Whitstable began the new year as they finished the old, with another disappointing performance that allowed a hard working Stansfeld team to pick up just their third league win of the season. Mayowa Olufeko took advantage of Whitstable’s failure to clear a corner to give the visitors an early lead, although Whitstable had a great chance to equalise when Josh Oliver was fouled in the box, but his penalty was saved by Charlie Cottrell. Tommy Whitnell added a second for Stansfeld before half time after Zach Garcia’s 40 yard effort had cannoned off the bar. Whitstable fought back after the break and Emmanuel Oloyede ran through to reduce the deficit with plenty of time remaining and they created enough chances to get something from the game, but were unable to find the net again. Any hope that the growing pressure would still bring late reward was killed off a few minutes before the end when a misplaced pass gifted Stansfeld an opportunity to settle the outcome and it was gratefully accepted by Olufeko.

This was the first meeting between the teams this season and Stansfeld arrived at the Belmont on a very cold afternoon, badly in need of some points to climb off the bottom of the table, having won just two of their twenty one games, although recent 2-2 draws with Fisher and Glebe suggested this would be no straightforward home win for a Whitstable team that had not won in their last four games in all competitions. Stansfeld were unbeaten in two games at the Belmont last season, winning in the county cup and drawing the league match, although Whitstable won 2-0 at Stansfeld in October 2022, in what was Marcel Nimani’s first game in charge. A good crowd of 408 were in attendance for this first game of 2024. Liam Gillies was serving a one game ban and Josh Williams out injured, but there was a return to the club for Victor Aiyelabola who was named as a substitute. There was a late team to the Stansfeld team as captain Mike McKenna had to drop out just before kick off with the armband being passed to Joe Matthews.

Whitstable won several early free kicks and one delivered from the left by Josh Oliver was swung in dangerously, but nobody got a meaningful touch and the ball was safely collected by Charlie Cottrell. There was a brief delay while the referee had words with the vocal Stansfeld management team, but when play restarted a Zach Garcia corner caused problems as the home defence missed several opportunities to clear and the ball was eventually prodded into the net by Mayowa Olufeko to give his team a 7th minute lead. A Stansfeld free kick was played across to Jack Beerling whose firm strike was well blocked by Oliver who was hurt in the process, but carried on after lengthy treatment. Olufeko headed a Joe Borland cross wide, then a dangerous low cross by Emmanuel Oloyede was cleared by the Stansfeld defence. Midway through the half, Whitstable won a penalty when Oliver raced down the right and into the box where he was fouled by Matthews, but his penalty kick was saved by Cottrell low to his left. There was another Whitstable penalty appeal shortly afterwards when Jake Mackenzie’s run was halted by another Matthews challenge, but this one was waved away.

Reece Gillies sent Oliver away down the right again and he crossed for Oloyede whose shot was blocked, then Whitstable were stunned when they fell further behind in the 36th minute. Garcia tried his luck from the centre circle and the ball flew over Dan Eason and struck the bar, but Tommy Whitnell had followed in and with the defence out of position, he had plenty of time to collect the rebound and fire the ball past Eason. Whitstable tried to respond before the break, with Oliver and Oloyede both unable to finish promising moves, while Olufeko and Whitnell were off target at the other end. In added time, Harvey Smith won a free kick and Oliver’s effort was deflected for a corner which was taken short before Oliver curled a cross off the top of the bar, so Whitstable trailed by two goals at the break.

Oliver was unable to return for the second half and was replaced by Harrison Carnegie on the right wing and he sent a good cross right through the box with nobody able to get a touch. Aiyelabola was introduced for Tyler Anderson and the referee went across to show two yellow cards to the Stansfeld bench just before Whitstable scored in the 58th minute. Mikey Dalton spotted Oloyede in space and he ran through unchallenged to shoot past Cottrell, with the assistant keeping his flag down as he appeared to be played onside by Frank McCormack on the far side. Smith lifted a free kick over the bar before both managers made changes, with Eniye Amgbaduba replacing the injured Oloyede up front for Whitstable and he was soon in the action flicking on a header that was parried by Cottrell to Reece Gillies who shot over the bar. Olufeko headed a left wing cross wide at the near post, but the pressure was building from Whitstable and two great crosses by Carnegie were met by Amgbaduba, but he was unable to convert. Then, in the 86th minute, Whitstable were punished trying to play out from the back as Red Jenkins intercepted a pass by Eason and passed to an unmarked Olufeko who found the corner of the net from 18 yards to kill the atmosphere around the ground and end Whitstable’s chances of getting anything from the game.

Whitstable now face two tough fixtures this week against teams they have yet to face as they try to bounce back to form. There is a Tuesday evening home game against Snodland Town, followed by a trip to Corinthian on Saturday. Both teams are amongst those challenging at the top of the table in what promises to be an interesting second half of the season.

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

Whitstable Town
Dan Eason, Jake Mackenzie, George Sheminant, Mikey Dalton, Will Thomas, Tom Mills (c), Tyler Anderson (Victor Aiyelabola 55), Reece Gillies, Emmanuel Oloyede (Eniye Amgbaduba 69), Harvey Smith, Josh Oliver (Harrison Carnegie 46).
Sub (unused): Josh Robson
Goal: Emmanuel Oloyede 58

Stansfeld
Charlie Cottrell, Archie Panyi, Joe Borland (Greg Summersby 71), Frank McCormack, Joe Matthews (c), Louis Birch, Luke Frost (Sam Jeal 90+3), Jack Beerling, Mayowa Olufeko, Tommy Whitnell (Red Jenkins 85), Zach Garcia (Rob Hughes 68).
Sub (unused): Joe Minter
Goals: Mayowa Olufeko 7, 86, Tommy Whitnell 36.
Yellow cards: Zach Garcia 45+3, Archie Panyi 67, Luke Frost 90+2.

Attendance: 408
Referee: Nick Monkman
Assistants: Reece Cahalane & Christopher Skilton