Punjab United ended Whitstable’s recent good run in the league with a comfortable win, as the Gravesend based club’s unbeaten home record was rarely threatened. The game was often scrappy and littered with free kicks and had several controversial talking points, but there were a few flashes of quality and six goals. Wayne Bushell opened the scoring after Whitstable had conceded a needless corner and although Josh Oliver headed an equaliser, Callum Stringer’s deflected shot put Punjab back in front before the break. Cruis Nyadzayo increased the lead soon after the restart, taking full advantage of a long ball while Whitstable appealed in vain for a free kick. The result was never in doubt after that and Jack Hopkins nodded in a fourth for the home team before Steadman Callender scored a late consolation following a quick break, but Whitstable were well beaten on the day.

This was the first meeting between the two teams this season and third placed Whitstable came into the game nine points above Punjab United who had played one game fewer, but were the only club still unbeaten at home in the league. They are also the Kent Senior Trophy holders, having beaten Deal Town 6-0 in the final back in April. Whitstable made three changes to the team that lost at Kennington in the Challenge Cup on Tuesday, with Liam Gillies, Harvey Smith and Josh Williams returning. Tyler Anderson had recovered from injury to start on the bench, alongside new signing from Fisher, Eniye Amgbaduba. Midfielder Mikey Dalton remained side-lined through injury.

There was a modest crowd of 124 at the unwelcoming Steve Cook Stadium, where the pitch had a thick but uneven covering of grass. Unfortunately for those that had made the journey to support Whitstable, the home team bossed the game for the majority of the afternoon, and were not short of advice for the match officials! It was indeed Punjab that dominated the opening minutes, without being able to make a breakthrough. Whitstable appeared unfortunate though in the 20th minute though when Harvey Smith and Josh Oliver combined to send Emmauel Oloyede clear, but he was surprisingly flagged offside despite being played on by two defenders. The pressure continued to come at the other end however and when a stray Liam Gillies pass gifted a corner to Punjab in the 28th minute, Whitstable were punished as Dan Eason only palmed the ball out to Wayne Bushell 12 yards out and he shot into the far corner of the net. Somewhat against the run of play, Whitstable equalised in the 35th minute with their only goal attempt of the half. Smith sent Josh Williams away on the right and he made space to deliver a good cross to the back post where Oliver headed the ball past Max Ovenden. Cruis Nyadzayo stabbed a great low cross wide, but Punjab were back in front on 42 minutes after right winger Emmanuel Osei-Owusu got the better of George Sheminant and picked out the unmarked Callum Stringer whose shot took a deflection off Reece Gillies to wrong foot Eason. The Whitstable goalkeeper saved another Stringer shot just before the break, but a poor half left Whitstable with some thinking to do at half time.

Whitstable introduced Amgbaduba for his debut and started the second half brightly, but soon fell further behind in the 49th minute. Smith and Williams both appeared to be fouled in front of the Whitstable bench, but the referee allowed play to continue and Jack Hopkins sent a long ball forward to Nyadzayo who got by Tom Mills before shooting past Eason. The frustrations of the Whitstable manager were rewarded with a yellow card as his team were left a mountain to climb and with no obvious sign of a comeback, further substitutions were made. They had a great chance to strike back in the 74th minute when Williams ran on to an Amgbadube flick and got past his marker only to shoot too close to Ovenden who was then able to grab the loose ball. Mills went into the book for unceremoniously halting the run of Chris Edwards, but Andrew Dythe struck the free kick into the wall. Punjab added a fourth goal in the 83rd minute when a deep cross from the right was knocked back into the middle and headed in by Hopkins. It was nearly five shortly afterwards when a Punjab corner was headed back into the middle and hooked towards goal by Hopkins, but Reece Gillies cleared off the line, then Dythe’s goal bound header was blocked and Whitstable broke quickly to score a consolation. Williams carried the ball forward, then found Anderson on the left and he drew the goalkeeper out before crossing to Steadman Callender who steadied himself and slotted the ball past the covering defenders. As the game drifted to a close, a nasty tackle on Williams left him requiring treatment on his ankle and brought a yellow card for the Punjab captain Lea Dawson, but the final whistle soon signalled an end to a game that Whitstable will want to forget as they move on to the games over Christmas and New Year.

Whitstable return to the Belmont on Saturday for their last home game of 2023. League leaders Faversham Town are the visitors for this “Christmas” local derby.

Punjab	Data	Whitstable
9	Shots on target	3
6	Shots off target	0
3	Shots blocked	1
6	Corners	0
11	Fouls conceded	21
3	Offside	1
0	Penalties	0

Punjab United
Max Ovenden, Chris Edwards, Andrew Dythe, Jack Barry, Stephen Ratcliff, Jack Hopkins, Wayne Bushell, Lea Dawson (c), Cruis Nyadzayo, Callum Stringer (Hudson Scudder 85), Emmanuel Osei-Owusu.
Subs (unused): Paul Vines, Ashley Probets, Michael Aziaya, De Niro Pinto.
Goals: Wayne Bushell 28, Callum Stringer 42, Cruis Nyadzayo 49, Jack Hopkins 83.
Yellow cards: Chris Edwards 51, Lea Dawson 90+2.

Whitstable Town
Dan Eason, Jake Mackenzie, George Sheminant (Will Thomas 82), Reece Gillies, Jahmal Howlett-Mundle, Tom Mills (c), Josh Oliver (Steadman Callender 72), Liam Gillies, Emmanuel Oloyede (Eniye Amgbaduba 46), Harvey Smith (Tyler Anderson 71), Josh Williams.
Sub (unused): Josh Robson
Goals: Josh Oliver 35, Steadman Callender 88.
Yellow cards: Josh Oliver 45+5, George Sheminant 68, Tom Mills 78.

Attendance: 124
Referee: Tom Nicholls
Assistants: James Scudder & Jason Banner