DULWICH HAMLET 2 WHITSTABLE TOWN 3
Emirates FA Cup First Round Qualifying
Saturday August 30 2025 15.00

Whitstable maintained their recent love affair with cup competitions as they dramatically turned around a two goal deficit before scoring a last minute winner to knock out their Step 3 hosts. Whitstable almost took an early lead, but gradually Hamlet began to ask questions with their attacking play and top scorer Luke Wanadio scored twice as the home team threatened to coast through. Whitstable did begin to cause some problems for the Hamlet defenders who collected a series of yellow cards, followed by a red for Wanadio on the stroke of half time. Whitstable, with an extra man, were more effective in wide areas after the break and Dean Grant pulled a goal back. Javaun Splatt headed in an equaliser that was immediately followed by another red card for Hamlet, as Nyren Clunis was shown a second yellow. Whitstable went in search of a winner, but were temporarily rocked when a penalty was awarded against them but Dan Colmer saved. The nine men of Hamlet tried to hang on and a replay looked likely, only for Splatt to score the winner with seconds left on the clock and spark wild scenes of celebration among the Whitstable players and supporters.

The teams met several times in the Isthmian League some years ago and a few supporters may still remember Whitstable winning 3-2 at Champion Hill in February 2008 when goals from Ian Pulman, David Cory and Tommy Martin derailed Hamlet's playoff hopes. This time around though, the home team, flying high in the Isthmian League Premier Division were strong favourites to progress against a Whitstable team now playing two steps lower in the football pyramid. Both clubs have enjoyed significant growth in support in recent years and the attendance for this FA Cup tie was 1,681; by comparison, just 302 watched that 2008 meeting. Dulwich Hamlet, in their 100th FA Cup campaign, entered the competition at this stage, although had failed to progress further in the past couple of years. Their league programme has begun well though, with four wins and a loss at Whitehawk leaving them in second place. Whitstable had eased through two preliminary rounds and were the current top scorers with 16 goals from their two big away wins. Two key players, Mikey Dalton and Ricardo Thompson, were missing through suspension and Jack Peters made his first start.

There was plenty of support for Whitstable in the ground and the sprinklers on the pitch prior to kick off might have reminded them of their triumphant FA Vase final at Wembley in May, but they would certainly have been encouraged by the start their team made. An early corner was headed by Joe Healy towards Dean Grant whose shot from close range was saved by goalkeeper Toby Bull. Then, a long throw by Bradley Schafer dropped for Jake McIntyre who tried an overhead kick that flew over the bar. Peters managed to get in the way of a shot by Sol Baugh as the home team began to look dangerous. The opening goal was scored in the 16th minute when Luke Wanadio played a good one-two with Gaspar Mico on the left before shooting towards the far corner and the ball ended up in the net despite the best efforts of Jayden Boulton on the far post. Another good build up on the left led to Lonit Talla pulling the ball back for Wanadio to clinically find the far corner again to make it 2-0 in the 27th minute.

Whitstable fans may well have feared the worst at this point, but their team had not negotiated their way through ten rounds to win the FA Vase last season without the ability to battle! They began to manage the situation a little better and after a good move saw Boulton flagged marginally offside, Javaun Splatt curled a shot just over the top. The referee spoke to Peters and Nyren Clunis after a clash and shortly afterwards, a 37th minute foul on Peters saw Clunis become the first name in the referee's notebook. Splatt then showed some skill to get past Sean Bonnett-Johnson who saw a yellow card for pulling him back. The sequence continued when Schafer robbed Joseph Adewunmi who then brought him down to become the third Hamlet player cautioned in a six minute spell. Whitstable were unable to make anything of the resulting free kicks and there was no reaction from the referee when Schafer went down following a good run into the box. The referee did react however just after the 45 minute mark when Wanadio was shown a straight red card for kicking out at a Whitstable player and Hamlet would have to return for the second half 2-0 up, but without their 51 goal striker.

