Whitstable and Glebe produced an entertaining game, but in the end had to be content with a point each, although either might have won it in the last few minutes. Whitstable looked relatively comfortable in the first half without being able to make the most of the chances created and needed Jordan Perrin to make vital saves on the only two occasions Glebe really threatened. Whitstable had a great opportunity to take the lead early in the second half when Josh Williams was fouled in the box, but his penalty was saved by Nathan Edwards. Harvey Smith did convert a Tyler Anderson cross to put the hosts ahead and they thought James Jeffrey had doubled the advantage, only for his effort to be ruled out for offside following a discussion between the officials. Marcel McDonald eventually grabbed a late leveller when his deflected shot beat Perrin. Glebe almost stole all of the points in added time when James Philpot went around Perrin, but he shot into the side netting.

Glebe arrived at the Belmont with a nine point lead at the top of the table, although having played more games than the chasing pack that included sixth placed Whitstable who were fifteen points behind with two games in hand. Glebe were unbeaten since losing at Holmesdale just before Christmas and had won the reverse fixture 2-0 back in August. Rodney Eruotor was in the Whitstable
line up for that earlier meeting, but now returned in the Glebe team. Whitstable, looking to bounce back from their midweek cup semi-final loss to Croydon, welcomed back two cup tied players, Ollie Gray and James Jeffrey, and new signing Jeff Duah-Kessie started up front. Reece Gillies was handed the left back role with Tyler Anderson ahead of him on that side of the pitch. A decent sized crowd of 364 braved the showery weather in east Kent.

There was nearly a great start for Whitstable when Liam Gillies threaded a pass through for Jeffrey, but he was just unable to steer the ball past the advancing Nathan Edwards and the ball deflected off the goalkeeper before being cleared away by Darion Dowrich. Josh Williams tried his luck from distance, but the ball went over the bar, then Anderson’s shot was blocked when a corner kick reached him just outside the area. Reece Gillies did well to come across to deal with a quick Glebe break down the left. Whitstable started to put some pressure on the Glebe defence and twice went close around the 20 minute mark when Jeffrey’s deflected shot was saved, then a good run by Anderson gave Williams the chance to shoot, but his effort was just too high.

Dowrich chased a ball down the left and found Jason Banton who strode into the box before hitting a swerving shot from a tight angle that Perrin did very well to push away for a corner. Liam Gillies collected an Anderson pass on the right and crossed for Jeffrey, but he couldn’t get a shot away before being closed down. In the 32nd minute, Glebe had their best chance of the half when a great diagonal pass by Aaron Goode picked out Eruotor who was left with just Perrin to beat, but the Whitstable goalkeeper saved with his legs. Liam Gillies and Williams both had efforts blocked by defenders and then after some good work by Williams, Jeffrey’s shot was deflected for a corner which dropped for Williams, but he was unable to steer his shot through the crowded goalmouth.

Following the goalless first half, Glebe made a change at the break with Michael Adepoju replacing Drew Allassani, but Whitstable started well with Williams and Liam Gillies creating an opening for Anderson who was enjoying a good game on the left, but after he made space for a shot, his effort was blocked. Following another two Glebe substitutions, a corner was played short to Dowrich whose shot was saved by Perrin. Whitstable then had a great chance to open the scoring in the 59th minute after Jake Mackenzie sent Williams away on the right and he was fouled by Dowrich just inside the area. Williams took the penalty himself, but it was too close to Edwards who got down to save and then grabbed the ball as Anderson tried to follow in. Harvey Smith was introduced in place of the debutant Duah-Kessie after an hour and he put Whitstable ahead in the 66th minute. Reece Gillies won the ball and passed to Anderson who took it forward before his low cross was swept in by Smith. James Philpot almost replied quickly when his cross was intercepted but found its way back to him and he shot just wide of the near post from close range.

Whitstable were celebrating again in the 77th minute when Jeffrey chased a ball forward and beat the defender before shooting into the far corner, but the assistant had flagged for offside and after the referee went across to discuss it with him, the goal was eventually ruled out, but it looked a very tight call. The game became quite open as the clock ticked down and it was Glebe that snatched an equaliser in the 88th minute. Philpot broke down the left and crossed for Ali Fofanah whose shot was stopped by Tom Mills, but the ball rebounded to Marcel McDonald and his shot hit Reece Gillies before curling past Perrin. The six added minutes were action packed with two good breaks by Williams that Whitstable were unable to make count, then Fofanah played Philpot through and he went around Perrin, but the angle was tight and his shot hit the side netting. A Liam Gillies cross was volleyed by Smith and the ball went through the hands of Edwards, but Jonathan Erhabor was there to head clear. Glebe then won a free kick 20 yards from goal that was taken by Malachi Morris, but his shot was deflected just past the post and when the resulting corner was cleared the final whistle blew with the score still somehow 1-1.

Having played the team at the top of the table, next Saturday Whitstable travel to face the team currently at the bottom, Welling Town, and Whitstable will be hoping for a better result than when they met in November and Welling scored twice in the last few minutes to record a 3-2 away win.

Whitstable	Data	Glebe
5	Shots on target	4
3	Shots off target	4
8	Shots blocked	4
3	Corners	7
14	Fouls conceded	11
1	Offside	2
1	Penalties	0

Whitstable Town
Jordan Perrin, Jake Mackenzie, Reece Gillies, Mikey Dalton, Ollie Gray, Tom Mills (c), Tyler Anderson, Liam Gillies, Jeff Duah-Kessie (Harvey Smith 60), James Jeffrey, Josh Williams.
Subs (unused): George Sheminant, Will Thomas, Josh Oliver, Malachi Hudson.
Goal: Harvey Smith 66
Yellow card: Reece Gillies 90+5

Glebe
Nathan Edwards, Ben Mundele (Jonathan Erhabor 56), Darion Dowrich, Aaron Goode, Jamie Coyle, Drew Allassani (Michael Adepoju 46), Jason Banton (Ali Fofanah 79), Parish Muirhead, James Philpot (c), Rodney Eruotor (Marcel McDonald 55), Nathan Mampono (Malachi Morris 63).
Subs (unused): none
Goal: Marcel McDonald 88
Yellow cards: Jason Banton 79, Michael Adepoju 85.

Attendance: 364
Referee: Chris Cannon
Assistants: Christopher Skilton & Kiran Bailey