Whitstable managed to recover from their disappointing defeat two days earlier and collect three points against their new tenants Faversham Strike Force. Whitstable had looked the more likely scorers, but it was Strike Force that made the breakthrough when Joe Kay scored just after the half hour point, only for Javaun Splatt to head an equaliser shortly afterwards. Dean Grant put Whitstable in front soon after half time and that proved enough, although chances to add more goals were not taken, so there were a nervy last few minutes to negotiate before the majority of the bumper holiday crowd could celebrate.

Newly promoted Faversham Strike Force have made a good start to life at Step 5 and found themselves in second place with seven points from their first three league games, having scored plenty of goals. Now ground sharing at Whitstable, the teams had met previously in a Kent Senior Trophy game in the 2023-24 season that Whitstable won 3-1 after extra time. Dean Grant returned to the Whitstable starting eleven, replacing the unavailable Joe Healy. The Bank Holiday attendance was an excellent 874.

Whitstable made a promising start without finding a way past Hadley Glock and the closest Strike Force came was a curling cross by former Whitstable player Marshall Wratten that went just past the far post. Most of the action was at the other end though with both Jake McIntyre and Javaun Splatt sending shots just over the bar. Will Thomas glanced a header wide and Glock saved from Bradley Schafer. The home supporters were quietened when Strike Force took the lead in the 34th minute as they were allowed too much space to knock the ball around in midfield before Joe Kay strode forward and beat Dan Colmer with a low shot from 22 yards.

Whitstable struck back immediately however when Jayden Boulton combined with Grant and broke forward on the left. His first attempted cross was blocked, but he tried again and the ball looped up off a combination of Schafer and a defender for Splatt to nod into the net. Grant shot wide and just before the break, Splatt put a free kick just the wrong side of the post after a foul on Schafer to leave the score 1-1 at half time.

Not for the first time this season, Whitstable changed their shape for the second half with Theo Osinfolarin and Ashdon Day coming off the bench. Grant arrived to steer a Day cross into the net, but was adjudged marginally offside, but his next effort in the 48th minute did count. McIntyre headed the ball forward and Grant outpaced the defenders before lifting the ball over Glock and into the net off the far post from 18 yards. Whitstable threatened more goals and a Boulton cross was headed fractionally wide by Day. Splatt had a shot deflected wide and Schafer shot over, then Osinfolarin made a good run before shooting wide.

Strike Force made several changes and gradually asked a few questions. Kane Taylor had a free kick deflected past the post, but Whitstable had another good opportunity to settle things when Day headed the ball on for Splatt who hit a rising shot over the bar. There were three late bookings for Strike Force and Whitstable were content to keep the ball in the corner, but in the final added minute, Strike Force almost snatched an unlikely point when a Kamron Holmes-Lewis volley hit a Whitstable defender and flew just wide. The final whistle soon followed and Whitstable had the win they wanted after Saturday's defeat.

Next up for Whitstable is the testing, but eagerly anticipated, FA Cup tie away to the Isthmian Premier Division pacesetters Dulwich Hamlet on Saturday.

Whitstable	Data	Strike Force
5	Shots on target	1
9	Shots off target	2
4	Shots blocked	3
6	Corners	3
15	Fouls conceded	15
2	Offside	0
0	Penalties	0

Whitstable Town
Daniel Colmer, Ricardo Thompson, Jayden Boulton, Parish Muirhead (Ashdon Day 46), Finn O’Mara (Theo Osinfolarin 46), Will Thomas, Jake McIntyre (c), Fin Cotton (Jack Peters 90+2), Javaun Splatt (Jake Abrahams 90+2), Bradley Schafer, Dean Grant.
Sub (unused): Luke Mandry
Goals: Javaun Splatt 36, Dean Grant 48.
Yellow cards: Javaun Splatt 37, Dean Grant 90+4.

Faversham Strike Force
Hadley Glock, Jack Smith (c) (Kamron Holmes-Lewis 73), Harry Alexander (Khayrie Harris 67), Nico Cotton, Cian McCormack, Dylan Riches, Marshall Wratten (Kane Taylor 75), Joe Kay, Tom Carter, Baily Sinnock (Ali Wren 73), Harry Bunclark (Brooke Tiernan 80).
Subs (unused): none
Goal: Joe Kay 34
Yellow cards: Brooke Tiernan 85, Cian McCormack 88, Ali Wren 90+3.

Attendance: 874
Referee: Rhys Jeffery
Assistants: Steven Tunnicliffe & Louis Husk