worthing011215_final

21st November 2015
Ryman League Div 1 South
Sittingbourne 1 Chipstead 6, att 90
Match Reports
By Tony Rickson
What an amazing result – and what a devastating
thrashing for out-of-sorts Sittingbourne.
It was their heaviest defeat for nearly two
years, and their biggest home defeat for goodness
how long – certainly going back into the
last century at least.
Chipstead had just appointed their third manager
of the season days before the game. And
how he’d transformed the team with the sort of
excellent signings that will surely soon see
them racing up the table.
the visitors’ defence too tough a nut to crack.
Nothing went right for Sittingbourne, and their
ninth successive league defeat was inevitable
from the fifth minute onwards, as by then Chipstead
were two-up and on their way to being
out of sight.
Sittingbourne made just one change from the
previous Saturday, Miles Cornwell coming in
for Hicham Akhazzan, and they were greeted
by what felt like the first day of winter, a bitterly
cold wind blowing straight down the Woodstock
pitch.
Chipstead had it behind them for the first half
and took immediate – and spectacular – advantage.
Midfielder Carter, 25 yards out,
smashed his shot into the top corner, and even
the supremely agile Adam Molloy in the Sittingbourne
goal couldn’t get near it.
And one became two with just five minutes on
the clock. Sittingbourne lost possession in their
opponents’ half, with Stef Wright claiming unsuccessfully
for a foul, and Chipstead broke
quickly. Clarke cut in from the left – too easily –
and crossed for ex-Crystal Palace striker Tieku
to head in from just a couple of yards.
Sittingbourne must have planned so much for
this match, knowing it was a real ‘six-pointer,’
and it took them a little while to get over the
shock of being two-down so soon.
But they did recover and soon got a goal back
when Tom Brunt crossed from deep, Harry
Smith saw his header saved, but Dane Luchford
was in the right place to bundle in the
loose ball.
Clearly, the next goal was going to be crucial,
but it was Chipstead who looked the far more
dangerous going forward and Carter was in the
right place to smash home at the second attempt
and make it 3-1 with just over half-anhour
played.
Demoralised Sittingbourne looked all at sea
whenever Chipstead raced down the pitch, and
despite Molloy pulling off more good saves,
they got a fourth just before half-time when
Carter won a header in the six-yard box and
Tieku, though looking offside, scored from all
of a yard out.
Sittingbourne didn’t mess about with the
changes, going for broke with a triple substitution
soon after the second half started and
leaving just three defenders at the back.
But the damage had been done already and
Chipstead were able to comfortably defend
their lead, as well as add further goals on the
break, with danger-man Clarke getting the fifth
and Carter rounding it off with his hat-trick goal
in the last minute.
Sittingbourne never gave up, and Conrad Lee
and Akhazzan went close, while Luchford often
popped up in good places and was unlucky a
couple of times in not being able to get in a telling
shot.
But on an afternoon of weather to forget, it was
even more of a nightmare of a game to forget
for Sittingbourne. Good will come out of it only
if this lowpoint also turns out to be the turning
point of the season.
Sittingbourne: Molloy, Brunt, Lee, French,
Crimmen, P Smith, Luchford, Bankole
(Akhazzan 51 mins) , H Smith (Williams 51
mins) , Cornwell, Wright (Richardson 51 mins).
Sponsors of the Woodstock stadium—www.dma-group.co.uk