It may have been a long away trip on a Tuesday night for their FA Cup replay against a team that play two steps higher, but Whitstable produced almost the perfect away performance to book their place in the next round. As expected, Chichester had plenty of the ball, but an organised Whitstable team restricted them to few clear cut chances. Dan Colmer made one outstanding save before half time, but was otherwise rarely tested. Whitstable scored the decisive goal early in the second half, when Ashdon Day cleverly diverted a Javaun Splatt cross past Kieran Magee. Chichester tried hard to respond, but were unable to find a way through the Whitstable defence.

Although Whitstable would have been disappointed not to have won the first game on Saturday, when they had enough chances to have progressed without the need of a replay, they could take confidence from the way they played against their Isthmian Premier Division opponents. They had also won their three previous away ties in this season's FA Cup campaign, including the 3-2 win at Dulwich Hamlet. Even so, a midweek replay in West Sussex against a good Chichester City team was always going to prove a challenge. Both teams made one change to their starting elevens, with Billy Vigar replacing the suspended Emmett Dunn for Chichester and Fin Cotton came into the Whitstable team with Joe Healy dropping to the bench. A good number of Oyster supporters made the trip to see if their team could reach the Third Round Qualifying for the first time since 1989 and the total attendance was 403.

Chichester won a couple of early free kicks without seriously troubling the Whitstable defence, but in the 8th minute Billy Vigar got free on the right and pulled the ball back for Isaac Bello who shot low towards the near post where Dan Colmer was able to collect comfortably. Some good work by Jack Peters and Ashdon Day earned Whitstable a corner that was cleared, then Bello shot over the bar at the other end. Whitstable had to make a change when Theo Osinfolarin limped off to be replaced by Jake Abrahams in the 18th minute. Will Thomas slid in to block a Joe Moore shot, then Abrahams outpaced two Chichester players on the right before being eased off the ball inside the box, but there was not enough in the challenge to interest the referee.

Joe Clarke tried a shot that was blocked by Mikey Dalton and from the resulting corner Vigar lost his marker and met the ball with a diving header just inside the six-yard box, but the ball went wide. Splatt held off two defenders and tried a shot that took a deflection and rolled gently to Magee. Day did well on the left to send over a cross that was only headed out as far as Peters who tried a first time shot that went just past the far post. Chichester almost scored in the 42nd minute when a break led to Bello finding Ethan Prichard on the left of the area and he took it into the middle before bending a great shot towards the top right corner, but somehow Colmer got a hand to the ball to touch it onto the inside of the post and it came back out before being cleared by the excellent Finn O'Mara. Prichard skied another effort over the top, but the teams could still not be separated at the end of a goalless first half.

Chichester came out for the second half and Whitstable hardly touched the ball for the first few minutes as the home side passed it from side to side without being able to penetrate the Whitstable defence. Ryan Davidson had to depart due to injury and was replaced by Theo Bennetts. Peters got himself in the way of one shot before Whitstable took the lead in the 55th minute. O'Mara won possession and sent the ball down the line for Splatt who, despite the attention of three Chichester players, managed to deliver a cross and Day arrived to flick the ball past Magee from five yards. Experienced striker Dean Grant was then introduced in place of Abrahams. Whitstable might have doubled their lead shortly afterwards when Dalton won possession and found Grant who played in Splatt on the left and his low shot across goal rolled just wide. Prichard cut in from the left, but dragged his shot the wrong side of the near post, then Splatt and Day both had shots blocked as the game opened up a little.

Prichard whipped in a dangerous cross and as several players dived to get a touch, the ball bounced up kindly for Colmer to catch. After Clarke's shot hit Dalton, Peters conceded a free kick 20 yards from goal, but Prichard lifted it harmlessly over the bar. Healy replaced Splatt with a quarter of an hour remaining, then Dalton picked up Whitstable's only yellow card for a foul. Chichester made another change before seeing another three attempts charged down by Whitstable defenders. Chichester failed to get the delivery right from a couple of corners and it looked increasingly likely that Whitstable would keep a clean sheet. Bello crossed to Rob Hutchings whose shot again didn't get through to test Colmer and Moore then headed over. In the 88th minute, Lloyd Rowlatt shot just wide and then substitute Lewis Rustell headed over. Almost eight minutes were added, but a yellow card for Ben Pashley was the only incident of note as Whitstable held on to equal their best ever runs in the FA Cup. They remain the highest scorers in this year's competition, now with 21 goals.

Whitstable have a home draw against Southern League Premier Division South team Hungerford Town on September 27th as they bid to reach the Fourth Round Qualifying for the first time. Before that though, they have two league games, away at Tunbridge Wells and at home to Snodland Town.

Chichester City
Kieran Magee, Ryan Davidson (Theo Bennetts 52), Rob Hutchings (c), Joe Moore, Curtis Da Costa (Lewis Rustell 77), Ben Pashley, Isaac Bello, Joe Clarke, Billy Vigar, Lloyd Rowlatt, Ethan Prichard (Mo Jammeh 87).
Subs (unused): Archie Powis, Zach Cahusac, Henry McDonald.
Yellow card: Ben Pashley 90+3

Whitstable Town
Daniel Colmer, Theo Osinfolarin (Jake Abrahams 18, Dean Grant 58), Jake McIntyre (c), Ricardo Thompson, Finn O’Mara, Will Thomas, Fin Cotton, Mikey Dalton, Javaun Splatt (Joe Healy 75), Jack Peters, Ashdon Day.
Subs (unused): Jayden Boulton, Callum Peck, Connor Wilkins, Josh Robson.
Goal: Ashdon Day 55
Yellow card: Mikey Dalton 77

Attendance: 403
Referee: Redmond Egan
Assistants: George Redford & Jamie Wells
Fourth Official: Jack Hussey