There was a half time substitution for Hamlet with the introduction of Amadou Kassarate, but the feeling was that the last few minutes of the first half had potentially given Whitstable an opportunity to get back in the game. A miscued clearance by Will Thomas gave Talla the chance to try an audacious long shot that didn't miss by much. Hamlet were forced into another change when Mico, who had been in the AFC Whyteleafe team in the Vase final, limped off to be replaced by Anthony Cook. Healy volleyed over, Bull held a Grant cross and Boulton lashed a wild shot well wide before Whitstable brought Callum Peck on for Healy. Whitstable began to spread the ball around with more confidence using Peck on the left and Theo Osinfolarin on the right. Peck had a shot blocked and Splatt headed over, then at the other end, Clunis and Talla had efforts blocked as Hamlet won a couple of corners, but from the second, a quick Whitstable break brought their first goal in the 65th minute. Fin Cotton released Boulton who found Splatt and he laid the ball off for Peck on the left who made room to send over a low cross for Grant to slot in at the near post. Talla became the next to be cautioned, but the resulting free kick came to nothing.

Whitstable were level at 2-2 in the 73rd minute when the referee played on after Thomas was fouled by Clunis and when the ball reached Boulton on the left, his deep cross was headed back across goal by Grant for Splatt to rise highest to head home. There was some controversy when referee Alfred Finch-Critchley then went back to show a second yellow to the Hamlet captain for his foul in the build-up, leaving his team to play the remaining time with nine. They were given a big chance in the 79th minute when a free kick was crossed into the Whitstable box and Schafer was perhaps harshly adjudged to have caught a Hamlet player and a penalty was awarded. Cards were shown to McIntyre and the Whitstable bench for their protests. Cook stepped up, but Colmer saved and Thomas was on hand to head the rebound to safety. The remaining time was mostly occupied by Whitstable probing for a way through the Hamlet defence. Peck, Thomas and Schafer all tried their luck, but deep into added time another shot was deflected just past the post for a corner. It looked as though Whitstable were planning to keep the ball in the corner, but it came out to Cotton who lifted it towards the near post where Splatt rose to nod it past Bull for a scarcely believable conclusion. The final whistle blew as soon as play restarted and Whitstable were through to the next stage for the first time since losing to Canvey Island in 2010-11.

The late goal meant no replay was necessary, so Whitstable return to league action on Tuesday with the visit of Kennington to the Primcura Healthcare Stadium. In the meantime, however, there is the small matter of the draw for the FA Cup Second Round Qualifying at 1 pm on Monday when the 88 survivors are joined by the 48 Step 2 clubs from the National League North and South Divisions.

Dulwich Hamlet
Toby Bull, Michael Chambers, Nyren Clunis (c), Luke Wanadio, Alfie Payne, Tom Chambers, Sol Baugh (Amadou Kassarate 46), Gaspar Mico (Anthony Cook 51), Joseph Adewunmi, Sean Bonnett-Johnson (Gio Palmer 82), Lonit Talla (Danny Mills 76).
Subs (unused): Jordan Wynter, Geoffrey Okonkwo, Anthony Jeffrey.
Goals: Luke Wanadio 16, 27.
Yellow cards: Sean Bonnett-Johnson 38, Joseph Adewunmi 42, Lonit Talla 69.
Red cards: Luke Wanadio 45+1, Nyren Clunis (two yellows 37, 74).

Whitstable Town
Daniel Colmer, Theo Osinfolarin, Jayden Boulton, Jack Peters, Will Thomas, Jake McIntyre (c), Dean Grant (Jake Abrahams 90), Fin Cotton, Javaun Splatt, Bradley Schafer, Joe Healy (Callum Peck 59).
Subs (unused): Zach Keeble, Luke Mandry, Connor Wilkins, Finn O’Mara, Ashdon Day.
Goals: Dean Grant 65, Javaun Splatt 73, 90+6.
Yellow card: Jake McIntyre 79

Attendance: 1,681
Referee: Alfred Finch-Critchley
Assistants: Ben Soll & Stephen Williams