Sittingbourne 0 Dartford 1
By Steve Tervet
Sittingbourne’s FA Trophy dreams were ended by Dartford’s Alan Tait, who scored the only goal to see off Gary Abbott’s side at Bourne Park.
In the only change from the side that beat Ramsgate 2-1 in midweek, Sittingbourne goalkeeping coach Steve Williams came out of retirement to replace former Darts stopper Deren Ibrahim, who sat out as the result of a gentlemen’s agreement between his past and present employers.
Dartford, 11 points clear at the top of the Ryman Premier League, rested several first choice players, with 13-goal Lee Burns only among the subsititutes, alongside James White and Elliot Bradbrook.
The Brickies started confidently against their high-flying opponents and Jimmy Bottle should have given them a 6th-minute lead when Elie Kayembe burst through and crossed from the right-hand side.
Veteran Williams was called into early action, diving to his right to deny Ryan Hayes and he then did well to collect a dangerous centre from the same player.
Sittingbourne were appealing for a penalty when Bottle’s cross appeared to strike a Dartford arm, while at the other end Hayes was again in the thick of things when his cross was turned past Williams by Jay May, although the striker had handled the ball and was booked.
Only Bottle’s goalline clearance kept Dartford at bay as the chances kept coming and Williams’ goal survived another scramble as half-time beckoned. Tait was then booked for diving as Dartford howled for a penalty and things could have got worse for the Darts on the stroke of half-time when Kayembe wriggled free in the area, his attempted cross only just hacked away from the onrushing Hicham Akhazzan.
Beginning the second period as they ended the first, Dartford went close as Adam Gross drove wide when when picked out by May. Akhazzan and Kayembe almost unlocked the visitors’ defence but Kayembe was denied by a last-ditch tackle, and Femi Omogbehin was then inches from getting on the end of a Colin Richmond free-kick.
Billy Burgess had a great chance when yet another Hayes cross fell loose in the box but the full-back sliced horribly wide. Just as the game appeared to be drifing towards stalemate, a moment of magic brought the opener in the 73rd minute – Tait picking his spot and sending a perfectly-weighted chip over the statuesque Williams.
Lee Noble almost put the result beyond doubt when his left-footed shot floated past the post and Burgess then had the ball in the Brickies net with two minutes remaining but the assistant’s flag had already been raised.
In the end, Sittingbourne’s challenge rather fizzled out and Tait almost repeated his earlier effort with a chip that hit Williams’ far post and rebounded to safety.
Sittingbourne: Williams, Omogbehin, Dowley, Bourne, Reeves, Grant, Manners (Horlock 87), Richmond, Akhazzan, Kayembe (T Bradbrook 65), Bottle
Substitutes: Brady, McHugh, Ansah
Dartford: Young, Burgess, Gross, Flanagan, Beales, Dafter, Hayes, Noble, Tait, May (E Bradbrook 65), Harris (Burns 82)
Substitutes: Coyle, White, Kessell
POSTED: 17/10/2009 18:17:47
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