Whitstable returned to action for the first time since securing the league championship in a dramatic game at Rusthall. Play-off chasing Fisher were the visitors and another four figure crowd turned up to watch the first of two home games in three days for the Oystermen, but it was a rather muted affair between the first and second placed teams. After losing 5-1 in the Kent Senior Trophy quarter final at Whitstable in January, this time Fisher opted to play more cautiously and let Whitstable have the majority of possession, particularly in an uneventful first half. The second period was marginally more entertaining, but neither goalkeeper was troubled until Lorenzo Duncan arrived in the box to convert a low cross with a few minutes remaining.

Whitstable found themselves in the wonderful, but somewhat unusual, position of being 22 points clear at the top and already the confirmed league champions despite having five games still to play. There is still a county cup final to look forward to, plus they would have had internal targets including extending the 23 game unbeaten run and adding to their impressive points total, but there was also an opportunity to experiment a little and plan for the future. For this match, Whitstable made three team changes and also adjusted their playing style. Fisher would have been aiming to hang on to their current runners up spot to secure home advantage in the play-offs. In addition to knocking Fisher out of the Kent Senior Trophy, Whitstable had won 2-1 when the teams met in London back in November. Fisher respectfully gave Whitstable a guard of honour as the teams entered the pitch prior to the kick off. The attendance of 1,021 was the fourth home game this season with a four figure crowd, while the spectator numbers at three Whitstable away games have also scaled similar heights.

The game began with Fisher happy to let Whitstable have the ball, although it was mostly in their own half with lots of passing across the pitch. They did win a corner in the sixth minute that was well worked by Bradley Schafer and Fin Cotton to create an opportunity for Tyler Hatton, but his shot was blocked by a defender. Two more Whitstable corners then followed without any end product. The first Fisher attempt was a long range free kick which was rolled timely wide by Sha'mar Lawson. Isaac Currie won a corner for Whitstable, but in the process hurt his knee in a collision with the advertising board behind the goal and that ended his involvement for the afternoon with Theo Osinfolarin coming on to replace him in the 24th minute.

The best chance of the half came from another Whitstable corner shortly afterwards when Javaun Splatt attacked Schafer's delivery with a diving header about eight yards from goal, but the ball bounced wide. The closest Fisher came to a goal in the half was in the 27th minute when Eric Koduah twisted and turned past a couple of defenders before dragging his shot across goal and past the far post. The reminder of an uninspiring half of football passed without incident although the home management team expressed their displeasure when Cotton appeared unfortunate to pick up a yellow card in the 37th minute. The crowd would have been hoping for a more entertaining second half as the teams left the pitch with neither managing an effort on target.

Whitstable made two changes before the teams returned with Mikey Dalton and Connor Wilkins replacing Cotton and Lewis Chambers. Fisher made a substitution of their own a couple of minutes into the half with Festos Kamara coming on in place of Koduah. There was a chance for the visitors in the 54th minute when a corner on the left was collected by Rafael Garcia who got past two defenders on the byline before the ball eventually rebounded to Lorenzo Duncan whose shot from around the penalty spot was blocked by Dan Colmer although there were several covering defenders behind him. Whitstable had found it hard to create much from wide areas, but Jayden Boulton sent over a great cross in the 56th minute, only for Donald Macauley to rise and get a vital touch to head away from the waiting Dean Grant who must have thought he was about to put Whitstable ahead. Wilkins tried his luck from distance and his well struck shot dipped just over the bar. On 67 minutes, Dalton passed to Grant who laid it back for Wilkins and his first time shot from 22 yards flew just wide.

A ball forward from Finn O'Mara was helped on by Grant to Splatt who was under pressure and only succeeded in poking the ball gently towards goal as he went down, giving Isaac Ogunseri a routine save. A Schafer corner was headed back into the middle by Will Thomas for O'Mara to head towards goal, but it was an easy catch for Ogunseri. The Fisher goalkeeper then kicked an attempted clearance straight at Wilkins, the ball went out to Splatt on the left and his low cross rolled right across goal with nobody able to get a decisive touch. It was Fisher that finally made the breakthrough in the 83rd minute following some good approach play on the left as Conor Darwish combined with Garcia to deliver a low cross and the free scoring Duncan arrived to steer the ball past Colmer from the six yard line. Whitstable kept trying, without really looking likely to find an equaliser, and a couple of shots by Wilkins that went over the top was the nearest they came and Fisher left with the three points.

Easter Monday brings another home game for Whitstable when the already relegated Hythe Town visit. The SCEFL Premier Division trophy will also be presented to the Oystermen during the afternoon.

Whitstable	Data	Fisher
1	Shots on target	1
5	Shots off target	2
1	Shots blocked	2
7	Corners	3
10	Fouls conceded	7
0	Offside	1
0	Penalties	0

Whitstable Town
Dan Colmer, Finn O’Mara, Jayden Boulton, Fin Cotton (Mikey Dalton 46), Will Thomas (c), Tyler Hatton, Isaac Currie (Theo Osinfolarin 24, Joe Healy 90), Lewis Chambers (Connor Wilkins 46), Javaun Splatt, Bradley Schafer, Dean Grant.
Sub (unused): Josh Robson
Yellow card: Fin Cotton 37

Fisher
Isaac Ogunseri, Jack Gibbons (c), Lorenzo Duncan, Tyron Mbuenimo, Adejola Lahan, Donald Macaulay, Eric Koduah (Festos Kamara 48), Sam Owusu (Siao Blackwood 80), Rafael Garcia, Sha’mar Lawson (Tom Jones 61), Jake Lovell (Conor Darwish 80).
Sub (unused): Michael Sarpong
Goal: Lorenzo Duncan 83
Yellow card: Sam Owusu 73

Attendance: 1,021
Referee: Grant Steele
Assistants: Aiden Cooper & Matthew Jackson