Three Points On The Road

BEARSTED 1 WHITSTABLE TOWN 2
SCEFL Premier Division
Saturday December 3 2022 13.00

Two very late goals gave Whitstable a welcome win in a game that for most of the afternoon had looked certain to end in a goalless draw. In a poor game of few chances, Bearsted had looked the more likely to break the deadlock, but it was two Whitstable substitutes that eventually found a way through, with James Jeffrey and Victor Aiyelabola both on target in the last few minutes. There was still time for a consolation goal for Bearsted when a stoppage time penalty was converted by Phil Headley, but Whitstable returned home with maximum points as the reward for scoring from their only two serious goal attempts.

With no scheduled game the previous weekend, Whitstable had arranged a friendly against Rochester United, a game that brought a 5-2 win. November had passed without a league success however, so manager Marcel Nimani and his team travelled to Bearsted hoping to get back on track against a team that had won 2-0 in the reverse fixture back in September. Recent signing Harry Gamble made his debut and Victor Aiyelabola returned to the squad after missing several games due to injury, but Josh Oliver and Will Thomas were both suspended. A cold December afternoon and an inconvenient kick off time were no doubt contributory factors to this game being watched by just 63 people, the lowest attendance for a Whitstable league game this season.

Neither goalkeeper had any saves to make in a very quiet first half and the game was in the 20th minute before Bearsted had the first attempt on goal, as Jordon Ababio had a long range shot deflected behind for a corner. Daniel Melvin headed a Headley cross wide and a couple of efforts were blocked by the Whitstable defence, but there was little entertainment for the few that had come to watch. Whitstable did win their only corner of the afternoon in the 42nd minute, but that was safely caught by goalkeeper James Savage and as the teams went off for their half time break, everyone was hoping for something better when play restarted.

Bearsted showed a little more intent early in the second period, with Headley and Omotunmise Akanni shooting wide before Dan Eason finally had a save to make in the 59th minute, pushing away a Jordan Tingley shot from 20 yards that was heading for the bottom corner. Whitstable then made a double substitution, introducing Aiyelabola and Jeffrey. Tom Mills did well to get in the way of an Ollie Freeman shot on the edge of the box, before Whitstable were almost caught out by a long clearance over the top by Melvin, but Rob Lawrence could only lob the ball wide of the goal. Colby Waite went into the book for a foul on Gamble, but Whitstable were still struggling to create any chances. Akanni had a shot blocked and there followed wayward attempts by Freeman, Headley and substitute Elyon Marshall-Katung. Ababio got past Liam Gillies and broke into the box, but his shot was parried by Eason and Headley put the rebound wide.

The game changed decisively in the 86th minute when Whitstable won the ball in their own half and Aiyelabola carried it forward, exchanged passes with Muhammed Cham on the right and delivered a cross that was headed beyond Savage by Jeffrey at the back post. Things got even better for Whitstable in the 90th minute when a Joel Wakefield pass to Tingley was intercepted by Aiyelabola, who strode into the box before firing past Savage to double the lead. Deep into added time, Ababio got into the box and sent over a cross that was too deep, but Cham had slid in to challenge and a penalty and yellow card was the result. Headley fired in from the spot, but the final whistle soon followed and Whitstable had earned a 2-1 away win.

Whitstable return to the Belmont on Saturday for a home game against Deal Town and will be hoping to build on this performance to improve their disappointing home record so far this season.

Bearsted
James Savage, Jordan Tingley, Callum McCarthy (c) (Ryan Blake 89), Phil Headley, Colby Waite, Daniel Melvin, Omotunmise Akanni (Jon Rogers 81), Joel Wakefield, Ollie Freeman (Flint David-King 81), Rob Lawrence (Elyon Marshall-Katung 66), Jordon Ababio.
Sub (unused): Adam Turton
Goal: Phil Headley (pen) 90+4
Yellow card: Colby Waite 68

Whitstable Town
Dan Eason, Jake Mackenzie, George Sheminant, Reiss Chandler, Sam FitzGerald, Tom Mills (c), Dean Grant, Liam Gillies, Michael Uwezu (Victor Aiyelabola 63), Harry Gamble (Muhammed Cham 81), Kyron Lightfoot (James Jeffrey 63).
Sub (unused): Caoilte Deakin
Goals: James Jeffrey 86, Victor Aiyelabola 90.
Yellow card: Muhammed Cham 90+3

Attendance: 63
Referee: Nicolas Bone
Assistants: Chandon Chapman & Michael Marsh