A hard fought game at the Belmont saw Whitstable fight back to claim another win despite falling behind to an early goal by VCD captain Ben Fitchett who headed in following a corner routine. Josh Oliver equalised from the penalty spot after Harvey Smith had been fouled to send the teams in level at half time. Whitstable had several good chances to take the lead, but had to wait until late in the game before Josh Williams sped through and shot past Joe Hyde. VCD created a few opportunities themselves towards the end, but were unable to test Dan Eason in the home goal, so Whitstable extended their sequence of wins to five.

Following a run of four wins, three in the league plus progress in the Kent Senior Trophy, Whitstable entertained VCD Athletic. The teams had met back in August at Crayford when Whitstable gained a 2-0 win in the FA Cup. VCD, relegated in a play off at the end of last season, have not enjoyed the best of starts back at Step 5, having won just two of their first thirteen league games. Only three of the VCD starting eleven from the previous meeting remained in the team for this game, with their captain that day, Reece Gillies, now in the Whitstable midfield. Emmanuel Oloyede made his first home appearance, after scoring on his debut in midweek. Perhaps because of the unsettled weather, the attendance of 287 was the lowest of the season at the Belmont.

Whitstable created a good opportunity in the 5th minute when Josh Williams got away on the right and sent over an early cross that was volleyed just over the top by the arriving Harvey Smith. VCD then broke well down their right, but Richard Jimoh was unable to keep his shot down. A patient Whitstable move led to Oloyede laying the ball back for Reece Gillies who struck it well from 20 yards out, but Joe Hyde managed to get across to tip behind. The home team were looking the more likely to score, but conceded a corner after losing possession near their own penalty area, which proved costly. It was played short before Sadik Balarbe crossed from the left and it was met by the run of Ben Fitchett who planted his header into the net to put his team ahead in the 14th minute.

Whitstable won a couple of corners as they tried to respond and Smith headed over. The scores were levelled up in the 30th minute when Smith and Oloyede combined and Smith was brought down in the box by Zak Byron and Josh Oliver tucked the resulting penalty just inside the left post to score his 13th of the season, and his 5th from the spot. A long ball forward from Will Thomas picked out the run of Liam Gillies, but he was unable to find Oloyede who was in space awaiting a cross, and the ball was deflected for a corner that was again headed over by Smith. Hyde then just beat Oloyede to a through ball, but the last action of the half was a quick break by VCD that released Balarbe on the left, but his low shot was saved by Eason’s legs at the near post and the score remained 1-1 at the break.

The second half began with Whitstable on top, fashioning a number of good chances without being able to take advantage. An Oliver corner was met by Smith and Hyde did well to push away his header before the ball was cleared. Williams was causing problems on the right wing for the VCD defence and in the 51st minute had a low shot well saved by Hyde, who then more comfortably caught another deflected Willams effort. VCD made two changes before a Reece Gillies foul earned the only yellow card of the match, then Whitstable introduced Mikey Dalton and Tyler Anderson. Williams raced clear again and crossed low for Oloyede who lifted the ball over the top from close range while under pressure. Bethel Gboda tried a shot that struck Tom Mills, before another Williams cross almost brought a Whitstable goal, but Hyde and Fitchett managed to prevent Oloyede applying the finish. Byron shot wide, then Eason safely gathered a shot from distance by Balarbe.

Oloyede found the net in the 77th minute after being played through by Liam Gillies, but was denied by a tight offside call. He went close again when Hyde parried another Williams cross, but Fitchett managed to block his shot as he followed in. VCD were beginning to have plenty of the ball in promising positions, but with little end product and Balarbe sent a shot wide following some good approach play. Liam Gillies had a shot deflected just over the top, but then Whitstable finally found a way through in the 85th minute. Smith swept the ball out to Williams on the halfway line and he got the better of Tom Cousins, raced clear, cut inside and beat Hyde at the near post with a low, left footed shot from 18 yards. There were some late substitutions as Whitstable started to run the clock down, although VCD had one more opportunity in added time when Balarbe came in from the right, made space, but fired wide of the far post and Whitstable held on for a 2-1 win.

Whitstable begin their SCEFL Challenge Cup campaign on Tuesday evening with a second round tie at home to Lordswood.

Whitstable	Data	VCD Athletic
7	Shots on target	3
5	Shots off target	8
3	Shots blocked	3
7	Corners	1
8	Fouls conceded	13
5	Offside	4
1	Penalties	0

Whitstable Town
Dan Eason, Jake Mackenzie, George Sheminant, Reece Gillies (Mikey Dalton 64), Will Thomas, Tom Mills (c), Josh Oliver (Tyler Anderson 64), Liam Gillies, Emmanuel Oloyede (Jack Palmby 87), Harvey Smith, Josh Williams (James Brown 90+2).
Sub (unused): Eri Akintimehin
Goals: Josh Oliver (pen) 30. Josh Williams 85.
Yellow card: Reece Gillies 61

VCD Athletic
Joe Hyde, Harry Lawrence, Tom Cousins, Zak Byron, Ben Fitchett (c), Michael Fenn, Richard Jimoh (Charlie Edmundson 74), Frederick Aikon (Jimmy Sheperd 54), Sadik Balarbe, Bethel Gboda, Afriyie Simon Gyimaha (Jordan Sarfo 59).
Subs (unused): Josh Leach, Alfie Irvine.
Goal: Ben Fitchett 14

Attendance: 287
Referee: Rhys Jeffery
Assistants: Tyler Diminieux & Daniel Payton