STANSFELD 1 WHITSTABLE TOWN 2
SCEFL Premier Division
Saturday January 10 2026 15.00

Whitstable left it late, but once again found a way to win and open up an eleven point lead at the top of the table. They had to overcome a stubborn Stansfeld team for whom Glen Bain scored an early goal in an otherwise uneventful first half, with the exception of a fine Bradley Schafer shot that struck the bar. The second half brought much more of an attacking threat from Whitstable while Stansfeld had just one opportunity to extend their lead when Tom Green lifted the ball over an inviting goal after a free kick cannoned off the post. The game rarely flowed, with some unique officiating, and was littered with stoppages and cards. A sin bin for Louis Birch and a late red card for Oliver Andrews did nothing to help the home team and ever increasing Whitstable pressure brought late goals for Javaun Splatt and Schafer to seal an eleventh successive away win and send the majority of the crowd home happy.

A remarkable run of form in twenty games since late September had seen the Oystermen beaten only twice, in the FA Cup at National League Wealdstone and a league cup exit for a much changed team at the hands of Bearsted. Whitstable had won every other game except one, in which two late goals secured a somewhat fortunate 3-3 draw against Stansfeld. So, despite the hosts being in the bottom two, this fixture did not look like an easy win for the league leaders, who were still without Mikey Dalton and Jake McIntyre. Dean Grant was back from his one game ban and Lewis Chambers, a new signing from Chatham Town, was given a debut in midfield. The attendance on a very cold afternoon at the home of Cray Valley was 155, with the grass pitch in good condition despite the recent wet weather.

The game could hardly have started better for Stansfeld who led inside two minutes. A couple of Whitstable crosses had no end product and a quick break down the right gave Glen Bain the chance to slide the ball through for Adam Wallis who took it into the box before sending over a low cross that was fired in from close range by Bain who had continued his run into the middle. Nathan Jeche flicked a header on for Bradley Schafer whose shot from the 18 yard line was well blocked by a sliding Kai Jeffrey. There was an indication of things to come in the 12th minute when, much to the irritation of the Whitstable bench, Chambers was shown the first yellow card of the afternoon for a challenge in midfield; in what was never a dirty game, many more would follow! Next into the book was Oliver Andrews for unnecessarily kicking the ball away when it went out for a throw, a decision that would have consequences for him later in the game.

The half became increasingly scrappy, but Whitstable almost levelled the scores in the 37th minute when Schafer wriggled past three players to make room for a 25 yard shot that had goalkeeper Cemal Osman stretching to get a hand on it and the ball came back off the bar before Tom Green put it over his own goal for another corner. Jeche then fired over the bar, but the rest of the half passed by without much quality. Whitstable led the corner count 8-0 at the interval, but had rarely looked like making them count, so the score that mattered was still 1-0 to Stansfeld.

Whitstable made a change for the second half, bringing on Malachai Belboda in an attempt to introduce more threat out wide and they began well. Javaun Splatt's shot hit a defender then Belboda won possession and sped into the box before going down when challenged, bringing unsuccessful penalty shouts from the bench. Just after the hour mark, Will Thomas was somewhat harshly booked for a challenge on Bain a few yards outside the penalty area and Louis Birch inexplicably ran over and said too much to the referee, earning himself ten minutes in the sin bin. Wallis struck a great free kick over the wall, beating Dan Colmer, but the ball rebounded off the angle of post and bar straight to Green who looked sure to score, only to hook it over the top of the empty net from a couple of yards.

The pressure continued at the other end as Jack Nelson glanced a Ricardo Thompson cross wide, Schafer's shot was blocked and Splatt's shot saved after Schafer headed a Belboda cross down. Schafer fired another effort into the crowded box and Isaac Currie curled the rebound just wide. Stansfeld defended well and were content to take time out of the game, so rarely threatened, but Wallis curled a long shot high and wide.

Stansfeld's rearguard action was not helped on 82 minutes when their captain was given a second yellow card, for diving near the halfway line. This sparked plenty of debate, a card for Schafer in the aftermath and a considerable delay while Andrews was lying on the pitch, alternately holding his leg and head before reluctantly departing, only to return for more words with the referee. When play eventually restarted three minutes later, all of the action was concentrated in and around the Stansfeld goal and in the 88th minute, Whitstable finally got their reward when Schafer's corner was headed back by Thomas for Splatt to sweep in from six yards. Whitstable soon had another when Thompson's ball into the box was sliced into the air by Stef Kempton, Dean Grant rose and the ball dropped kindly for Schafer to fire in the winner.

Over eight additional minutes were played, but Whitstable had again scored two late goals against Stansfeld and this time secured the points their second half efforts deserved. Splatt now has 20 for the season and Schafer 17. They will be less happy with the six yellow cards, however. Stansfeld also had their own issues with cards handed out, including another of each colour after the final whistle.

Having got themselves into a great position in the league, that now takes a break as Whitstable turn their attention back to their defence of the FA Vase. On Saturday they make the trip to play Harpenden Town of the Spartan South Midlands League for a place in the last 16.

Stansfeld
Cemal Osman, Frankie McCormack, Tom Green, Stef Kempton, Louis Birch, Kai Jeffrey, Harrison English (Jimmy Shepherd 73), Adam Wallis, Macey Malyon, Glen Bain (Christian Ibitoye 76), Oliver Andrews (c).
Subs (unused): Teddy Green, Merrick Simms, Frankie Maciocia.
Goal: Glen Bain 2
Yellow cards: Adam Wallis 26, Louis Birch (sin bin) 62, Stef Kempton 90+9.
Red card: Oliver Andrews 82 (two yellows 20, 82)

Whitstable Town
Dan Colmer, Ricardo Thompson, Jayden Boulton, Isaac Currie, Finn O’Mara, Will Thomas (c), Nathan Jeche (Malachai Belboda 46), Lewis Chambers (Jack Peters 78), Javaun Splatt, Bradley Schafer, Jack Nelson (Dean Grant 73).
Subs (unused): Fin Cotton, Joe Healy.
Goals: Javaun Splatt 88, Bradley Schafer 89.
Yellow cards: Lewis Chambers 12, Jayden Boulton 53, Will Thomas 62, Isaac Currie 80, Bradley Schafer 83, Javaun Splatt 90+5.

Attendance: 155
Referee: Connor Wood
Assistants: Ronald Albert & Tom George