SHEPPEY SPORTS 1 WHITSTABLE TOWN 3
Pre-season friendly
Wednesday July 2 2025 19.45

Whitstable made the first of two visits to the Isle of Sheppey during the opening week of their pre-season campaign to face SCEFL First Division team Sheppey Sports. The host club, which has been reformed and renamed several times in its long history, were most recently known as K Sports before being rebranded and making the move from Cobdown to play their home games at Sheppey United’s ground.

The Sports squad contained plenty of trialists, as might be expected at this early stage of pre-season. Whitstable took 21 players, but were without a number of familiar faces for a variety of reasons, including Finn O’Mara, Ricardo Thompson, Joe Healy and Dean Grant. Two other members of the FA Vase winning team, Connor Wilkins and Nathan Jeche, were in attendance, although both are unfortunately unable to play at the moment due to injury.

The first half was goalless, although both teams created a few opportunities that they were unable to take. Bradley Schafer and Callum Peck both put opportunities wide for Whitstable, but they came closest when Ashdon Day’s header was parried by the home goalkeeper before Javaun Splatt lifted the rebound over the bar.

Changes were made at the interval and the second half provided goals and more entertainment for the 94 spectators in attendance. Whitstable opened the scoring in the 50th minute when Schafer won the ball before finding the net with a shot from just outside the penalty area. Sheppey Sports equalised in the 56th minute when a trialist lifted the ball into the goalmouth from a tight angle on the right and a defender on the line was unable to prevent it ending up in the net. The home goalkeeper produced a number of impressive saves to keep Whitstable out, but was beaten twice in the last few minutes. Splatt found himself clear of the defence and finished well from the right in the 84th minute and Whitstable added a third when a right wing cross to the far post was sent back across goal and Luke Mandry arrived to head home.

So, football is back, after what seems like a very short break since Whitstable’s historic FA Vase win at Wembley, and they return to Holm Park again on Saturday to face the Isthmian League South East Division team Sheppey United.

Sheppey Sports
Trialist A, Alfie Bates, Corey Spencer, Jez Hammond, Dylan Ruler, Callum Rollings, Joe Skinner, Joel Wakefield, Beau Cook-Bartholomew, Trialist B, David Latunde.
Subs: Qenan Lua Lua, Trialist C, Trialist D, Trialist E, Trialist F, Trialist G, Trialist H, Trialist I, Trialist J, Trialist K.
Goal: Trialist F 56

Whitstable Town
Dan Colmer, Reece Gillies, Jayden Boulton, James Miles, Will Thomas, Jake McIntyre (c), Callum Peck, Cameron Brodie, Javaun Splatt, Bradley Schafer, Ashdon Day.
Subs: Zach Keeble, Luke Mandry, George Byrne, Thiago, Fin Cotton, Mikey Dalton, Harry Baptiste, Tagan Kray, Nico Grierson, Trialist.
Goals: Bradley Schafer 50, Javaun Splatt 84, Luke Mandry 87.
Yellow card: Cameron Brodie 31

Attendance: 94
Referee: Reece Cahalane
Assistants: Will Watton & Jack Matthews