More on KentOnline
Home Sittingbourne Sport Article
Sittingbourne have a genuine super-sub on their hands in David Smith.
The teenager continued his goalscoring exploits coming off the bench with a late equaliser in Brickies’ FA Trophy first qualifying round draw against higher-league Merstham.
Bourne then completed the job with second-half goals from Ben Gorham and Kane Philip in a superb 2-0 replay win on Tuesday night.
Smith started the replay but he's been more effective coming on late in games.
Boss Nick Davis said: “He’s still had a lot of game time - we always try to get him on with 20-25 minutes to go.
“He’s started five or six games and scored once but coming off the bench he’s scored six.
“At the minute it suits us bringing him on because he gives us that something extra when defenders are tiring.
“I’m sure he doesn’t want to be tarred with the super-sub brush but he’d be the first to admit that when he does start games, he tends to burn out.
“It’s something he’s got to work on but he’s happy coming on and making a difference.
“You look at our games this season and in 75% the subs have had huge impacts.”
Second-placed Sittingbourne return to Bostik South action with back-to-back home games against Phoenix Sports on Saturday and Faversham on Tuesday.
The Lilywhites are the only side to have beaten Brickies in the league this season, winning 1-0 at Salters Lane in September, and Davis said: “We want to put that right on Tuesday.
“It’s another Kent derby and it won’t be easy but I can’t look that far ahead at the moment.”