Whitstable were back at home for a league game for the first time in a month and collected another valuable three points, but needed a very late goal to do so. A fairly uneventful first half brought some late cheer for the home fans when Nathan Jeche headed home just before the break. Lordswood struck back early in the second half through a looping Callum Peck header and for a long time it looked like the game might end in a draw, with Aaron Lee-Wharton making one remarkable save to deny Harvey Smith. Whitstable kept plugging away though and Fin Cotton was on hand to convert a Smith cross in added time to keep their play-off hopes on track.

As the season enters its last few weeks, Whitstable remain very much in contention on three fronts and facing a heavy fixture schedule. Lordswood were there only team they had yet to meet in the league campaign with the return fixture now scheduled for April. Whitstable started this game in 6th place and Lordswood were in 19th, so both needed points at opposite ends of the table. There were some enforced changes to the home team with Jake McIntyre and Will Thomas serving the first game of their bans following their red cards at VCD the previous week and Connor Wilkins missed out due to injury. With Jayden Boulton also ruled out, Robbie Rees started in an unfamiliar left back role. Jamie Coyle, Fin Cotton and Ashdon Day returned to the starting line-up. There were 350 in attendance, with a lengthy queue in one part of the ground for FA Vase semi-final tickets.

This game began really quietly with plenty of patient passing but no goal threat. Lordswood won the first corner in the 14th minute which was headed well wide by captain Ashley Sains. Whitstable managed their first serious goal attempt in the 22nd minute when Day received the ball on the right, cut in and hit a left footed shot that bounced awkwardly in front of goalkeeper Aaron Lee-Wharton who pushed the ball away. The ball was kept alive and not properly cleared, giving Day the chance to try another shot that he felt was tipped over by Lee-Wharton, but the referee thought differently and awarded a goal kick. Whitstable soon created another opportunity when Bradley Schafer's run was halted but Fin Cotton chipped the loose ball into the box for Nathan Jeche who shot over the top.

Lordswood sent a header into the box at the other end and the ball dropped kindly for Elliott Duncan who turned, but shot wide. A left wing cross found Duncan, but his shot was blocked by his own teammate Sam Wright. There was another opening for Lordswood a couple of minutes later but the final pass was overhit and the chance was gone. On 36 minutes, Day and Dean Grant both had shots blocked in quick succession and two corners followed, but both were safely cleared. Whitstable made the breakthrough in the 43rd minute when Rees played the ball down the left for Grant who got past his marker to deliver a left footed cross to the back post where Jeche arrived to head in from six yards. There was no more significant action before the halftime whistle, so that late goal gave the Whitstable a slender 1-0 lead as the teams left the pitch.

Lordswood did not have to wait long to find a way back into the match when play restarted. A free kick was swung into the box and cleared, only for Matty Holness to float the ball forward again and Callum Peck found himself unmarked around the penalty spot and looped a header over Dan Colmer into the far corner. There were some unsuccessful Whitstable appeals as Josh Leach arrived late on the scene to try to bundle the ball over the line, but the goal stood and it was 1-1 in the 50th minute. Coyle got his head to a Rees corner, then saw his shot blocked when the ball came back to him before Rees tried from a tight angle but Lee-Wharton saved. Lordswood were temporarily left a man short when Holness talked himself into the sin bin in the 57th minute.

Whitstable made a change in the 62nd minute when Day was replaced by Harvey Smith who almost scored with his first touch when he met a free kick by Rees but his header was saved. Jeche then flicked the ball on for Smith who shot wide. Smith was soon in action again when Whitstable won a free kick about 28 yards from goal and he struck a great shot towards the top left corner, but Lee-Wharton pulled off a flying save, pushing the ball onto the bar. Lordswood were awarded a somewhat questionable free kick in a dangerous position just outside the box, but Peck curled the ball harmlessly over the bar. Rees did well to get in the way of substitute Jake Embery as he tried to shoot.

Whitstable introduced Albie O'Mara-Knapp and Ronald Sithole for the closing stages and those two combined to create a chance for Schafer who dragged his shot wide. Whitstable left it late, but finally got the goal that secured maximum points in the 93rd minute. Smith did well to get to the by-line on the left and send the ball across the box where Cotton arrived to fire a low shot into the net to loud cheers around the ground. A couple of minutes later, it was all over and Whitstable had extended their unbeaten run to 13 games.

Whitstable are back on the road again on Saturday when they visit Erith and Belvedere for another SCEFL Premier Division fixture.

Whitstable	Data	Lordswood
6	Shots on target	1
6	Shots off target	3
4	Shots blocked	3
4	Corners	2
14	Fouls conceded	9
0	Offside	1
0	Penalties	0

Whitstable Town
Dan Colmer, Jerald Aboagye, Robbie Rees, Mikey Dalton (Ronald Sithole 89), Jamie Coyle, Finn O’Mara (c), Ashdon Day (Harvey Smith 62), Fin Cotton, Nathan Jeche (Albie O’Mara-Knapp 84), Bradley Schafer, Dean Grant.
Subs (unused): Luke Mandry, Kai Jeffrey.
Goals: Nathan Jeche 43, Fin Cotton 90+3.
Yellow cards: Robbie Rees 48, Jerald Aboagye 74.

Lordswood AFC
Aaron Lee-Wharton, George Miles, Matty Holness, Josh Leach, Ashley Sains (c), Elliott Moore, Callum Peck, Bola Dawodu (Fraser Page 75), Elliott Duncan (Jake Embery 75), Sam Wright, Logan Thomson (Charlie Plummer 90+5).
Subs (unused): Ernie Cheeseman, Rameses Meseorisa.
Goal: Callum Peck 50
Yellow cards: Matty Holness (sin bin) 57, Elliott Duncan 64, Josh Leach 90.

Attendance: 350
Referee: Amarachi Okamgba
Assistants: James Bonney & Christopher Middleton