Kentish Express Ashford & District
Clinical Cannons hit the heights
Boss Sam Denly hailed “a good day all round” as Hythe Town chalked up their best away result of the season.
The Cannons scored twice in the first half and once in the second to see off Sittingbourne at Woodstock Park.
Under new manager Chris Lynch the Brickies have been much-improved but Hythe proved too strong in their latest Kent derby.
“It was a good performance,” Denly said. “We were a bit shaky in the second half but
I’ll certainly take an away win – which has been a long time coming – three goals and a clean sheet.
“We’re not on a bad run at the moment. We’re playing with a little bit of freedom.
“Like I said to the boys, Sittingbourne are a good side on a great run.
“Chris Lynch has done a great job there but if we want to get on as a club, we’ve got to go to difficult places like Sittingbourne and get results. “That’s what we did on Saturday. It was very workmanlike and they had chances but we looked solid and got three good goals so it was a good day all round.”
The first clear chance fell to Sittingbourne, but Tony Coxall made a good save and Mitchell Dickenson cleared off the line from Timmy Babington.
Hythe took the lead on 30 minutes. Salvyn Kisitu was brought down by Brickies goalkeeper Patrick Lee and Zak Ansah’s penalty went in off the crossbar.
Six minutes later it was 2-0 as Tom Carlton collected a pass from Kieron Campbell and finished clinically. Bourne started the second half on the front foot with Izzy Adebeyo and Chris Barnard both going close, although Hythe also threatened.
Sid Sollis set up Ansah for a shot which rattled the woodwork and Campbell forced a good save from Lee on the rebound.
A calm finish from Campbell made it 3-0 in 63 minutes, with Ansah providing the assist, and despite a fair bit of late pressure, Sittingbourne couldn’t breach the Cannons defence.
Denly said: “For the next five games, that’s what we’ve got to be looking to do. We’ve got one eye on next year, trying to improve, and that was a much better performance.”
Hythe: Coxall, Kisitu, Ryan-Makhosini, Kinnear (Capel 75mins), Rowe, Dickenson, Palmer, Carlton, Ansah, Sollis (Webster 68mins), Campbell (Walmsley 90mins). Subs not used: Smith, Phillip. Attendance: 192.