WHITSTABLE TOWN 1 FISHER 1 (after 90 minutes – no extra time)
Fisher won 4-3 on penalties
SCEFL Premier Division Play-Off Semi-Final
Tuesday April 29 2025 19.45

Fisher got the better of Whitstable in a tense penalty shootout to earn a shot at promotion when they play VCD Athletic in the play-off final on Monday. For most of this game, it was Whitstable that looked likely to progress, creating the majority of the chances. A good save and a goal line clearance kept Fisher level until half time, but Jake McIntyre gave Whitstable a deserved lead early in the second half. The home team then went close to extending their advantage on several occasions, but were unable to get the second goal that would probably have assured their passage to the final. Fisher finished strongly however, as Whitstable lost their way a little and eventually Kesna Clarke scored the goal that would mean penalties were required. Whitstable missed two of their five, while Fisher scored all four they needed to see them through.

After a long season with a busy end, including playing their eighth game in seventeen days, it was now sudden death for Whitstable and their opponents Fisher, as both clubs aimed for promotion through the play-offs. Third placed Whitstable entertained fourth placed Fisher, who made the journey to the Kent coast for the second time in a few days, after the two teams had played out a goalless draw on Easter Monday. The Whitstable team showed seven changes from that game, while Fisher made two. A crowd of 762 was there to watch events unfold.

There was an early attempt for Whitstable when Dean Grant managed to get on the end of a ball into the box, but his shot was blocked, then play was halted while Tyron Mbuenimo received treatment for an injury. Chances were few and far between in the first quarter of this tie, although Ronald Sithole collected an Ashdon Day pass and tried a shot that went wide. The first Whitstable corner was taken by Bradley Schafer in the 19th minute and the ball was cleared for a throw in that was initially cleared, but Schafer sent in a cross that was headed wide by Jamie Coyle. Fisher rarely threatened in the first half and their only goal attempt of note was in the 24th minute when a Mbuenimo shot curled gently into the hands of Dan Colmer. Whitstable continued to press, although the Fisher defence generally coped well. A long throw by Schafer was cleared to the edge of the box where Sithole tried a shot that was very well saved by Isaac Ogunseri. Connor Wilkins had a shot from outside the box blocked by the outstretched leg of a defender.

Whitstable came very close to opening the scoring in the 45th minute from a Jake McIntyre free kick on the halfway line when the Fisher goalkeeper came to claim, but was beaten to the ball on the edge of the box by Day whose header looked likely to bounce into the unguarded net, only for the ball to be acrobatically cleared off the line by Flavio Jumo. The corner that followed was partially cleared. but Sithole lifted the ball back into the box where it was headed wide by Coyle. A goalless half ended shortly afterwards and although Whitstable had been the more effective team, they had not managed a breakthrough, so a tight second half was anticipated.

Early in the second half, Whitstable got the goal that certainly changed the atmosphere around the ground. A long throw by Schafer was flicked on by Finn O'Mara and the ball was swept in by the left foot of McIntyre from the six yard line to give Whitstable the lead in the 51st minute. That seemed to inspire the hone team and in the next few minutes they created enough good chances to have booked their place in the playoff final. Coyle launched a free kick forward to Grant who laid it back for Wilkins whose shot was saved. Schafer then made a good run into the box from the left and found Grant whose shot was kept out by the foot of Ogunseri. There was a little action at the other end when Fisher substitute Salim Nassor tried to beat Colmer from the halfway line and the Whitstable goalkeeper caught the ball under the bar. In the 58th minute, a Colmer clearance reached Grant and he set up Schafer whose defected shot came back off the upright.

Fisher were quick to use their full complement of substitutes as they tried to find a way to turn the tide. Grant left the field temporarily with a cut to his head and returned once it had been bandaged. As the game entered the last ten minutes, Fisher began to look more threatening as they pushed bodies forward and Whitstable struggled to keep any meaningful possession. Jacob Katonia crossed from the left, but Kesna Clarke failed to direct his header on target. An Armani-Jordan Martin corner was helped on by Jack Gibbons and Don Macauley headed wide when he might have done better. It looked as though Whitstable would hang on, but a few seconds before the clock reached 90 minutes, Fisher scored the goal that would change the outcome. An attempted pass by Nassor hit Ricardo Thompson and the ball was deflected across to Clarke who turned smartly and shot into the net to make it 1-1. There were almost eight minutes added, but the closest anyone came to a winner was a Robbie Rees shot that was saved by Ogunseri and penalties were required.

Whitstable went first, with McIntyre and Blackwood both successful with the first two kicks, but Ogunseri, who did his best throughout the shootout to delay and put the Whitstable players off, made a good save to deny Sithole. The next five penalties were all scored, leaving Fisher 4-3 up with one each left to take. Nathan Jeche's penalty was saved and Fisher celebrated, but the referee ordered it to be retaken and had to wait while the pitch was cleared. Jeche stepped up again and once more Ogunseri saved to see his team through to face VCD for a place in the Isthmian League.

The night ended in disappointment for Whitstable, who will probably feel they had done enough to have progressed, but ultimately paid the price for losing control in the closing stages. A long unbeaten run, despite an unforgiving schedule, had earned them a play-off spot, which looked unlikely earlier in the season, but perhaps the large number of games in recent weeks had caught up with them a little? They can however still look forward to a memorable day out at Wembley in the FA Vase final as a reward for a great run over the last few months and a chance at some silverware.

Whitstable Town
Dan Colmer, Ricardo Thompson, Jake McIntyre (c), Mikey Dalton, Jamie Coyle, Finn O’Mara, Ronald Sithole, Connor Wilkins (Robbie Rees 88), Dean Grant (Nathan Jeche 90+3), Bradley Schafer, Ashdon Day (Harvey Smith 83).
Subs (unused): Jerald Aboagye, Jayden Boulton.
Goal: Jake McIntyre 51
Yellow card: Mikey Dalton 90+7

Fisher
Isaac Ogunseri, Jack Gibbons (c), Conor Darwish, Tyron Mbuenimo (Siao Blackwood 84), Ange Djadja, Donald Macauley, Jake Lovell (Jacob Katonia 58), Charles Yiadom-Konadu (Salim Nassor 52), Kesna Clarke, Flavio Jumo (Daniel Flemming 76), Courtney Barrington (Armani-Jordan Martin 74).
Subs (unused): none
Goal: Kesna Clarke 90
Yellow card: Siao Blackwood 90+8

Attendance: 762
Referee: Matthew Pollington
Assistants: Jack Matthews & Daniel Roberts
Fourth official: Byron Beard