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Sport

Sittingbourne manager Ryan Maxwell knows his side are more than capable of upsetting Dover Athletic in their FA Cup first qualifying round replay

By: Craig Tucker ctucker@thekmgroup.co.uk

Published: 07:18, 03 September 2024

Updated: 07:18, 03 September 2024

Sittingbourne manager Ryan Maxwell believes he has the players to finish the job in their FA Cup replay at Dover.

The sides meet again at Crabble tonight (7.45pm) following a dramatic finish to Saturday’s first qualifying round tie.

Sittingbourne manager Ryan Maxwell. Picture: Stuart Watson

Maxwell’s Isthmian South East hosts appeared to be heading through after first-half goals from Henry Sinai and Ryan Kingsford.

But Whites keeper Mitch Walker’s free-kick from inside his own half caught out opposite number Harley Earle in the third minute of added time to give Dover hope.

And the Isthmian Premier side levelled two minutes later to set up a replay, with the winners off to Lordswood in the next round.

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There will be those who might feel Sittingbourne’s best chance has gone but there’s no reason why the Brickies can’t prevail.

“We can go there with confidence, massively so,” said Maxwell.

“I’ve got players that can win a game on one moment of brilliance.

“When you’ve got that, it’s like a boxer, if you can knock someone out, you’re always in with a chance.

“I say that from personal experience.

“I’ve been caught on the chin and I’ve also been the one delivering one.

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“I know exactly what we can do at any given moment so I’m nothing but looking forward to the game.

“I see it as a great opportunity, a great challenge to go there and beat them at their place.

“It would be a fantastic achievement but we’re more than capable of doing it.”

Maxwell was delighted with Sittingbourne’s performance at Woodstock as they set about causing an upset.

It adds to the feeling they can do something special at Crabble.

”I have to say we were by far the better side over the game itself,” said Maxwell.

“It’s purely an unfortunate incident that’s happened to a very young goalkeeper who is an outstanding talent.

“In terms of performances and being the better side, it was only Sittingbourne that were in the game really.

“I was absolutely delighted with the performance but unfortunately we’ve come unstuck very late.”

Dover have scored 19 goals in five league games this season and Maxwell expects them to be more on the front foot tonight.

It’s down to the Brickies to cope with that and put their own plan into action.

“There’s more of an emphasis on them, as the home side, to attack us,” said Maxwell.

“That’ll be the only obvious change, to assume as the home side they’ll come out and attack us.

“Other than that, I do see the game being quite similar.

“I like to think I know what I’m doing these days and I’ve watched what they’ve done before playing us and got what I thought I’d get.

“Unless they completely change what they’ve been doing, I expect more of the same.”

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