BECKENHAM TOWN 0 WHITSTABLE TOWN 4
Friendly
Tuesday August 5 2025 19.30

Whitstable overcame a slow start to register another win in a friendly fixture at Beckenham Town on Tuesday. A blank weekend ahead meant this was a good opportunity to give the first team squad and several trialists a game against Isthmian South East Division opposition as they continue their preparations for the season ahead. A few players were missing through injury, although there was a welcome return for midfielder Mikey Dalton who played the first half an hour as he continues his recovery from an ankle operation. Beckenham were using the game as final preparation for their league fixtures that begin on Saturday.

The teams last met in the 2017-18 season when both were in the SCEFL Premier Division and Beckenham won 3-1 at home, while the return fixture at Whitstable ended in a 1-1 draw, although it was the Oystermen who were promoted at the end of that campaign. However, in the years since then things have changed, with Whitstable back at Step 5 and Beckenham are now playing at Step 4.

The first part of the game was played largely in the Whitstable half as the home team pushed forward, winning several corners without seriously threatening Zach Keeble in the Whitstable goal. A long ball sent the Beckenham number eleven through and he went past Keeble, but Trialist 5 got back quickly to intercept and tidy up. Whitstable gradually improved and began to create some chances, one of which gave Fin Cotton a sight of goal, but his shot was comfortably held. In the 27th minute, a corner almost led to a Whitstable goal as it was headed on and hit a defender on the line before Theo Osinfolarin’s follow up shot was well saved and then Dalton had a shot blocked from just outside the box. Will Thomas was next to go close, but his header from a corner was straight at the goalkeeper. Dalton was replaced by another trialist on 36 minutes, but will be pleased to have been able to begin his return to playing. A good cross by Callum Peck was just out of reach of Cotton who arrived at the back post. Whitstable were awarded a free kick 22 yards from goal and Osinfolarin struck it low past the diving goalkeeper into the bottom left corner to open the scoring with the last kick of the first half.

Whitstable made four more changes at the interval, including a couple more trialists and a return for former academy goalkeeper Josh Robson, but it was another of the substitutes who made it 2-0 in the 46th minute. A good build up on right, led to a cross by Trialist 2 being knocked down by Dean Grant for Ashdon Day who placed the ball into the far corner with a neat finish. More substitutions followed and Grant then set up Javaun Splatt whose curling shot was well saved. Whitstable were now in control and added a third goal in the 72nd minute. A quick break saw Splatt release Bradley Schafer who was denied by the Beckenham goalkeeper who turned the ball around the post, but from the resulting corner Jake McIntyre headed the ball back across goal for Splatt who finished at the far post. Day then shot over from a promising position and Splatt’s header was easily saved as Whitstable threatened more goals. They had the ball in the net again when Splatt's shot was parried and the rebound tucked away by Trialist 12 who was just offside, so the effort was ruled out, but the fourth goal soon followed in the 83rd minute. A Robson clearance was helped on by Day to Schafer who took the ball past the goalkeeper and rolled it home. Beckenham had rarely looked like getting on the scoresheet, but had two late attempts, both by their number eleven who shot just wide from 20 yards, then lifted another effort over the top as the referee blew the final whistle.

Whitstable return to league action at Bearsted on Tuesday before travelling to play Edgware & Kingsbury in the next round of the FA Cup the following Saturday.

Beckenham Town
Not available

Whitstable Town
Zack Keeble, Trialist 2, Jayden Boulton, Mikey Dalton, Trialist 5, Will Thomas (c), Callum Peck, Joe Healy, Dean Grant, Fin Cotton, Theo Osinfolarin.
Subs: Josh Robson, Ashdon Day, Trialist 4, Trialist 12, James Miles, Javaun Splatt, Bradley Schafer, Tagan Kray, Harry Baptiste, Finn O’Mara, Jake McIntyre.
Goals: Theo Osinfolarin 45, Ashdon Day 46, Javaun Splatt 72, Bradley Schafer 83.

Attendance: 95 (estimate)
Referee: Val Anekwe
Assistants: Abdul Olol & Ian Bentley