Sittingbourne 2 (2) -v- Merstham 0 (0)

Report by Mike Green

Sittingbourne made it seventeen without defeat on Saturday (14th December) afternoon, with a hard-fought win over Merstham and extended the Brickies incredible League run at Fortress Woodstock. 

Two first half goals - a great Joe Boachie header as he beat keeper Rob Tolfrey to the punch from an early corner and a terrific Troy Howard strike from Ryan Kingsford’s great touch - in the end settled the contest as the Brickies were made to dig in on an increasingly boggy playing surface.  

The visitors did have chances but Finlay Johnson fired across the face of goal when clean through and when presented with an open goal, hesitated allowing keeper Harley Earle to magnificently recover his error, but the second half dismissal of skipper Matt Drage proved the final straw as the Brickies ran out comfortable winners staying within two points of the leaders. 

Johnson’s drag across the face of goal was the game's first effort of note and the moments later, the Merstham striker was presented with an almost open goal as the striker got past keeper Harley Earle courtesy of a ricochet, only for the keeper to magnificently recover and whip the ball off the striker's boot. 

The Brickies rallied and how as Richie Hamill’s corner saw Boachie time his run perfectly to get in front of the keeper and power home the header for his eighth goal of the season. 

The visitors then almost leveled but Hamill was on hand to clear a header off the line and almost immediately the lead was doubled. The ball was played up to Kingsford whose touch was sublime for Howard to race onto and drill the ball past a hopelessly exposed Tolfrey and he duly celebrated with the customary Howard summersault as he registered his tenth goal of the season, becoming the third Brickie to get to double figures already! 

It could have been even better for the home side before the break as Hamill’s angled drive was well kept out by Tolfrey as the Brickies held a two-goal lead at the break. 

The opening of the second period saw both sides consolidating and just as the visitors were trying to get a foot-hold, their skipper Matt Drage handled not long after being cautioned leaving referee Smith with little choice but to send the Merstham man for the “early bath” despite much protestations from the visitor's players and bench. 

The Brickies sensed blood – Boachie was inches away from turning home a brilliant move involving Sinai and Kingsford; Hamill’s terrific through ball was fractionally too far in front of Howard and Hamill himself was fractionally too high with a thumping drive. 

The home side didn't have it all their own way however as the ten men went close to pulling one back when Earle pulled off a terrific block to deny Aidan Brown. 

League win number eleven on the bounce for the Brickies and seventeen unbeaten as Ryan Maxwell’s side keep up the pressure on leaders Ramsgate going into the festive programme. 

Sittingbourne Played: Earle, Smith, Graham, Hamill, Steventon (Cosgrave), Arthur, Howard (Beckford), El-Mogharbel, Boachie (May), Kingsford, Sinai (Bessey) . Sub not used: None.

NEXT MATCH: AWAY - Eastbourne Town - Saturday 21st December, kick off at 3:00pm.