6th January 2008 - Division 2
Sheppey FC 1-6 Belvedere
Sheppey started the new year with a comprehensive defeat to division 2 promotion rivals Belvedere. The game started slowly with both sides showing the effects of the christmas break. It took until the half hour mark for the deadlock to be broken and it was no suprise when the visitors took the lead. After a spell of sustained pressure a low cross from the left deflected off stand in keeper Holland and into the back of the net. Two minutes later Sheppey lost midfielder Matt Dunhill to a hamstring injury, Phil Veal his replacement.
HT 0-1
The second half followed much the same pattern as the first with the visitors playing marginally the better football whilst Sheppey's flu ridden side showed only glimpses of their capabilities. On 57 minutes the lead was doubled when a corner from the left went straight in at the near post. Eight minutes later it was three when the Belvedere centre forward was left unmarked to head home a right wing corner from 6 yards. With twenty minutes remaining it was four and game over when the Belvedere centre forward grabbed his second goal, beating two defenders before lifting the ball over the advancing Holland. Ten minutes later it was five as the Belvedere centre forward completed his hat-trick, heading home from almost on the goal line. Sheppey managed to grab a consolation goal a minute later, Staniforth latching onto Dolby's through ball to slide the ball past the onrushing
