Sittingbourne (2) 2 Bankole 33 Richardson 36
Tonbridge (1) 3 Williams 42 Okojie 65 Partner 90
Att. 119
Entrance: £5 Senior
Programme: £2
Mileage: 33/2,645
Played at Woodstock Sports FC
New Ground: 268
Match Report
The ground itself was of reasonable Kent League standard, albeit that their tenants, Sittingbourne, are Ryman South status. A nice-sized seated stand is positioned behind one goal with an area of covered terrace towards the corner flag of one length. A bus shelter type covered enclosure houses about 50 supporters behind the other goal. The full length of the opposite side was out of bounds to occupation by spectators.
Unfortunately, the pitch wasn’t helped by the drizzly rain and quickly became a cabbage patch.
This is the fourth ground, over the years, that I have watched Sittingbourne. Theirs is a rags to riches and back again story as a supporter of the club made me aware of how they ended up at Woodstock. Back in 1990 they left the Bull Ground with an absolute fortune in their pockets after selling up to developers. They moved to Central Park and with a plush new stadium and a healthy playing budget they were expected to move through the divisions and possibly knock of the door of the Football League. Sadly, they massively overspent on the stadium, which was a wonderfully appointed facility for the level of football they were at. And from there, their history literally went to the dogs.
With the Bull Ground money having disappeared into a black hole, with a multitude of rumours as to its whereabouts, the club was forced to go cap in the hand to the council and lease the ground back. The council sold the lease to a greyhound racing company who took preference on the availability of dates of usage and the football club were eventually forced to decamp to the adjoining training ground, christened Bourne Park in 2002.
My friendly Sittingbourne supporter informed me that at the end of the 2013 season it was decided that they could no longer afford the £30,000 a year rent and moved into Woodstock Sports’ facility.
There were familiar faces in the Sittingbourne team with ex-Tonbridge players Ollie Bankole, George Crimmen and Matt Hardin, whilst on the sideline was the newly-appointed manager, Nick Davis, previously at Tunbridge Wells.
Tommy Whitnell immediately caught the eye but his finishing was poor as a couple of good chances were spurned with a weak finish straight at the keeper and another which he pulled wide. Tonbridge were to regret those chances when Bankole got on the end of a cross to put the hosts in front and this was quickly doubled when a free kick from the right was headed back across the face of goal by Crimmen to Jono Richardson who tucked it home from close range.
Tonbridge needed a reply before the break and it duly came with a couple of minutes to go when Marvin Williams chipped the ball over the advancing keeper for an assured finish.
Williams was to live up to his moniker of Marvellous Marvin with a second half display that put the hosts on the back foot. Steve McKimm introduced further pace into the side with Dee Okojie a second half substitute for Whitnell. With Flavio Tavares also causing concern for the hosts with his pace, the half was to be completely one-way traffic.
The equaliser eventually came on 68 minutes with a sweet, curling shot from Okojie into the top corner.
McKimm could justifiably point to his substitutions as another, Jack Parter, came up with a winner just as penalties were looming on the horizon with a 25 yard beauty into the top corner giving the Sittingbourne keeper no chance.
All that was left was to head for home back down the pitch black country roads. Next round Doris, we’ll head for somewhere a little more accessible!
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