A new year kicked off at the Belmont Ground with plenty of entertainment and some promise for the future as Whitstable scored four goals against Glebe for the second time this season and made it eight in two home games since Christmas, following a depressing run for the majority of 2022. Glebe played their part in a good game of football despite the blustery conditions and took an early lead when a Ryan Atkinson free kick found the net. The visitors created several other presentable opportunities, but were unable to add to their score and Whitstable took full advantage. Victor Aiyelabola steered home an equaliser before the break, then Harry Gamble and Tom Mills both scored just after the hour mark. Glebe still had a few opportunities to set up a tense finish, but Whitstable made certain of maximum points with a late James Jeffrey goal.

The two teams find themselves in the top eight around hallway through the season, but both would probably have wished to be closer to the summit and indeed each have changed managers since the campaign started in July. Whitstable did manage a 4-2 away win at Glebe in October when both clubs had their previous management teams in place, so it was not surprising that the starting elevens looked quite different for this return fixture. Tom Hever, Reece Gillies and Jamie Philpot were the only Glebe players to start both games, but six players remained in the Whitstable team and they were also joined by Harry Gamble who scored for Glebe in the first meeting. Fortunately, for the teams and 381 people that came to watch, the earlier rain had cleared just before the kick off and only returned after the final whistle.

Both teams tried to play football on the 3G surface, which was just as well given the strong winds above. The game was in just the 6th minute when Glebe opened the scoring after winning a free kick a few yards from the right corner flag. Atkinson swung the ball in left footed and it curled past Dan Eason into the far corner. The action then continued end to end, with Rodney Eruotor and Josh Oliver combining on the right to deliver a dangerous cross that was deflected and caught by Jordan Olds under his bar. Oliver then ran from his own half before being fouled 25 yards from goal by Jamal Abubakari, who was booked by the referee, before Aiyelabola’s low free kick was saved by Olds. Whitstable’s first corner was taken by Liam Gillies, headed back by Will Thomas and over the top by Gamble.

Chances continued at both ends and a great move by Glebe after they won possession on the right should really have doubled their lead in the 33rd minute. Atkinson, Malachi Morris and Jamie Philpot exchanged several passes that left Philpot in the box with just Eason to beat, but he lifted his shot over the bar. Atkinson then shot over from 20 yards and Marcel McDonald might have done better after collecting a loose pass. Whitstable had enjoyed some periods of possession without threatening too much, but equalised in the 39th minute. Liam Gillies carried the ball forward before passing to Ronald Sithole who was closed down, but the ball rebounded off Jargal Enkh to the left edge of the box where Aiyelabola placed a low, left footed shot between two defenders and past Olds into the far corner. Just before the break, Aiyelabola needed treatment after a poor challenge by Reece Gillies who escaped with a yellow card and the teams went in level at 1-1.

Glebe created the first good chance of the second half when a threaded pass by Atkinson found Philpot in space on the left of the area, but he placed his shot just wide of the far post. Whitstable won a free kick for a handball on the right corner of the penalty area and Olds pushed Aiyelabola’s left footed curler behind, then from the corner, a Mills header was blocked before Oliver fired just over from 20 yards. A quick Whitstable break saw Eruotor cross from the right for Sithole, whose header was well saved by Olds, but Whitstable kept the ball patiently before releasing Sithole on the left. The young Gillingham loanee turned past two challenges and his shot was beaten away by Olds, but Glebe struggled to clear and the ball eventually fell to Gamble who fired it into the net in the 61st minute. Glebe felt there may have been an offside before the ball came back to Gamble, but after a discussion between the officials, the goal was confirmed. Things got better still for Whitstable just a few minutes later when a George Sheminant corner was headed in at the near post by Mills.

Glebe remained in the game throughout an entertaining second half and following a good run by McDonald, the ball was only partially cleared to Philpot on the left and Eason did well to turn his first time shot over the bar. Whitstable became a little careless in the closing stages and a mix up let Philpot in again, but this was not to be the prolific striker’s best day and his weak finish was saved. Reece Gillies then struck a free kick over the bar before shooting just past the post from 18 yards after being set up by John-Prince Rylah. McDonald’s shot was deflected behind when Caoilte Deakin slid in to block and then a fierce Rylah strike from a tight angle on the right was pushed away by Eason. The last word though belonged to two Whitstable substitutes, just as the game entered stoppage time. Jefferson Aibangbee raced past two defenders on the left before delivering a low cross that was steered in by Jeffrey to seal a 4-1 home win.

There had been plenty of good football from both teams and some well-worked goals. Glebe will no doubt feel they should have scored more than one from the chances created. Whitstable though are showing signs that 2023 could be a better year on the pitch than the previous.

There are two more home matches this week for Whitstable: a SCEFL Challenge Cup tie against Bearsted on Tuesday, then league action returns on Saturday with a visit from Stansfeld.

Whitstable	Data	Glebe
8	Shots on target	5
2	Shots off target	6
4	Shots blocked	2
3	Corners	3
14	Fouls conceded	9
1	Offside	0
0	Penalties	0

Whitstable Town
Dan Eason, Jake Mackenzie, George Sheminant, Josh Oliver (Caoilte Deakin 79), Will Thomas, Tom Mills (c), Rodney Eruotor (Dean Grant 87), Liam Gillies, Ronald Sithole (Sammi Takaloo 90+2), Victor Aiyelabola (Jefferson Aibangbee 73), Harry Gamble (James Jeffrey 90).
Subs (unused): none
Goals: Victor Aiyelabola 39, Harry Gamble 61, Tom Mills 66, James Jeffrey 90+1.
Yellow card: James Jeffrey 90+3.

Glebe
Jordan Olds, Moussa Cisse (Georgi Steeds 87), Jargal Enkh, Tom Hever, Jamal Abubakari, Reece Barrett, Marcel McDonald, Reece Gillies, Jamie Philpot (c), Ryan Atkinson (John-Prince Rylah 63), Malachi Morris (Tyreke Leslie 71).
Subs (unused): Daniel Vaughan, Teddy Green.
Goal: Ryan Atkinson 6
Yellow cards: Jamal Abubakari 16, Reece Gillies 45, Jamie Philpot 89.

Attendance: 381
Referee: Mark Fitzpatrick
Assistants: Wayne Cooksey & Michael Marsh