As the new 3G pitch nears completion at the Belmont Ground, Whitstable continued on their travels to play a second league match and returned home with maximum points. On another hot afternoon, both sides hit the post in a goalless first half that saw Tunbridge Wells have the majority of the better chances. Whitstable were more effective in the second half and Josh Oliver soon found the net shortly after rattling the post with another effort. Things got worse for the hosts when their captain Jack Walder was sent off on the hour mark, but they came close to levelling shortly before the end when Trevor McCreadie struck the bar, but after quick break, Kyron Lightfoot finished well to put an end to any doubts for the travelling supporters.

Whitstable manager Richard Styles, making an early return to his former club, made three changes to the team that started in the FA Cup loss at Three Bridges. Lightfoot and Oliver both made their first starts and there was a debut for former Herne Bay midfielder Joe Nelder, with Ryan Flack and Richard Atkins among the substitutes and Harry Stannard beginning his three game suspension. Tunbridge Wells had lost their opening league game at Kennington, but then had a good win at Isthmian League Chipstead in the FA Cup.

The game kicked off in heatwave conditions, with a healthy crowd of 279 in attendance. The early minutes saw both teams have a couple of efforts that failed to trouble the goalkeepers. Dan Eason was the first to be tested in the 12th minute, saving a Lamin Bah shot from 20 yards. The home team won three early corners, but were unable to make a breakthrough. Oliver almost capitalised on a defensive mistake at the other end, but his shot was blocked. Whitstable were then fortunate when Eason’s clearance was collected by Bah, who fed McCreadie, but his curling shot went just the wrong side of the post. McCreadie and Bah both put their next opportunities wide as their team pushed forward. In the 28th minute, Whitstable nearly opened the scoring when Tom Mills met a Lightfoot free kick at the near post, but his header struck the far post and the rebound was hooked wide by Freeman Rogers. A long clearance by the home goalkeeper Billy Johnson found its way to Jacob Feasey, who turned his marker and struck the angle of post and bar, with McCreadie slicing the rebound high over the top. Feasey then intercepted a short back pass and sent the ball across goal, but nobody was there. Fjord Rogers, Jake Mackenzie and the home skipper Walder earned yellow cards and the half had a couple of minor flashpoints, but the score remained 0-0 as the teams left the field to cool off at the interval.

Early in the second half, Johnny Phillips was fouled just outside the area and Jon Shea’s free kick bounced awkwardly before being pushed away by Eason. Oliver was found by a ball played over the home defence and his first time shot cannoned off the post. Just afterwards though, a good build up on the right led to Mackenzie pulling the ball back for Oliver to shoot just inside the near post to put Whitstable ahead in the 51st minute. The lead was almost doubled a few minutes later when from Whitstable’s only corner of the match, Mills had his close range header well saved by Johnson. In the 60th minute, Oliver was sent clear again, only to be impeded by Walder, who was shown a second yellow card, leaving his team to continue with ten. A number of substitutions followed, but there was little goal threat until Lightfoot was put through by substitute Atkins and curled a shot just wide. The game’s key remaining moments arrived in the 85th minute. Mills did well to head a dangerous cross away, but when the ball was headed back into the box, McCreadie turned smartly and crashed a shot off the bar. Matt Astle tried to follow up, only for Mills to block and Whitstable broke away. Lightfoot played a one-two with Atkins, got past the last defender and tucked the ball past Johnson. The two managers made changes before the restart and the first use of the sin bin for dissent in a Whitstable match led to the home team being reduced to nine for the remaining minutes, before the final whistle confirmed a 2-0 away win.

Tunbridge Wells will reflect on a few key moments that might have changed the outcome, but two well-taken goals were the difference. They will hope to get back to winning ways with a midweek league game at Holmesdale followed by a home FA Cup fixture against Phoenix Sports. Whitstable however do not have a game until Saturday week, when they travel to play Westside in the FA Vase.

Tun Wells	Data	Whitstable
4	Shots on target	4
7	Shots off target	6
1	Shots blocked	2
5	Corners	1
11	Fouls conceded	15
1	Offside	3
0	Penalties	0

Tunbridge Wells
Billy Johnson, Jon Shea (Chandler Kasai 86), Robbie Bissett, Jack Palmby, Harry Hudson, Jack Walder (c), Matt Astle, Lamin Bah (Ezekial Obooa 59), Trevor McCreadie, Jacob Feasey (Frankie Griffin 62), Johnny Phillips (James Nurden 69).
Sub (unused): Ryan Cheek
Yellow cards: Jon Shea 73, Robbie Bissett 89.
Red card: Jack Walder (two yellows 38, 60)

Whitstable Town
Dan Eason, Jake Mackenzie, Tom Mills, James Huggins, Freeman Rogers (c), Will Thomas, Kyron Lightfoot (Harry O’Donnell 90+1), Joe Nelder (Ryan Flack 69), James Jeffrey (Joe Jarvis 87), Fjord Rogers (Richard Atkins 53), Josh Oliver.
Sub (unused): Tom Roberts
Goals: Josh Oliver 51, Kyron Lightfoot 85.
Yellow cards: Fjord Rogers 31, Jake Mackenzie 33, James Huggins 48.

Attendance: 279
Referee: Matthew Pollington
Assistants: Stephen Luke & Joe Neanor