Herne Bay look to end their pre-season with a win on Tuesday evening when they make the short trip to The Jarmans Solicitors Stadium to face Sittingbourne.

After a tricky couple of fixtures, the Bay were put to the ultimate test against National League South title favourites Ebbsfleet United and despite what was a positive performance, they were put to the sword, losing 5-1 at Kuflink Stadium.

Omari Sterling-James put the hosts ahead as early as the seventh minute, before Dominic Poleon and Rakish Bingham saw the Fleet ahead by three at the break.

Bay ‘keeper Lucas Hanley did superbly to save Poleon’s spot kick in the 78th minute, but he could do nothing about his effort two minutes later as the hosts stretched their lead to four.

Kymani Thomas got the goal the Bay deserved with seven minutes left on the clock, turning former Fleet midfielder Mike West’s pass beyond Mark Cousins in the home net.

But the hosts capped off an impressive performance with a fifth moments before the final whistle, with Bingham converting from the spot after Frankie Morgan’s foul.

The Opposition

Although an earlier Sittingbourne United club had been playing since as early as 1881, Sittingbourne F.C. traces its lineage to 1886 when the club was reorganised under the new name. The club moved to a field behind the Bull pub in 1892, where they were to remain for nearly 100 years.

Sittingbourne were Kent League champions in 1975–76, 1983–84 and 1990–91, the third title win earning them a place back in the Southern League. In 1992–93, by now playing at the new Central Park ground, they won promotion to the Southern League Premier Division, however a financial crisis led to relegation two years later.

In 2006 a re-organisation of the English football league system saw Sittingbourne moved into the Isthmian League, starting in Division One South. The 2009–10 season ended with Sittingbourne winning the Kent Senior Cup for the first time in 52 years.

Tuesday’s hosts underwent several managerial changes in recent years, with Gary Abbott, Richard Brady, Jamie Coyle, Joe Dowley, Bradley Spice, Bryan Glover, Jim & Danny Ward, Matt Wyatt, Nick Davis, Aslan Odev, Chris Lynch, and Darren Blackburn all calling the shots at one time or another.

However, none of them were able to bring sustained success to the club, with Davis eventually returning to the helm.

Key Players

Bagasan Graham (Midfielder) – A man with plenty of National league experience under his belt, Bagasan is a new addition to this team, joining from Billericay Town, where he spent last season. The midfielder, who can play in defence or further up the pitch, counts Sittingbourne as his 13th club but at only 29 years of age, he still has a lot of football left to play.

Graham, who began his playing career with QPR, is probably best known for his time with Essex side Chelmsford City, where he made 91 appearances, scoring six goals across two spells. Known as well for his ability to put the ball on a plate for his teammates, he could prove to be the difference maker in a team with promotion on the mind.

Alex Addai (Winger) – Another big name signing for Tuesday’s hosts is that of Alex Addai, who joined the club this summer after a brief spell with Kingstonian. Alex spent three seasons in the Football League with Cheltenham Town, before dropping into non-league to play for Torquay United, Hemel Hempstead Town and later Kingstonian.

A former youth product of Tottenham Hotspur and Blackpool, he has a quick turn of pace but also doesn’t shy away from a physical battle. Winning that midfield battle is going to be crucial and with Sittingbourne having finished 10th last season, Addai could prove to be a stellar signing.

Abdul Osman (Abdul Osman) – A more experienced member of this Sittingbourne team, Abdul Osman is a man with 445 career appearances to his name, not just in England but also Scotland and even Greece.

He joined Tuesday’s hosts after the unfortunate demise of Walton Casuals but their loss is Sittingbourne’s gain as he will no doubt ensure his squad are laser focused on the task ahead. Alongside the likes of Alex Addai and Bagasan Graham, we could be in for a tough challenge.

Last time we met

The last time we faced Sittingbourne was on April 15, 2022, at The Jarmans Solicitors Stadium. On that occasion, two Zak Ansah goals, one from the spot, guided us to a 2-0 win.

Before that in the reverse fixture at the MBS Stadium, Kieron Campbell found the back of the net as the Bay were held to a 1-1 draw.