WHITSTABLE TOWN 1 BEARSTED 1 (after 90 minutes – no extra time)
Bearsted won 4-2 on penalties
SCEFL Challenge Cup Third Round
Tuesday January 10 2023 19.45

On a wet and windy night, Whitstable were knocked out of their last remaining cup competition by Bearsted who successfully negotiated a penalty shootout, thanks to two great saves by goalkeeper Tom Benham. Earlier in the evening, Whitstable had started positively and took an early lead when Jefferson Aibangbee shot past Benham, but they were unable to build on that and Bearsted were level before half time when Phil Headley converted a penalty. Both teams had their chances in the second half, with Whitstable going close on several occasions, but Bearsted defended stoutly and created a few promising opportunities themselves, although rarely troubled Dan Eason in the home goal. Neither team could find a winner and with no extra time in this competition, penalties decided the tie and for the second time this season, Whitstable lost out in a shootout.

This was the third meeting between the two teams this season. Bearsted were the visitors for the first evening fixture at the “new” Belmont on a very wet September evening and left with a 2-0 win. Whitstable won the reverse fixture 2-1 in December, when all three goals were scored in the last few minutes. To reach this stage, Bearsted had beaten K Sports and Rusthall, both games ending 3-2, while Whitstable had played only once, winning 3-1 at Greenways. Manager Marcel Nimani made several changes to the Whitstable team that had beaten Glebe at the weekend, two enforced as Harry Gamble was cup tied and Victor Aiyelabola suspended. Caoilte Deakin and Jefferson Aibangbee both started their first games for the club. This cup tie on a miserable evening was watched by a crowd of 196.

There were few early chances as both teams tried to play football in testing conditions with a heavy drizzle being driven across the pitch by strong winds. Josh Oliver struck a free kick wide and was then incorrectly flagged offside when in a promising position. A right wing cross was just beyond the reach of Jordan Ababio at the other end. Whitstable took the lead in the 18th minute when Rodney Eruotor played a good diagonal pass across the pitch that was left by Dean Grant for Aibangbee on the left and he ran into the box before slipping the ball past Benham to score his first for the club. Headley tried his luck a couple of times from distance as Bearsted attempted to respond before they were “handed” a great opportunity to equalise when the referee awarded a penalty in the 36th minute. Ababio collected the ball on the left of the box and his first time cross struck Jake Mackenzie at close range as he was running back to make a challenge. The ball did strike his arm, although the decision caused plenty of debate, but Headley made no mistake from the spot. Tom Mills, who had an impressive game at the back for Whitstable, made a timely challenge to prevent a quick break giving Bearsted a half time lead, so the teams went in level at 1-1.

Whitstable began the second half well and a good move led to Grant having an effort blocked before the rebound was collected by Eruotor, whose curling shot from the right was headed off the line by Colby Waite. The home defence had coped well, but some good play on the right almost led to a goal when an Omotunmise Akanni cross was glanced wide by Ababio in the 53rd minute. Mills sent Eruotor away on the right and his low shot was pushed away by Benham before Whitstable made two changes, sending on Sammi Takaloo and Ronald Sithole. Play was halted for several minutes when George Sheminant made a good run down the left that was ended by a poor Jordan Tingley challenge. Will Thomas had a header from a 68th minute corner held by Benham. More substitutions followed as both teams looked for a way through, then Jordan Wells got his head to another corner, but the ball was scrambled clear. Joel Wakefield saw his shot blocked by Mills after Bearsted created an opening on the right, then two Whitstable substitutes nearly combined successfully when Takaloo played in Sithole but the young striker blasted his shot over the bar. Deakin showed plenty of energy in midfield, but became the last of four names in the referee’s book for a challenge on Waite. Bearsted almost found a late winner in the 85th minute when a cross from the right was volleyed towards goal by Ezekiel Zambara, forcing Dan Eason into his first save of the evening from open play. There was a surprisingly short amount of time added on, given numerous stoppages and substitutions, and the teams could not be separated before the referee called a halt to a closely fought game.

Under the rules of the competition, the game went straight to penalties. Sithole was first to step up and put Whitstable in front, although his kick found the net via the post and goalkeeper. Benham acrobatically turned away the next two Whitstable efforts by Thomas and Mackenzie and although Wells rifled the fourth home penalty into the roof of the net, the damage had been done with Bearsted scoring their first three. It was left to Ababio to confirm their passage to the quarter finals by firing home their fourth.

Whitstable are left to “concentrate on the league” and the next challenge is another home fixture on Saturday, with a visit from Stansfeld.

Whitstable Town
Dan Eason, Jake Mackenzie, George Sheminant, Caoilte Deakin, Will Thomas, Tom Mills (c), Rodney Eruotor (Sammi Takaloo 62), Liam Gillies, Dean Grant (Ronald Sithole 63), Josh Oliver (Jordan Wells 71), Jefferson Aibangbee (Gus Barnes 71).
Sub (unused): Cameron Chamberlain
Goal: Jefferson Aibangbee 18
Yellow cards: Dean Grant 9, Caoilte Deakin 82.

Bearsted
Tom Benham, Jordan Tingley, Callum McCarthy (c), Phil Headley, Colby Waite, Daniel Melvin, Omotunmise Akanni, Joel Wakefield, Jordan Ababio, Alfie Saunders (Ezekiel Zambara 76), Shae Echema.
Subs (unused): Andy Irvine, Cameron Croucher, Charlie Gill, Lewis Neale.
Goal: Phil Headley (pen) 36
Yellow cards: Alfie Saunders 51, Jordan Tingley 66.

Attendance: 196
Referee: Myles Hewson
Assistants: Mark Cheeseman & Luke Sidaway