As my wife and I are due to move house next Friday, I figured this might be the last time in a while that I will be able to enjoy a weekend of West Kent matches, so I came to home of Sevenoaks Town of the Isthmian League South East Division and decided to watch their pre-season friendly against Bowers and Pitsea FC, of the Isthmian League North Division.

Tonight’s game provided Friday entertainment in the home side’s last friendly game of the pre-season before the league and cup fixtures begin next weekend.

Sevenoaks Town came into the season looking to improve on an inconsistent 2024-25 as they try to push for promotion into the National League South, from the Isthmian Premier Division, where they ended up in ninth place. Manager Marcel Nimani has added to his squad over the summer and will be hoping his team can get closer to the promotion the club is really seeking as they look to develop the ground and facilities at the Bourne Stadium.

Bowers and Pitsea FC are managed jointly by Luke Wilson and Joe Flowers. The Bowers start their first season in the Isthmian League Nortb Division since being relegated from the Isthmian Premier Division, having come bottom in 2024-25.

The opening thirty five minutes saw Sevenoaks Town soaking up wave after wave of Bowers & Pitsea FC pressure. The visitors made use particularly of their pace and intricate passing skills, down both flanks, without managing to breach the home sides’ resolute line of final defence.

On the stroke of half time Sevenoaks Town began to create some pressure and then just as both teams expected the half time whistle, the home side were a goal ahead. A run and cross from the left was turned into his own goal by a Bowers & Pitsea defender.

As the teams went in for the half time break, there was just one goal between them. Bowers & Pitsea must have regretted not making more of the possession they held in the opening half.

On 75 minutes Sevenoaks Town found themselves down to ten men, after a defender was dismissed for a badly timed tackle. The visitors applied the pressure, as they hunted down the equaliser and with two minutes left it looked as though a headed chance in front of goal would given them their just rewards, after a fine second half performance. Unfortunately the chance hit the crossbar, when it looked easier to score.

With a minute of play left a badly timed tackle by a Bowers & Pitsea defender, led to a Sevenoaks Town penalty, which was calmly despatched to make it 2-0.

Into added time and the visitors took a well deserved consolation goal, when John Elongo drilled home on the goal line to make the final score 2-1.