Sittingbourne continued their unbeaten start to the season with victory at Hythe on Tuesday night.

Joe Nwoko headed the visitors in front at Reachfields before Craig Thompson levelled things up with a diving header just before half-time.

The home side were on top in the second period but they were left to rue missed opportunities when Nick Dunsdon fired home Sittingbourne's winner from the penalty spot on 73 minutes.

Hythe had the ball in the net early on, Thompson planting James Morrish's pass into the net, but the goal was ruled out for offside.

It was 1-0 to Sittingbourne on 17 minutes when lively left-back Gary Webb beat two players and crossed for Nwoko to head home at the back post.

Hythe were playing some good football, though, and when Dave Pilcher played a good ball down the right-hand channel, John Walker's cross was just too strong for Josh Burchell.

Former Ashford striker Sam Conlon twice went close to bringing the home side level.

He got up well to head a Burchell cross towards the top corner but Brickies keeper Adam Molloy sprang high to his left and clawed the ball out.

Conlon then met a Thompson centre, heading the ball back across the statuesque Molloy, but his effort dropped the wrong side of the far post.

It was all Hythe. Burchell fired a long ball across the face of goal and Molloy then gathered a flicked header from Thompson after the striker had got up well to meet Pilcher's high cross.

One of the floodlight pylons then failed but the quality of Town's equaliser was clear to see.

Pilcher whipped over a fantastic cross from the right-hand byline and Thompson dived full-length to convert it with a spectacular header inside the six-yard box.

It took a brilliant save from Molloy to stop Hythe going into half-time 2-1 up.

Sittingbourne didn't deal with a Walker cross and Thompson connected sweetly with a powerful volley which looked destined for the back of the net. But Molloy somehow got fingertips to the ball and turned Thompson's effort against the crossbar.

It was one-way traffic and Conlon fired wastefully wide just before the break.

Chances were at more of a premium in the second half, although Hythe still looked the more likely scorers.

On-loan Maidstone full-back Jack Sullivan exchanged passes with Morrish and dragged a shot wide, before Conlon headed a Sullivan cross against the bar. Molloy grabbed the rebound.

But then, against the run of play, Sittingbourne struck.

George Crimmen had a shot cleared off the line and he was then pushed in the back. The referee pointed to the penalty spot and Dunsdon sent Eason the wrong way from 12 yards.

Hythe might still have taken something from the game.

Two crosses from Pilcher dropped on Thompson's head but he was off-target both times.

This result leaves Sittingbourne second in Ryman League Division 1 South with three wins and a draw from their first three games. They host Whyteleafe on Saturday, while Hythe are back at Reachfields for a game against Corinthian Casuals.

Hythe: Eason, Sullivan, Pleau, Pilcher, Cloke, Harvey, Walker, Morrish, Thompson, Conlon, Burchell. Subs not used: White, Stevenson, Wells, Nyaruwa, Hayward.

Sittingbourne: Molloy, Wright, Webb, Brown, Harden, Crimmen, Dunsdon, Burrell, Smith, Ibe, Nwoko. Subs not used: Taylor, Gallagher, Izokun, Curtis George, Cameron George.

Attendance: 185.