Match Report: Sheppey United 6 - 2 Kennington
Sheppey United sealed their passage into the next round of the FA Cup in emphatic fashion, sweeping aside Kennington 6-2 in a thrilling replay at the Sharrocks Insurance Stadium.
With a trip to Rusthall awaiting tonight’s winner, manager options were slightly limited as Mams Diallo and Mo Dabo remained sidelined through injury, while Cameron Andrews got the nod over Josh Chambers in the only change to the starting XI.
The Ites set a relentless pace from the opening whistle, carving out early chances through D'Jean Spencer, Danny Leonard, and Ben Clark. Harley Earle in the Sheppey goal remained mostly untested, comfortably handling a 30-yard effort from Kennington as the visitors tried to work their way into the tie.
Sheppey’s sustained pressure finally broke the deadlock in the 39th minute. D'Jean Spencer intercepted a loose Kennington pass, traded a neat bounce pass with Cameron Andrews, and coolly slotted home to make it 1-0. Just as the half looked set to end with a slender lead, the Ites unleashed a devastating double-blow before the break. In the 45th minute, Alfie Evans picked up a pass from Dylan Adjei-Hersey and unleashed an absolute screamer from 25 yards straight into the top corner (2-0). Moments later in stoppage time, Harry Lawrence saw a header tipped over, but made no mistake from the resulting Danny Leonard corner, powering home another header to send Sheppey into half-time 3-0 up.
The second half began in much the same vein. In the 52nd minute, Ben Clark won a corner that was taken by Leonard, finding Josh Wisson for a first-time strike that was turned into the net by Mikey Salako to stretch the lead to 4-0.
With the result virtually secure, Sheppey turned to their bench, introducing Josh Chambers, Jack O'Neill, Simon Kabamba, and Ethan Cole. Substitute Jack O'Neill made an instant impact in the 77th minute, latching onto a slick through-ball from Chambers to score Sheppey's fifth (5-0). Two minutes later, 16-year-old Stevie Hedges came on for Harlain Mbayo to make his senior debut.
The goals kept coming late on. In the 87th minute, Leonard intercepted a pass and immediately played in Mikey Salako, who made no mistake to grab his second of the night and make it 6-0.
Kennington managed to pull back two late consolation goals in stoppage time—first through a Sheppey mistake exploited for 6-1, followed by a quickly taken free-kick to close out the scoring at 6-2—but the night belonged entirely to the Ites, who comfortably march on to face Rusthall.
Lineups & Match Details
Sheppey United XI: Earle, Lawrence (Cole 73'), Ajei-Hersey (Kabamba 62’), Wisson, Mbayo (Hedges 79'), Andrews, Evans (Chambers 55’), Clark, Leonard, Spencer (O’Neill 60’), Salako
Unused Subs: Sobhee-Turner, Gordon
Goals: Spencer (39'), Evans (45+1'), Lawrence (45+3'), Salako (49’), O’Neill (75’), Salako (83’)
Bookings: Mbayo (38')
Report: Lee Allen
Photo: Ollie Belcher