Hythe Town travel to Haywards Heath Town on Saturday (25th January 2020) in a league fixture. Kick-off is 3pm

Ground : Hanbury Stadium, Allen Road, Haywards Heath, RH16 3PT. (80 miles)

Directions: M20, M26, M25 to J7 and take the M23(S) towards Brighton. Take junction 10A, go left on the roundabout, B2036, signed Balcombe. In Balcombe, at the mini-roundabout, fork left towards Lindfield, Haywards Heath Road. Follow into HH, road becomes Stonehall Lane, Borde Hill Lane and then Balcombe Road. Immediately after the railway bridge turn right into Mill Green Road. At the roundabout turn left, B2028, Sydney Road. At the next roundabout turn right, B2112, towards Town Centre, Oathall Road. After hedges on your left, turn left into New England Road, signed for Hanbury Stadium. Take the fifth turning on the right, Allen Road, turn left at end to lead to the ground. Parking available inside stadium.

Hythe Town 1 Sittingbourne 0

BetVictor Isthmian League South East

Saturday 18^th January 2020

Hythe Town had a second half Frannie Collin penalty to thank as they ran out 1-0 winners at home to Sittingbourne at a chilly bright Saturday afternoon at Reachfields.

The Cannons, who began the game without the injured Kaka Dembele, Alex Brown and Danny Walder, started slowly with the early pressure coming from Sittingbourne. The first effort came in the very first minute as a shot was driven wide by former Cannon Kane Phillip. The pressure continued from the visitors as they found the net after six minutes. The ball found its way to Enoch Adeji who fired home from close range only to see the referee’s assistant flagging for offside.

Hythe had to wait until the 20^th minute for their first meaningful effort as Collin sent in a free kick that was side-footed wide by Stephen Okoh. However, the danger continued to come from the visitors as Tommie Fagg played the ball into Johan Caney-Bryan who unmarked tamely shot straight at Hythe keeper, Will Godmon. This was quickly followed by a cross from Phillip that was headed wide by Caney-Bryan. As the half progressed, Hythe came more into the game as Ross Ibbertson lifted the ball into Charlie Webster whose header was easily collected by Sittingbourne keeper Jordan Perrin.

Webster was in the action again as he tried a delicate lob, but this also didn’t test Perrin. A couple of chances then fell to the Bourne as Lex Allan played the ball through to Caney-Bryant whose final attempt was intercepted by the ever reliable Tom Wynter in the Hythe defence and then Lex Allan crossed to Adjei who fired across the face of goal and away for a goal kick. The last two opportunities of the half  fell to the hosts as Tom Walmsley played in Okoh, but he pulled his shot wide and then a Collin corner eventually found its way to Jamie Coyle who from close in had his attempt cleared off the line.

The second half saw Hythe more in the ascendency and they took the lead on 55 minutes as Okoh broke free and was adjudged to have been brought down by Perrin. Up stepped Collin who placed his penalty perfectly into the corner of the net giving Perrin no chance making it 1-0. Collin had another chance on the hour as he had a shot blocked and then a minute later a poor clearance fell to Collin whose lob back was a little too heavy and went over the bar.  Collin was then unlucky as he picked up the ball 25 yards out and unleashed a superb dipping effort that went just over the bar.

Sittingbourne had limited opportunities in the half but did have two efforts before full time as firstly Caney-Bryan found Cory Walters-Wright who lifted the ball over the bar from close-range and then Caney-Bryan created another chance finding ex-Hythe favourite Sid Sollis who shot wide. Hythe’s defence remained resolute and saw out the rest of the game to seal the win.

This hard-earned win leaves Hythe with four consecutive home wins and means they have now moved up into eleventh place as they prepare for next Saturday’s visit to Haywards Heath Town.

Team: Will Godmon, Ross Ibbertson, Nathan Gordon, James Rogers, Jamie Coyle, Tom Wynter, Stephen Okoh (Eli Benoit 81 mins), Charlie Webster (Jarred Trespaderne 45 mins), Tom Walmsley, Frannie Collin, Alex Flisher.

Scorer: Hythe Town-Frannie Collin 55 mins (pen)

Attendance:218