Our first home league match of the season against top of the table Wye Juniors ended in a 1-1 draw. Absences - including an unwell goalkeeper - left the team with only 12 players.
If ever there was a 'game of two halves' this was it. In the first period Wye came out of the blocks much faster and put the Whitstable defence under considerable, seemingly constant pressure. They were rewarded with a goal after only nine minutes and fully deserved their lead at half time.
In the second half Whitstable started playing some passing football, keeping the ball and looking much more like a team. We were faster to the loose ball and totally dominated play. 15 minutes into the half Stanley Griffiths was fouled right on the edge of the penalty box. Up stepped Ben Burgess (who'd played the first half in goal) to strike the ball beyond the Wye keeper who did well to get a touch on the ball. Whitstable continued to be the better side but were unable to find a winning goal, although a header from Kobey Love was extremely close but judged by the referee and linesman not to have crossed the line!
On the balance of the whole game a draw was about the right result.