Blair Beaten At The Belmont

WHITSTABLE TOWN 2 HOLLANDS AND BLAIR 0
SCEFL Premier Division
Tuesday November 21 2023 19:45

Six weeks earlier, Whitstable had enjoyed a comfortable 3-0 win against Hollands and Blair at their Star Meadow home and although always looking likely to complete the double, they were made to work harder in this game before eventually securing the points. Most of the game was dominated by Whitstable, but despite plenty of possession and goal attempts, a combination of defensive blocks, saves by Dan Ellis and missed opportunities meant that they had to wait until the last twenty minutes before finding the net. Josh Williams tucked away a penalty when Emmanuel Oloyede was fouled and a few minutes later, Oloyede nodded in the second. Dan Eason had just one save to make in each half as Blair struggled to find a way through the home defence.

Whitstable came into this game in good form, having lost just once in their last ten games, whereas in contrast, Blair’s midweek 2-1 win against Rusthall was their first league success since the end of September. It was a return to the Belmont for manager Scott Porter and his assistant Mark Lane, both former Whitstable managers, together with several of their players. There were a few changes to the Whitstable line up as Marcel Nimani rotated some of his players in the middle of a busy period of games. Tom Mills was fit to return, but Jake Mackenzie had to miss his first game of the season, with Will Thomas moving across to play on the right side of the defence. Liam Gillies and Josh Oliver returned to the starting eleven in place of Reece Gillies and Harvey Smith. The Tuesday evening attendance was 291.

Whitstable almost took the lead in the 2nd minute when George Sheminant’s long ball down the left sent Oliver clear of the Blair defence, but his lob over Dan Ellis bounced just past the far post. Whitstable continued to apply plenty of early pressure, but Blair had perhaps their best chance of the evening in the 6th minute when Harvey Welford pulled the ball across from the right and Dean Grant, under pressure from Jahmal Howlett-Mundle on the six yard line, managed to poke a shot towards goal, but Dan Eason saved. Oliver had an opportunity when Whitstable won a free kick 25 yards out, but was unable to replicate his success at Fisher and his shot was easily held by Dan Ellis. In the 13th minute, after a patient build up, Josh Williams, who was a constant threat on the right wing, crossed for Oliver whose goal bound shot struck Rob Gillman at close range and was deflected away for a corner as the referee waved away handball appeals. Williams, Oliver and Emmanuel Oloyede were all denied either by Ellis or defenders getting in the way as Whitstable pushed forward. The Blair bench were constantly voicing their frustration at some decisions and the referee had heard enough, so waved a yellow card in the direction of their manager in the 35th minute. Williams cut across from the right before bending a shot towards the right corner, but Ellis did well to tip the ball around the post, then Thomas was first to the corner and his shot was deflected over the top. A couple of poor challenges just before the break saw both Sam Stace and Grant booked, but Whitstable would have been disappointed that the score remained 0-0 at half time.

Williams started the second half brightly and James Nurden earned himself a card for one mistimed tackle when trying to stop him, but he made a great run shortly afterwards only to be denied by Ellis at his near post, then he crossed for Liam Gillies who skied his shot well over the bar. Billy Horley was the next to have the referee reaching for his pencil and Whitstable had introduced Smith and Steadman Callender from the bench just prior to finally taking the lead in the 70th minute. A clearance by Eason was headed on by Smith for Oloyede and he nodded the ball past Matt Bourne who pulled him back in the box to concede a penalty and become the fifth Blair player to be booked. Williams calmly stroked the kick past Ellis for his 11th goal of the season. A couple of minutes later, Eason had to make his second save of the evening as Bourne rose to meet Nurden’s free kick and the Whitstable goalkeeper got down to push the ball away from danger. After Ellis had saved another Williams shot, Whitstable made the game safe with a second goal in the 77th minute. A series of passes on the left gave Callender the chance to deliver a cross to the far post where Oloyede escaped the attention of Bourne to head the ball past Ellis. Referee Jamie Turner completed his card collection for the evening when he returned to the visitors’ bench to caution Mark Lane. The remainder of the game saw little action apart from a number of substitutions as Whitstable collected another three points to remain in fourth place in the league table.

The Kent Senior Trophy is next up for Whitstable on Saturday with a second round tie at home to Bearsted.

Whitstable Town
Dan Eason, Will Thomas, George Sheminant, Mikey Dalton, Jahmal Howlett-Mundle, Tom Mills (c), Tyler Anderson (Harvey Smith 56), Liam Gillies, Emmanuel Oloyede (Reece Gillies 90+1), Josh Oliver (Steadman Callender 69), Josh Williams (Ed May 90+5).
Sub (unused): Josh Robson
Goals: Josh Williams (pen) 70, Emmanuel Oloyede 77.

Hollands and Blair
Dan Ellis, Finlay Whitton, James Nurden, Frankie Griffin, Matt Bourne, Rob Gillman, Sam Stace, Louis Valencia (c) (Luke Reeves 82), Dean Grant, Billy Horley (Charlie Wright 90), Harvey Welford (Kene Ukatu 85).
Subs (unused): Augusto Chiari, Shaun Welford.
Yellow cards: Sam Stace 45, Dean Grant 45+1, James Nurden 50, Billy Horley 60, Matt Bourne 69.

Attendance: 292
Referee: Jamie Turner
Assistants: George Head & Ross Cooper