Isthmian League, South East Division
Saturday 8th August 2026
Report by: Mike Green
Sittingbourne defied the odds and many pre-season predictions with a stunning opening day win at much fancied AFC Croydon Athletic.
Twice towards the back end of last season, Danny Kedwell’s Rams,
What an entertaining opening day contest played on an awful surface – dry, dusty and very uneven = both sides deserve credit for a fine game played. It was the home side who went close first as Jack Paxman was allowed to shoot wide. Jordu Mongoy lifted the visitors first chance onto the roof of the net whilst at the other end, full back Finlay Marjoram had the games first true effort on goal forcing Jamie Grosshart into a low save.
Croydon went even closer moments later as Paxman clipped the bar with a rasping drive before the Brickies took the lead as Jordan Greenidge took himself out of a play superbly as a through ball found Khavarn Williams raced onto the pass and colly slipped the ball under keeper Amadou Tangara and rolled the ball home to stun the home supporters.
Paxman almost single handedly was trying to keep Croydon in the game and from the midfielders stunning centre neither Greg Cundle nor Josh Williams were able to apply the finishing touch to level the scores.
The second period started tentatively but burst into life when Tangara shovelled a Foxley shot around the right post and Williams saw a swerving drive beaten away by Grosshart.
Sittingbourne went close twice more as Mongay’s shot was just too high and even someone of Jordan Greenidge’s giant build couldn’t convert Williams’ cross for two-nil!
And that miss appeared to be crucial moments later when Croydon levelled – David Bremang broke into the box before setting up substitute Brandon Patrick, the man who dumped the Brickies out of the Play offs strode onto the pass and slid the ball past a wrongfooted keeper.
Just for minute Sittingbourne wobbled, but then a silly second challenge from Majoram
Jean-Baptiste fisher found an “offside looking” Williams, but he couldn’t keep the shot down and the Luke Woodward was brilliantly denied by Tangara as he connected with Fischer’s great ball.
Ben Wynter could have won it for Croydon early in stoppage time but sent his free header from a Luke O’Neil free kick before super sub Smith did win it for the visitors – Skipper Bagasan Graham went on a marauding run through a desperately tired Croydon
Att – 213