HOLLANDS & BLAIR 2 WHITSTABLE TOWN 4
SCEFL Premier Division
Saturday August 31 2024 15.00

Whitstable bounced back from a disappointing home defeat against Faversham with a comfortable win at Hollands and Blair. The destination of the points was effectively decided by half time when Whitstable led 4-0 thanks to four well taken goals, aided by some sloppy defending from the home team. Josh Oliver struck twice in 90 seconds either side of the 20 minute mark, then Archie Hatcher added a third shortly afterwards. A great strike from outside the box just before the break completed Oliver’s hat trick and left Blair a mountain to climb in the second half. Both managers made changes and Blair added some respectability to the final score with Charlie Weston and Charlie Sheringham both finding the net despite their team being reduced to ten when Aaron Simpson saw red. Whitstable did miss a couple of sitters to add to their tally, but it didn’t really matter.

Last season, Whitstable won both league fixtures between the two teams, who have since both made changes to their managers and their playing squads. The Hollands and Blair squad now contains a number of former Whitstable players, with George Sheminant, George Monger, Rob Gillman, Liam Gillies, Dean Grant and Gus Barnes all involved in this match. Much travelled striker Charlie Sheringham started, having recently signed for Blair. The regular goalkeepers for both teams, Dan Ellis and Dan Colmer, were out injured, so each fielded young replacements, Jack Reeves and Josh Robson, the latter making his first start for Whitstable at the age of 17. Mike West and Jake McIntyre were also unavailable for Whitstable, but Casey Dudley, a young midfielder signed from Tonbridge was included amongst the substitutes. The teams had each gained just four points from their first four games, so were looking to improve their records. A crowd of 171 were in attendance on a very blustery day in Gillingham.

Hollands and Blair won a couple of early corners, but the first incident of note came when an aerial challenge between Sheminant and Harvey Smith left the unfortunate Blair defender with a facial injury that led to him having to be replaced by Aaron Simpson in the 8th minute. It appeared to be an accidental collision between the two former teammates, but the referee deemed the challenge by Smith worthy of a yellow card. Harvey Welford escaped down the left and cut inside to shoot, but the captain for the day, Will Thomas, got across well to block. Archie Hatcher then threaded a pass to send Josh Oliver through who put the ball in the net, only to be denied by a very marginal offside flag. Grant escaped with a yellow card when unnecessarily jumping into Hatcher and catching him on the ankle as he was retrieving the ball for a throw in off the pitch.

The first goal was scored in the 19th minute when Monger lost possession under pressure from Smith and Charlie Weston made a mess of trying to clear, leaving Smith the simple task of finding Oliver who steered the ball into the net from 12 yards. Almost straight from the kick off, Gillman’s pass down the left touchline was intercepted by Jerson Dos Santos whose cross was flicked up by Smith for Oliver to volley into the top corner. It was 3-0 in the 27th minute when Reece Gillies sent over a deep cross from the right which bounced up nicely for Hatcher to hit a left footed shot into the far corner from the left side of the penalty area. The chances continued and a mistake by Gillman gave Smith the opportunity to set up Oliver again, but his shot was saved by Reeves who also denied Hatcher shortly afterwards following a quick break. Blair had their best chance of the half in the 38th minute when a cross field ball by Connor Tilley found Harvey Welford at the back post, but he shot wide. Oliver headed a Smith cross wide, but completed his hat trick in added time when Smith headed a Blair throw back into his path and he hit a first time shot over Reeves into the net from 25 yards. The last action of the half saw Simpson sent to the “sin bin” for his reaction after being penalised for a foul.

Trailing by four goals, Blair manager Luke Jessup made three substitutions at the break and his team did improve in the second half, although the early chances again fell to Whitstable with Dos Santos just crowded out after a promising break, then Hatcher shot into the side netting. Robson was finally called into action in the 54th minute, saving a weak effort from substitute Barnes who had looked lively on the right wing. A Karn Miller-Neave in swinging corner tested Reeves before Smith, with three assists to his name was replaced by Jayden Boulton. Blair pulled a goal back in the 62nd minute when Weston headed in a Will Oliver corner at the back post. They were reduced to ten men in the 66th minute however when Simpson was shown a second yellow for a reckless challenge on Oliver shortly after being lectured by the referee following another foul, so he could have few complaints.

An error by Rian Bray left Dos Santos one on one with Reeves, but although he took the ball past him, he also took it the wrong side of the post. A right wing cross by Barnes reached Sheringham who fired the ball back across goal but just wide, then a long range effort by Will Oliver was saved by Robson. Whitstable should have scored a fifth in the 83rd minute when good play on the right gave Hatcher the chance to pick out an unmarked Boulton, but he lifted the ball over the top from five yards. Sheringham made it 4-2 just after the 90th minute when Thomas was unable to head a long ball away and the Blair striker shrugged off the attentions of Miller-Neave to shoot past Robson. There was just time for Finn O’Mara to become the sixth name in the referee’s notebook before the final whistle, although the home team’s assistant manager was shown a red card afterwards. Whitstable can be pleased with their performance, and finishing, particularly in the first half.

The teams will meet again in just three weeks when Hollands and Blair travel to Whitstable for an FA Vase tie. Meanwhile, Whitstable now have two home games this week, as Bearsted visit on Tuesday followed by early league leaders VCD Athletic on Saturday.

Hollands & Blair
Jack Reeves, Connor Tilley, George Sheminant (Aaron Simpson 12), George Monger (Will Oliver 46), Charlie Weston, Rob Gillman (Rian Bray 46), Chris Edwards (c), Liam Gillies, Dean Grant (Charlie Wright 70), Charlie Sheringham, Harvey Welford (Gus Barnes 46).
Subs (unused): none
Goals: Charlie Weston 62, Charlie Sheringham 90+1.
Yellow cards: Dean Grant 18, George Monger 26, Harvey Welford 42.
Red card: Aaron Simpson (two yellows) 45+3 (sin bin), 66.

Whitstable Town
Josh Robson, Jerald Aboagye, Karn Miller-Neave, Fin Cotton (Casey Dudley 82), Finn O’Mara, Will Thomas (c), Josh Oliver, Reece Gillies, Harvey Smith (Jayden Boulton 60), Jerson Dos Santos, Archie Hatcher.
Subs (unused): Dan Eason, Omotunmise Akanni, Jamie Coyle.
Goals: Josh Oliver 19, 21, 45+1, Archie Hatcher 27.
Yellow cards: Harvey Smith 8, Finn O’Mara 90+4.

Attendance: 171
Referee: Chandon Chapman
Assistants: Steve Roots & Simon Jackson