Whitstable backed up their FA Vase progress and midweek league win at Fisher with a good home performance against a Tunbridge Wells team that had won their last three games. Ronald Sithole led the way with a hat trick, scoring an early first goal, which remained the difference between the teams at half time. Tunbridge Wells did hit the bar early in the second half before two quick Whitstable goals by Jamie Coyle and Sithole soon left the visitors with a mountain to climb. Sithole completed his hat trick from the penalty spot as Whitstable eased to their biggest win of the season and continued their recent good form.

Both teams started the game on 31 points sitting 12th and 13th in the league table, although each had played fewer games than a number of their rivals, and Tunbridge Wells had two games in hand of Whitstable, having suffered a number of weather related postponements. Each were enjoying a good run of recent form. When the teams met at the Culverden Stadium back in October, Whitstable won 2-0 on a very difficult pitch. Whitstable made two changes to the team that started in the win at Fisher, with manager Jamie Coyle replacing Finn O'Mara in defence and Fin Cotton returned in place of Robbie Rees in midfield. New signing Connor Wilkins was named among the substitutes on a strong looking bench. Another good attendance of 467 was there to watch on a cold afternoon.

The first threatening attack of the afternoon came when Cotton put Dean Grant through on the right and his effort flashed across goal, where it was deflected away for a corner on the far side. Bradley Schafer's delivery was headed towards goal by Jamie Coyle and a defensive header sent the ball out to the right touchline, but it was retrieved by Coyle whose cross picked out Ronald Sithole in space and he glanced a header into the far corner from six yards to give Whitstable a 6th minute lead. Whitstable had a great chance to increase their advantage in the 14th minute when they broke out quickly and Cotton passed to Grant on the halfway line who then sent Sithole away, but Kazzeem Richards managed to get back to make a crucial intervention to prevent a shot. Sithole's persistence though won the ball back and his cross was just out of the reach of Grant. It was a very quiet half for Whitstable goalkeeper Dan Colmer, but he did have to get down to make a routine save when Tunbridge Wells crossed from the left and Regan Corke hit a weak, low shot from the 18 yard line.

Schafer held the ball up before rolling it into the path of Mikey Dalton whose 25 yard effort went just high and wide. Jayden Boulton was brought down by Richards as he sped down the left earning the Wells defender the game's first yellow card. Harvey Smith tried a long range effort that was deflected behind off defender Ryan Hine and when the resulting corner was only cleared as far as Coyle by the penalty spot, he shot just over the bar. The half ended quietly with the visitors rarely threatening to find a goal before the break, although they did win two late corners that were safely dealt with by Whitstable who therefore led 1-0 at half time.

Tunbridge Wells made two substitutions at the start of the second half, introducing Festos Kamara and Rhys Bartlett. There were a couple of key minutes early in the half. Firstly, Tunbridge Wells came close to an equaliser when a quick move saw their two substitutes combine, with Kamara finding Bartlett on the left and his cross was headed against the bar by Jack Gallagher. Shortly afterwards Whitstable scored their second goal in the 55th minute from a corner on the left. Coyle planted a firm header against the bar and when the ball rebounded to him, he fired in from close range. Claims of a possible handball from some nearby defenders were ignored by the referee and Whitstable led 2-0. Things almost got worse for the visitors immediately when they gave the ball away at the back but Jack Walder made a good interception as Smith was about to shoot. Schafer then had an effort blocked before Whitstable scored again in the 58th minute. Cotton and Dalton worked hard to win possession in their own half and Dalton passed down the right to Sithole who cut inside before bending a left footed shot into the far corner. From the restart, Colmer caught a Kamara cross-shot from the right, then Smith cut in at the other end and had his shot deflected for a corner that was glanced wide by Coyle.

There was then an unusual incident when play was briefly halted after the ball hit the referee in the head and Gallagher was sent to the sin bin, presumably for something said immediately afterwards. A miskick by James White gave Sithole the chance to get past him and into the box, but he shot just past the far post. Tunbridge Wells had a good opportunity when Kamara made a good run down the left before crossing for Bartlett who shot wide when perhaps he should have done better. The game was over in the 71st minute when Whitstable scored again, this time from the penalty spot. Coyle found Smith on the left and he slipped the ball to Schafer who crossed for Sithole and when he was adjudged to have been brought down by Ryan Moir, he stepped up to complete his hat trick from the spot. Both teams made further changes but Whitstable went close again in the 88th minute when Schafer found Smith on the right and his low shot was pushed around the far post by goalkeeper George Bentley. Wilkins rose to meet the corner and it looked like his header might have found the net but for a block by Hine. There were five added minutes, but few alarms for Whitstable who ran out comfortable 4-0 winners to complete a league double over Tunbridge Wells.

Whitstable are at home again on Tuesday for a rearranged league game against Snodland Town, but are then on the road for the rest of the month before returning for the home FA Vase Quarter Final.

Whitstable	Data	Tunbridge Wells
6	Shots on target	2
7	Shots off target	4
4	Shots blocked	1
8	Corners	3
9	Fouls conceded	9
1	Offside	1
1	Penalties	0

Whitstable Town
Dan Colmer, Jerald Aboagye, Jayden Boulton (Finn O’Mara 90), Mikey Dalton (Robbie Rees 74), Jamie Coyle, Jake McIntyre (c), Ronald Sithole (Liam Gillies 85), Fin Cotton (Connor Wilkins 79), Dean Grant (Josh Oliver 79), Bradley Schafer, Harvey Smith.
Subs (unused): none
Goals: Ronald Sithole 6, 58, 71 (pen), Jamie Coyle 55.
Yellow cards: Jerald Aboagye 68, Dean Grant 78.

Tunbridge Wells
George Bentley, Kazzeem Richards (Brendan Austin 79), Mo Alaka (Josh McArthur-Nolan 68), Lewis Unwin (Festos Kamara 46), James White (c), Ryan Hine, Rory Ward (Ryan Moir 68), Jack Walder, Jacob Feasey (Rhys Bartlett 46), Jack Gallagher, Regan Corke.
Subs (unused): none
Yellow cards: Kazzeem Richards 35, Ryan Hine 51, Jack Gallagher (sin bin) 62.

Attendance: 467
Referee: Michael Corderoy
Assistants: Thomas Colyer & Darren Wilson