Seb the super sub

The Green Lions’ dramatic last-minute win at Sittingbourne’s Woodstock Park on Saturday earned them their third win in the last four games of the Isthmian South East campaign and it was enough to leave them sitting fairly pretty in seventh spot, a mere four points behind the leaders Sevenoaks Town.

Now come the home games and most football logic suggests that wins should now be easier to come by than they have been during this hugely testing start to the campaign.

There would probably not be a team in the league who wouldn’t have bitten the hand off someone offering them a similar record in the same circumstances, so Tony Vance’s side should be mightily proud of what they have achieved this past five weeks.

There were two changes to the starting line-up with Carlos Canha and Kez Mahon returning and Charlton Gauvain remained on the bench after his brief run-out in midweek.

By half-time Gauvain was on in the place of an injured Thomas Dodds and in a rather tame first period the visitors grew into the game after struggling for decent possession in the early stages.

The second half saw Sittingbourne start to impose themselves without creating a lot against a defence in which skipper Jamie Dodd was immense.

Alex Scott replaced Canha on the 67min. mark and there was collective relief among the GFC group as dangerman Johan Candy-Brian went off with 20 left.

Seb Skillen came on for Liam Mahon for the last quarter and with the game into stoppage time the sub put away the rebound after Ross Allen’s effort was saved to clinch the points.

‘[It’s an] amazing feeling,’ said Skillen afterward.

‘I’m here to help the team coming off the bench. Whether I score or anyone else scores, it’s a great feeling – 1-0, pinch a result and go away with three points.

‘Ross pretty much created it. It’s a setpiece that we’ve worked on and it’s come off.

‘We got a lucky rebound, Alex Scott has laid it off to me and I’ve only got one place to aim and that’s the bottom corner. Luckily, I stuck it in there.’

The goal-scorer also paid tribute to those at the back who managed to keep the hosts at bay on a hot day on a firm pitch.

‘Callum [Stanton] has been itching to get a clean sheet all season, the defenders as well, but it’s a collective effort,’ Skillen said.

‘I thought Kez Mahon was brilliant today, sweeping up in front of the back four he was vital to the win, but yeah it was a team effort and Cal’s a brilliant goalkeeper and deserves it.’