The Oystermen make the journey to Faversham on Tuesday evening as we take on local neighbours Faversham Town in another Isthmian League South East Division fixture.

After Saturday's narrow 1-0 home defeat to Cray Valley PM, Lee Martin's side will be looking to respond under the lights at the Aquatherm Stadium.

It is another important East Kent fixture for the Oystermen, with local pride and three league points up for grabs.

There is no shortage of familiarity between these two clubs, with Faversham and Whitstable having shared plenty of history over the years.

Both clubs have competed in the SCEFL Premier Division in recent seasons, before Faversham secured promotion back to Step 4 by winning the division in 2024/25.

The Lilywhites are now in their second season back in the Isthmian League South East Division, with Tuesday's fixture providing another chapter in this familiar East Kent rivalry.

Faversham Town, known as the Lilywhites, have a history stretching back to 1884.

The club reformed after the Second World War and moved to their current Salters Lane home in 1948.

Faversham returned to the Isthmian League in 2010 after winning the Kent League, before eventually dropping back down to Step 5 in 2023.

After two seasons in the SCEFL, the Lilywhites returned to Step 4 following their championship-winning 2024/25 campaign.

The club is managed by Steve Watt, with the Lilywhites playing their home fixtures at the Aquatherm Stadium.

Faversham have made a strong start to the current campaign and currently sit third in the Isthmian League South East Division.

The Lilywhites have won their last three league fixtures, beating Horley Town 6-2, Punjab United 4-3 and Herne Bay 3-1.

Their latest victory came on Monday night against Herne Bay, meaning they will head into Tuesday's derby with confidence high.

The Oystermen will be looking to put an end to that run and return from the Aquatherm Stadium with points of our own.

The two sides have produced some memorable encounters in recent seasons.

One of the most recent league meetings came at the Aquatherm Stadium on 28 December 2024, when Faversham edged a seven-goal thriller 4-3.

Liam Gillies, Josh Oliver and Dean Grant were on target for Whitstable that afternoon, but the hosts claimed the points in front of a crowd of 1,193.

The clubs met again just a few weeks later in the Kent Senior Trophy, with the Oystermen producing a very different result.

Harvey Smith scored twice and Ronald Sithole was also on target as Whitstable recorded a 3-1 victory at Faversham to reach the semi-finals.

The previous league meeting at the Belmont in August 2024 also went the way of the visitors, with Faversham recording a 3-0 victory.

Tuesday's meeting gives the Oystermen another opportunity to put one over their local neighbours.

Faversham Town play their home matches at the Aquatherm Stadium on Salters Lane.

The stadium features a 3G playing surface and provides the setting for Tuesday night's local derby.

Supporters making the journey should allow plenty of time to get to the ground and enjoy what promises to be a lively atmosphere under the lights.

First-team manager Lee Martin is expecting another competitive encounter as the Oystermen make the trip to Faversham.

"It's another really important game for us and one we're looking forward to.

"Faversham have made a very good start and they've got plenty of confidence at the moment, so we know we're going to have to be right at it from the first minute.

"On Saturday, I thought we were good going forward and created numerous chances, but unfortunately we weren't able to make the most of them. There were positives to take from the performance and things we can build on.

"There's always a little bit extra about these local games. The players know each other, the supporters know each other and everyone wants to win.

"We've got another opportunity straight away to put those positives into practice and hopefully get the result we're looking for.

"We'll go there, compete and give everything to try and come away with something for our supporters."

The Oystermen head to Faversham for another important league test, with two local rivals going head-to-head under the lights.

Faversham have started strongly. Whitstable will be looking to respond.

It's a local derby, three points are at stake, and the Oystermen will be backed by their travelling support.

Get behind the boys and make the journey to the Aquatherm Stadium.