Ryman League Division One South
Whyteleafe 2 Sittingbourne 3
Whyteleafe threw away a two-goal lead for the second time in 48 hours and will have to learn to kill off games if they are to hold on to the final play off place in the league.
Some of the attacking play was magnificent and with a little luck, Leafe could and should have been out of sight before the visitors scored, but in the end no points from a game that they dominated for over an hour.
Leafe had their first good chance in the third minute, Greg Andrews effort from 25 yards took a deflection but Adam Molloy made a good save.
Sittingbourne then thought they had taken an early lead when they had the ball in the net after 6 minutes but from an offside position.
Andrews went close again in the 8th minute when a 30 yard free kick was struck just wide. Sam Clayton was also just off target in the twelth minute when the visitors lost the ball in a dangerous position.
Leafe had already created several chances when they took a 14th minute lead, Roscoe DSane timing his run perfectly to beat the offside trap and firing home after a great through ball from Ryan Fowler.
The hosts dominated the rest of the half. Andrews was clear in the 20th minute but Molloy was quickly out and did superbly to reach Andrews' chip and turn it wide.
Dylan Merchant saw a 25 yard effort in the 25th minute deflected for a corner and he then shot over the bar from close range from the resultant Ryan Fowler corner. Fowler then beat two defenders on the left, found Andrews in the box but once again a defender got in the way and deflected the shot for a corner. This time the corner fell for Andrews who attempted an overhead kick but it went wide.
Andrews had two more good chances on the half hour, forcing a good save from Molloy with a first time shot from a Clayton cross, then a shot on the turn from 30 yards was just over the goal.
Molloy continued to frustrate Leafe, coming out quickly to block an effort from DSane who had broken clear again in the 40th minute then a minute later made another fine save from Clayton after a Kurtis Pykes shot had been blocked. There was still time in the first half for Andrews to head over from a DSane cross and DSane to shoot just wide of the target.
Whyteleafe went off for the half time break just 1 goal to the good when 3 or 4 would have been a better reflection of the play.
Leafe however managed to add to their lead early in the second half, when Fowler again provided the vital pass that found Andrews. His shot from a narrow angle squeezed under keeper Adam Molloy into the net.
The home side continued to dominate, DSane having a 50th minute effort turned round the post, and from the resultant corner from Alex Penfold, Jensen Grant headed just over at the near post. Lee Pilau then cleared an effort from Andrews off the line and two minutes later Merchant had a header from a Penfold corner blocked on the line.
DSane made a fine run into the box on the hour and seemed to be wrestled to the ground but the referee ignored his pleas for a penalty.
DSane had another chance 2 minutes later shooting across the face of goal. Two minutes after that he found Pykes on the edge of the box. His shot was well saved by Molloy.
Sittingbourne were now starting to look dangerous on the break. Sheikh Ceesay made a good save, tipping over a shot from Ollie Bankole then Two minutes later made a good save from Harry Smith.
Andrews was very close to putting Leafe 3 up in the 69th minute when a superb 30 yard free kick hit the underside of the bar, bounced down just the wrong side of the line. Clayton got a head to the rebound but Molloy caught the ball under the bar.
Sittingbourne pulled one back on the break in the 71st minute through Harry Smith from close range.
The visitors sensed that an opportunity was there and pushed players forwards. Substitute Gary Webb turned the game on its head with 2 close range goals, equalising in the 76th minute then scoring the winner after 81 minutes.
Leafe didn't give up and looked to find an equaliser. Shawn Lyle went closest seeing his 25 yard effort in the 89th minute tipped over the bar, but the visitors held on for an unlikely victory.
Whyteleafe: Ceesay, Kenlock, Penfold (Lyle 84), Patterson-Bohner, Merchant, Pykes, Fowler, Grant, DSane, Andrews, Clayton (Pratt 73).
Next matches
Whyteleafe v East Grinstead Town (Church Road, Whyteleafe) Tue 6th January 7.45pm – Isthmian League Cup
Whyteleafe v Walton & Hersham (Church Road, Whyteleafe) Sat 10th January 3.00pm – Ryman League South
