Whitstable travelled to play a confident Corinthian team who were looking to extend their winning run in the league on a cold afternoon at Gay Dawn Farm. The start could hardly have been better for the travelling Oysters who saw Josh Williams capitalise on a defensive mistake to give Whitstable an early lead and Harrison Carnegie almost added a second shortly afterwards. That was as good as it got however and a hard working Corinthian eleven soon got on top, creating numerous chances and goals by Oscar Housego and Harry Lashley made the score 2-1 by the interval. Hopes of a Whitstable comeback in the second half were dampened soon after play resumed when a quick break gave Sam Bewick the chance to roll in a third for the home team. Whitstable sent on three substitutes and eventually began to ask some questions, with Eniye Amgbaduba twice hitting the post, but Corinthian held on to claim a deserved three points.

These teams last met at this ground in April 2022 in an Isthmian League fixture that ended 1-1. Both have since been relegated and are now looking for promotion again, with Corinthian having won their last six league matches to sit third in the table, on the same points total as Whitstable but with four games in hand. Two Corinthian players, Sam Bewick and Ryan Cheek, actually played for Whitstable in the 2015-16 season, also more recently, Sam Fitzgerald in 2022. Harvey Smith, formerly of Corinthian was in the Whitstable team, which featured another new goalkeeper, Aaron Lee-Wharton, who had been playing for Canterbury City earlier this season.

On a bitterly cold day, Corinthian won an early corner, but it was Whitstable that opened the scoring in just the 3rd minute. Liam Gillies lifted the ball forward and Tom Fitzgerald attempted to head it back to his goalkeeper, Nathan Boamah, but it was short and Josh Williams was there to neatly lob it into the net from the edge of the penalty area. Williams then sent Harrison Carnegie through on goal, but Tom Fitzgerald made some amends for his earlier error by getting back to block. Corinthian then faced three quick Whitstable corners, but gradually grew into the game, although Smith headed another Williams corner wide in the 14th minute. Salim Futa cut in and tried a shot that was pushed out by Lee-Wharton, with Williams on hand to clear the danger. A Bewick shot from a tight angle was parried by Lee-Wharton and as the pressure started to build, the Whitstable defence survived three corners and a Harry Lashley shot.

Corinthian equalised in the 34th minute after being awarded a rather soft free kick just inside the Whitstable half and Jamie Billings sent it into the box where Lee-Wharton, under pressure, could only clear the ball as far as Oscar Housego who lobbed it over two Whitstable players on the line and into the net from 18 yards. The second goal soon followed when left back Dean Nayler clipped the ball forward to Bewick, who was just onside, and his shot across goal was pushed out by Lee-Wharton to Lashley who found the net with a shot from about 12 yards. In the 42nd minute, Lee-Wharton came out to clear a through ball, but it struck Bewick who drove into the box and looked certain to score, but Jake Mackenzie got back well to block and he then managed to deny Futa with another block a minute later. Two Corinthian players required treatment after a collision on the stroke of half time, when Whitstble were probably grateful for a chance to regroup, still trailing 2-1.

The second half began as the first ended with the home team pushing forward and Michael Hagan had a shot saved by Lee-Wharton, but it was 3-1 in the 49th minute when a quick break down the right saw Lashley pass to Housego and with the Whitstable defence wide open, he squared the ball to Bewick who had plenty of time to steer his shot into the net. Whitstable made a triple change on 55 minutes, with the introduction of Eniye Amgbaduba, Jabari Christmas and Tyler Anderson, but the pattern of the game initially changed little with Bewick and Futa shooting wide, then Bewick headed a Hagan cross just past the near post. Bewick then turned provider and his cross was volleyed across goal and wide by Hagan.

Whitstable eventually began to look more threatening, with the substitutes all getting involved and perhaps Corinthian beginning to tire a little. Christmas and Liam Gillies both had efforts blocked before Lee-Wharton was called upon to turn away a Billings free kick. Amgbaduba had a sight of goal, but blasted over, then he combined well with Anderson, only to see his shot strike the far post. Boamah saved a low Willams shot from the right, then following a Whitstable corner the ball was recycled and Mackenzie headed it forward where Amgbaduba rose to flick towards goal, but it was kept out by a combination of Boamah and the far post. A curling shot by Futa at the other end was saved before a Christmas shot and a Williams free kick were blocked. Corinthian were happy to run down the clock for the last few minutes with the score still 3-1 and Whitstable, despite some moments of late promise, never showed enough to deserve anything from this game.

There is an opportunity for Whitstable to bounce back in the Kent Senior Trophy quarter final when the entertain Faversham Strike Force at the Belmont on Saturday.

Corinthian	Data	Whitstable
12	Shots on target	3
8	Shots off target	4
3	Shots blocked	6
9	Corners	7
12	Fouls conceded	13
2	Offside	0
0	Penalties	0

Corinthian
Nathan Boamah, Harry Lashley, Dean Nayler, Tom Fitzgerald (Sam Fitzgerald 90+5), Jamie Billings (c), Ryan Cheek, Salim Futa, Oscar Housego, Sam Bewick (Charlie Clover 75), Brandon Davey, Michael Hagan (Luke Adams 75).
Subs (unused): Jack Unwin, Rodney Botuli.
Goals: Oscar Housego 34, Harry Lashley 35, Sam Bewick 49.
Yellow cards: Ryan Cheek 45+1, Sam Bewick 68.

Whitstable Town
Aaron Lee-Wharton, Jake Mackenzie, George Sheminant, Mikey Dalton, Will Thomas, Tom Mills (c), Harrison Carnegie (Tyler Anderson 55), Liam Gillies, Harvey Smith (Eniye Amgbaduba 55), Reece Gillies (Jabari Christmas 55), Josh Williams.
Subs (unused): Victor Aiyelabola, Josh Robson.
Goal: Josh Williams 3
Yellow card: Will Thomas 81

Attendance: 151
Referee: Jack Smith
Assistants: Thomas Marshall & Liam How Kong Fah