Having scored four against Erith and Belvedere in midweek, Whitstable did it again against another Isthmian South East Division team on Saturday. East Grinstead Town were the visitors to the Belmont on a dry, but blustery afternoon for another pre-season friendly watched by a crowd of 224.

Whitstable were without both regular full backs through injury, so Ed May and Harry O’Donnell were given starts and it was O’Donnell who was the first to test the visiting goalkeeper who touched his effort onto the bar as the home side made a fast start. The game was still only in the 5th minute when Dean Grant hit the post following some good work by Tyler Anderson. Things then settled down a bit until Jack Palmby had a firm strike from the edge of the box parried on the half hour mark. A mistake in the East Grinstead defence, under pressure from Anderson, presented Harry Gamble with the opportunity to roll the ball into the net to open the scoring in the 32nd minute. Whitstable almost returned the favour shortly afterwards, but managed to recover and clear the danger. Gamble and Anderson both lifted shots over the top before the break with Whitstable good value for their 1-0 lead.

East Grinstead saw a little more of the ball in the second half and equalised in the 66th minute when some neat play on the left led to a low cross being turned in from close range. Whitstable soon restored their advantage as Josh Oliver sent Josh Williams through on the right and he stepped inside before shooting past the goalkeeper in the 71st minute. Both teams had made numerous substitutions, one of whom, Eri Akintimehin, was brought down in the box, but the normally reliable Oliver hit the outside of the post having sent the keeper the wrong way from the spot. He soon had the chance to make amends when Eri was fouled again in the area and this time Oliver made no mistake to make it 3-1 on 90 minutes. There was still time for Whitstable to add a fourth in added time when a Liam Gillies shot was deflected up into the air and Oliver cleverly volleyed the ball into the top corner.

With just two weeks remaining before Whitstable begin their league campaign with a home game against Erith Town, there a couple of practice games left, starting with a match against Whitstable Academy on Tuesday evening.

Whitstable Town
Dan Eason, Ed May, Harry O’Donnell, Jack Palmby, Will Thomas, Tom Mills (c), Tyler Anderson, Liam Gillies, Dean Grant, Harry Gamble, Josh Williams.
Substitutes: Josh Oliver, Gus Barnes, Eri Akintimehin, Jacob Couzens, Josh Robson.
Goals: Harry Gamble 32, Josh Williams 71, Josh Oliver (pen) 90, 90+2.
Yellow card: Liam Gillies 44

East Grinstead Town
No team details provided
Goal: (no. 14) 66

Attendance: 224
Referee: Krystian Kaczala
Assistants: David Jordan & Kiran Bailey