WHITSTABLE TOWN 1 PHOENIX SPORTS 1
SCEFL Premier Division
Saturday January 24 2026 15.00

This was a clash between the two teams at the top of the current form table in the SCEFL Premier Division and unsurprisingly proved to be a closely fought game. Whitstable created a couple of good chances in the first half, but goalkeeper Ryan McCourt made smart saves to thwart Jayden Boulton and Bradley Schafer. A crazy five minute spell in the second half began with Will Efambe emphatically finishing off a good move to give Phoenix Sports the lead, with what was actually their only shot on target. Whitstable were soon level through a Joe Healy header, but during those few minutes Phoenix were reduced to nine with two players sent to the sin bin as their frustrations grew following two marginal decisions that they felt had gone against them. Whitstable went in search of a winner, but despite mounting pressure they failed to find a way through a well organised defence and both teams had to settle for a draw, which kept their recent unbeaten runs intact.

League leaders Whitstable came into this game on a fourteen game unbeaten run, since their league cup loss to Bearsted, while Phoenix Sports had not lost for six games, in fact since a late goal gave Whitstable a 1-0 away win in the reverse fixture at the end of November. This game was sandwiched between cup endeavours for the Oystermen, so once again there were a few team changes. Isaac Currie, who was ineligible for the FA Vase win at Harpenden, returned to the team and there was also a start for Joe Healy. Nathan Jeche left the club during the week to sign for Kettering Town, while Mikey Dalton, Jake McIntyre and Malachai Belboda remain side lined by injury. The crowd was down on the one thousand plus gates seen over the festive period, but still an impressive 723 were in attendance.

Whitstable made presentations on the pitch at half time to Will Thomas and Mikey Dalton in who recently passed 200 and 100 games, respectively.

The game started relatively quietly with Whitstable pushing forward without creating any clear chances. The first meaningful action at the other end came in the 13th minute following a run down the Phoenix right by Jamarie Brissett before Khayrie Harris, a new signing from Faversham Strike Force, linked up with Louie Downey in the box, but Finn O'Mara slid in quickly to block Downey's attempted shot. Lewis Chambers sent a couple of long throws into the Phoenix box, but there was then a delay when the visitors' bench told goalkeeper Ryan McCourt to go down while the rest of the team went off for a discussion. When play restarted, Whitstable got forward promisingly in wide areas without managing to avoid McCourt when delivering crosses into the box. In the 22nd minute, a stray Harry Barnes pass was picked up by Jayden Boulton who hit a good low shot from almost 30 yards that was pushed around the post by a diving McCourt. Healy's corner was met by O'Mara who had made a run to the near post, but he couldn't keep his diving header down and the ball went over the bar.

Whitstable then presented an opening to Will Efambe who shot wide from 25 yards. Phoenix won their only corner of the game on the half hour mark, but the ball was cleared. A short spell of Phoenix pressure eventually led to a high ball being headed down by Paul Lee for player manager Jake Goodman who curled a shot wide from 25 yards. As half time approached, Thomas headed a cross over the top, then in added time Bradley Schafer chipped the ball into the box where Javaun Splatt controlled it before returning it to Schafer whose shot on the turn was well saved by McCourt. Schafer also had the final attempt of the half when he brought the ball down on the 18 yard line before firing it over the bar. Whitstable had edged a tight half in terms of chances created, but had not managed to find a way past McCourt so the score remained 0-0 at the break.

The opening minutes of the second half passed by with neither team looking much like finding a way through two resolute defences. Currie got in the way of an attempted shot by Lyle Della-Verde then made a run forward as Whitstable broke quickly, but shot wide when Splatt played the ball in to him from the left. Whitstable were almost gifted a goal in the 57th minute when Theo Osinfolarin sent over a high cross from the right and some miscommunication in the Phoenix defence saw McCourt come to claim the ball only for Paul Lee to get there first and head the ball inches wide of the open goal with no Whitstable player anywhere nearby.

Most of the key action in this game occurred in a five minute spell that began in the 60th minute. Phoenix had played well, although rarely looked like scoring, but took full advantage when Whitstable lost possession just inside their own half. Harris carried the ball down the left, passed inside to Barnes whose clever flick released the unmarked Efambe who came in from the right to rifle the call past Dan Colmer. Soon afterwards, the Whitstable defence parted again allowing Harris to run through before going down when challenged by Thomas right on the edge of the penalty area. The referee was about the blow for a foul, but allowed play to continue when the ball ran loose inside the box to Kieron McCann who shot over with just Colmer to beat. The Phoenix requests for play to be brought back were too much for the referee who sent Harris to the sin bin. The drama continued when play restarted as Colmer's goal kick was nodded out to Schafer by Healy who then made a run to the back post to head Schafer's cross down and towards goal. MvCourt scrambled across in an effort to claw the ball out, but the assistant instantly signalled that the ball had crossed the line so Whitstable were level in the 65th minute. Phoenix contested the decision and more protests led to Goodman joining his teammate in the sin bin, reducing the team to nine for the next ten minutes.

Whitstable pushed to find a winner and introduced Fin Cotton who played a great ball forward for Schafer, but Lee did well to block his shot, although he would have been denied by a marginal offside flag in any case. Schafer flicked a header wide, Splatt curled a free kick over the bar, then when a throw was cleared to Schafer, his shot from 15 yards looked destined for the top corner, but McCourt managed to get his left hand to the ball and tip it around the post. Cotton slipped a clever pass into the box for Splatt who turned with the ball before being nudged from behind as he was about to shoot, but the manner of his fall earned him a card rather than a penalty. Schafer's shot was well cut out by Barnes as the pressure continued. Whitstable had been unable to break down nine man Phoenix and it became even harder once they were back to eleven, although most of the remaining time was spent in and around the Phoenix penalty area. Whitstable had one last opportunity for a late winner when a Chambers throw bounced through to O'Mara who could only head over, so they had to settle for a single point.

Each team will reflect on what might have turned one point into three. Phoenix were frustrated that a couple of decisions did not go their way, while Whitstable had so many moments in the final third that they were unable to turn into goals against determined opponents. Both will probably not be too disappointed to extend their unbeaten runs with a point each after a hard game and perhaps next time they meet in a league game, it will be at Step 4?

Whitstable now have another break from league action, with a home Kent Senior Trophy quarter final against Fisher on Saturday followed by a Fifth Round FA Vase tie against Cockfosters the following week, also at home.

Whitstable Town
Dan Colmer, Ricardo Thompson, Jayden Boulton, Isaac Currie (Fin Cotton 67), Finn O’Mara, Will Thomas (c), Theo Osinfolarin, Lewis Chambers, Javaun Splatt, Bradley Schafer, Joe Healy (Dean Grant 82).
Subs (unused): Jack Peters, Josh Robson, Jack Fenton.
Goal: Joe Healy 65
Yellow card: Javaun Splatt 76

Phoenix Sports
Ryan McCourt, Paul Lee, Ahkeem Belford (c), Harry Barnes, Ben Morrison, Jake Goodman, Will Efambe (Jensen Grant 79), Lyle Della-Verde (Kieron McCann 61), Khayrie Harris (Jerald Aboagye 80), Louie Downey (Antuel Shquti 85), Jamarie Brissett.
Sub (unused): Enyinnaya Ezenwanne
Goal: Will Efambe 60
Yellow cards: Khayrie Harris (sin bin) 64, Jake Goodman (sin bin) 65, Harry Barnes 71.

Attendance: 723
Referee: Jack Mottram
Assistants: Matthew Jackson & Richard Cooksey