Sittingbourne defeat Wingate in The Trophy after extra time.
Wingate & Finchley 1-2 Sittingbourne (after extra time)
The FA Carlsberg Trophy
Preliminary Round Replay
7.45pm, Tuesday 6 October 2009
The Abrahams Stadium, Wingate & Finchley FC Winning clubs will receive £2000 from The FA prize fund Click here for the First Round Qualifying draw Gary Abbot’s Sittingbourne, 17th in the Isthmian League Division One South, edged this Preliminary Round replay in windy conditions last night to set up a home tie with well-supported Dartford in the First Round Qualifying in ten days’ time.It was wet too in the early period of the match. Sittingbourne had barely advanced into Wingate & Finchley’s half when the home side took a fifth-minute lead. Michael Lenahan curled in a right-wing corner on the wind that the visiting defence found impossible to deal with. Nick Reeves got a touch on the ball as it bounced over the line for an ‘own goal’, but there wasn’t much he could do about it.
Wingate proceeded to dominate the first half, Brickies ‘keeper Derren Ibrahim keeping them in the tie with smart stops to deny Leon Smith and skipper Marvin Samuel. A Sittingbourne goal looked highly improbable until Colin Richmond’s free-kick from 20 yards soared into the top right-hand corner for 1-1. Barely five seconds after Wingate had kicked off, the referee blew for half-time.
The home side still held the upper hand, Smith twice going close and Lenahan going even closer with a left-foot strike that thudded against a post, producing a ‘clink’ sound that could be heard all round the ground. Sittingbourne started to show some attacking intent as Wingate seemed to run out of steam and might have won the tie in normal time. Then, four minutes into the extra half-hour, defender Matt Bourne burst into the six-yard box to head Richmond’s left-wing corner past Gavin King.
Wingate understandably threw everything forward near the end and it was arguably the most exciting period of the match. Lenahan blasted wide of the far post and Ibrahim expertly tipped over Ahmet Rifat’s effort from wide on the right. There were clearly some tired bodies at the end.
Attendance: 71
