Whitstable continued their strong finish to the season, making it seven wins from the last eight games and three out of three for interim manager Dan Eason, as they beat play-off bound Corinthian 2-0 at the Belmont on a well-attended Sponsors’ Day. There were no goals in a tight first half, although the visitors lost two players to injuries before the interval. The introduction of Harvey Smith just after the hour mark provided the spark Whitstable needed as he scored twice in three minutes, squeezing a low shot past Nathan Boamah, then heading in a corner. The lead never really looked under threat, although Whitstable had to withstand a little late pressure from a Corinthian team that perhaps already had one eye on their play-off semi-final on Tuesday.

Although the play-off teams had already been decided, these two still had something to play for on this final day of the league season. A win for fifth placed Corinthian could have given them a home fixture in those play-offs depending on results elsewhere, while a Whitstable win would guarantee them a sixth placed finish. Corinthian had quite comfortably won the reverse fixture 3-1 in January. Dan Eason started with the same team once again, although Ollie Gray and Gus Barnes were fit enough to be added to the substitutes bench. Fortunately, the heavy rain of the morning stayed away until returning in the evening, so the crowd of 801 that turned out for the club Sponsors' Day were spared the worst of the weather. A minute’s silence was observed prior to the kick-off in memory of Don Wilkinson, a long-time supporter and member of the club staff back in the 1970s, who sadly passed away in recent days.

Whitstable went close inside the 1st minute as Josh Williams made a run from the right and when the ball came back to him his swerving shot from outside the box was just kept out by Nathan Boamah. A Jamie Billings free kick dropped to Ryan Cheek in the other box, but he could only prod the ball weakly to Jordan Perrin. The first Whitstable corner was worked short before Mikey Dalton’s cross was met by Jake Mackenzie whose header was blocked at the far post. Williams tried another long range shot that curled over the top before the game went through a quieter spell.

In the 27th minute, Charlie Clover ran on to a pass by Ahmed Salim Futa and took the ball past Perrin, but too wide and the chance was gone. The first of several lengthy injury breaks followed as Dean Nayler received treatment. Michael Hagan crossed from the left and a glancing header by Oscar Housego was saved by Perrin. Josh Oliver had a fierce shot from 25 yards saved by Boamah, then Perrin had to turn away a rising Nayler effort at his near post. Corinthian pushed forward in the closing minutes of the half and had a couple of shots blocked by Whitstable defenders that brought some handball appeals but the referee was uninterested. Both Cheek and Brandon Davey had to be substituted before half time and the last action of the first half that lasted nearly 55 minutes saw a Clover shot blocked and Jack Unwin lift the rebound over the bar.

The early chances after the restart were created by Whitstable and Will Thomas was close to converting a Dalton corner at the back post. Sam Fitzgerald headed a Housego corner over the bar, then a Mackenzie clearance hit Hagan and rebounded just wide. Hagan and Jack Billings both hit shots over the top. Harvey Smith replaced Oliver in the 63rd minute and was soon in the action. A long punt up field by Perrin was nodded on by Emmanuel Oloyede for Williams who helped it into the path of Smith whose early shot from the right of the box somehow got past Boamah and into the far corner to give Whitstable a 65th minute lead. Just three minutes later, Smith rose to meet a right wing corner by Dalton and planted his header into the net to make it 2-0.

The busy Corinthian physio was called upon again and this time it was the end of the afternoon for a limping Hagan. Williams shot just wide from a Smith cross, then a long ball by George Sheminant was missed by Nayler and Oloyede raced through before cleverly chipping over Boamah, but with the goal gaping, got his shot all wrong and the ball went out towards the corner flag. Williams had another attempt saved and after Tyler Anderson had been fouled, Smith’s free kick was also saved by Boamah who then received some treatment on the pitch. In the six minutes added, Corinthian won three corners, but the home defence held firm with a couple of good blocks and Perrin saved well from Festos Kamara. There was one last break by Williams, but Unwin got back to prevent a late third for Whitstable.

The result means Corinthain finish fifth and face a trip to Faversham on Tuesday in the play-off semi-final and will be hoping some of their injured players make a quick recovery. Whitstable finish one place and six points behind their visitors and actually ended with ten more points than in the previous season when they finished fifth, although from two extra games. Despite several runs of good form, a poor period in the winter months proved costly in the end.

Whitstable	Data	Corinthian
6	Shots on target	4
5	Shots off target	6
2	Shots blocked	7
5	Corners	7
11	Fouls conceded	6
0	Offside	0
0	Penalties	0

Whitstable Town
Jordan Perrin, Reece Gillies, George Sheminant, Mikey Dalton, Will Thomas, Jake Mackenzie (c), Tyler Anderson, Liam Gillies, Emmanuel Oloyede, Josh Oliver (Harvey Smith 63), Josh Williams.
Subs (unused): Dan Eason, Ollie Gray, Gus Barnes, Josh Robson.
Goals: Harvey Smith 65, 68.
Yellow card: Will Thomas 81

Corinthian
Nathan Boamah, Jack Unwin, Dean Nayler (Martin Youngah 90), Sam Fitzgerald, Jamie Billings (c), Ryan Cheek (Alexander Jack Billings 44), Ahmed Salim Futa, Brandon Davey (Festos Kamara 45+5), Charlie Clover (Rodney Botuli 63), Oscar Housego, Michael Hagan (Luke Adams 73).
Subs (unused): none

Attendance: 801
Referee: Mark Fitzpatrick
Assistants: Ismail Isik & Mark Roberts