Sittingbourne: Dion-Curtis Henry, Codey Cosgrave, Henry Lokombo, Richard Hamill, Liam Smith, Chris Arthur, Henry Sinai, Ayman El Mogharbel (Jay Beckford 89), Mitchell May, Ryan Kingsford, Troy Howard (Solomon Ofori 83).
Subs: Charma Torseillo, Kyron Farrell, Alex Georgiou, Kyle Hawkins, Harley Earle

Goal: Henry Sinai 61

Attendance: 745
Referee: Mr Tolu Sangowawa
Assistants: Mr Liam Botten & Mr Gulam Damji
Fourth Official: Mr Rikki Woolford