Cannons’ Collin is spot on

HYTHE TOWN 1 SITTINGBOURNE 0

Frannie Collin’s 55th-minute penalty was enough to secure a win for Hythe Town against Sittingbourne at Reachfields on Saturday. The victory moved the Cannons up to 11th in Isthmian South East following a fifth victory in their last six league matches.

Hythe were missing Kaka Dembele, Alex Brown and Danny Walder through injury and began the first half on the back foot. The visitors thought they had taken the lead in the sixth minute when Enoch Adjei fired home from close range but the assistant’s flag came to the home side’s rescue.

Hythe had to wait 20 minutes for their first meaningful chance as Collin’s free-kick was sent wide by Stephen Okoh. Charlie Webster had two opportunities to give the Cannons the lead but a header and a lobbed effort were both saved by Bourne keeper Jordan Perrin.

The away side then had a couple of chances of their own as Johan CaneyBryan had an attempt blocked by Tom Wynter before Adjei fired across the face of goal.

The half ended with the Cannons in the ascendency as a Collin corner found its way to Jamie Coyle who had his attempt cleared off the line.

Hythe took the lead 10 minutes into the second half through a penalty as Okoh was brought down by Perrin, with the visitors clearly not happy about the decision.

Collin stepped up and placed his penalty perfectly into the corner of the net giving Perrin no chance.

The same player’s 25-yard dipping effort almost increased the lead not long after but the strike went just over the bar. Sittingbourne had limited chances to level the game with Cory Walters-Wright coming closest but the Hythe defence held on to their clean sheet and took the three points.

The Cannons sit just five points off the play-offs as they head to Hayward’s Heath on Saturday.