Whitstable safely negotiated a potential FA Cup "banana skin" against in-form Roffey, winning 3-1 on a warm day at the Kent coast. A very early Derek Asamoah goal settled any nerves and with Jack Nelson and Kenny Aileru also on target, an upset rarely seemed likely. Roffey did play plenty of possession football without creating many chances, but Bailey Moyo took advantage of some hesitation in the Whitstable defence to score a consolation goal.

The competitive season for Whitstable began with an Extra Preliminary Round tie in the Emirates FA Cup at home to Southern Combination Football League Premier Division club, Roffey. The "Boars" who share at Horsham's ground this season appointed former Lancing and Haywards Heath manager Naim Rouane in the summer and had enjoyed some promising pre-season results before winning their opening two league games 8-0 and 3-2. Whitstable had made it all through way to the Fourth Round Qualifying last season, scoring 24 times in a record breaking run that ended at Wealdstone. A summer of change has brought a new manager and almost a whole new team, ahead of their return to the Isthmian League. The large squad assembled by Lee Martin meant some decisions before naming the team for this game, although there were several absentees due to injury, including club captain Ian Gayle. The YMS Stadium attendance was 461.

The start of the 100th FA Cup campaign for the Oystermen could hardly have begun better. Roffey were put under pressure from the kick off and a pass back followed by Dylan Pauw's slip was pounced on by the lively Robbie Rees who rolled the ball across goal for veteran striker Derek Asamoah to score at the back post with just 72 seconds on the clock. Roffey passed the ball around confidently, although mostly in their own half, living dangerously at times as Whitstable pressed. A patient build up down their left led to their first opportunity in the 14th minute when a deep cross was laid back by Josh Neathey for Jordan Mase who shot over the bar from just inside the box. Bailey Moyo sprinted down the right after a long ball before crossing low for Teddy Wood, but his shot skewed wide after a good interception by Harrison Pont, although the officials awarded a corner that was volleyed well wide at the far post. Whitstable were forced to make a change when captain Tom Beere picked up a knee injury in a challenge and he was replaced by Henry Young at the drinks break.

In the 34th minute, Whitstable doubled their advantage when a corner was cleared, but lobbed back into the penalty area by Rees where two red shirts rose with defender Jack Meeres. Two players ended on the ground while the ball dropped kindly for Asamoah who crossed low to give Jack Nelson the simple task of finding the net from a couple of yards out. Roffey were convinced they should have been given a free kick, but the officials didn't see anything wrong. Mase shot high and wide from distance as Dan Colmer remained untroubled in the home goal. Kenny Aileru played a neat one-two with Asamoah as Whitstable built from the left, but was denied by goalkeeper Monty Watson-Price who got down to save. In added time, Mase ran on to a ball over the top from his own half and got around Colmer, but from out on the left his effort drifted harmlessly across goal as the Whitstable defenders scrambled back to cover, so it remained 2-0 at half time.

Both teams made a change before the restart, with the introduction of Jefferson Aibangbee for Whitstable and Luca Allen for Roffey. There was an early scare for Whitstable as Jamie Smith found space on the right, but nobody was in the middle to meet his cross. Rees won the ball and made a great run through midfield into the box where his cross was just too high for Asamoah. An Aibangbee cross was flicked towards goal by Tom Derry soon after he had replaced Asamoah, but Watson-Price saved. Charlie Thomson replaced Rees in midfield on the hour and Whitstable then added a third goal in the 62nd minute. Derry headed a free kick down, Jeremiah Gyebi rolled the ball back for Aileru who curled a left footer into the far corner from 15 yards. Roffey gave themselves a faint chance of staying in the competition on 66 minutes when Pauw clipped a ball over the top and with two defenders and Colmer all converging on it just outside the box, Moyo got there first and lobbed it into the empty net.

Composed young midfielder Thomson won the ball and played it forward to Derry who fired over from 18 yards. Striker Alex Wall was an 84th minute substitute for Whitstable, as Roffey also made another change. Wall was soon into the action and held the ball up to find Aileru who curled his shot wide. Pont then won possession, drove forward and chipped Watson-Price, but the ball landed on top of the net as two teammates were hoping for a pass. Smith was way off target with a speculative effort as the visitors found it increasingly difficult to threaten. After eight added minutes, Whitstable were through to the next round, but had been made to work hard by Roffey who had tried to play patient, passing football, although their goal proved to be their only shot on target and Whitstable manager Lee Martin will be happy enough with his team's performance in their first competitive game together.

Whitstable will entertain Newhaven, from the same division as Roffey, in the next round in two weeks. Their first Isthmian League game is next up though, with a trip to another newly promoted team, Peacehaven & Telscombe, on Saturday.

Whitstable	Data	Roffey
5	Shots on target	1
5	Shots off target	5
0	Shots blocked	1
4	Corners	1
13	Fouls conceded	4
4	Offside	3
0	Penalties	0

Whitstable Town
Dan Colmer, Benji Oladapo-Gamu, Nathan Green, Jeremiah Gyebi, Harrison Pont, Kenny Aileru, Robbie Rees (Charlie Thomson 60), Derek Asamoah (Tom Derry 57, Alex Wall 84), Tom Beere (c) (Henry Young 26), Jack Nelson (Jefferson Aibangbee 46), Perri Iandolo.
Subs (unused): Zach Keeble, Tom Hanfrey.
Goals: Derek Asamoah 2, Jack Nelson 34, Kenny Aileru 62.
Yellow card: Jefferson Aibangbee 68

Roffey
Monty Watson-Price, Jamie Smith, Charlie Gibson, Dan Pearse (c), Dylan Pauw, Jack Meeres, Teddy Wood, Jordan Mase, Josh Neathey (Luca Allen 46), Bailey Moyo, Evan Hoarty (Terrell Joseph 84).
Subs (unused): Kian Lovett, Tiago Andrade.
Goal: Bailey Moyo 66

Attendance: 461
Referee: Amarachi Okamgba
Assistants: Freddie Waldron & Wayne Cooksey