Already crowned champions and with the Kent Senior Trophy final just a week away, Whitstable took the opportunity to rest a number of players while giving some other squad members valuable minutes as they travelled to Holmesdale. It was a professional performance by the Oystermen and the contest was effectively over by half time when they led 3-0. A handball gave Bradley Schafer the chance to open the scoring from the penalty spot and the returning Malachai Belboda curled in a great second goal just before the half hour point. Tyler Hatton tucked in the third on the stroke of half time after Charlie Wealands had initially done well to keep out Dean Grant's header. Jack Peters bundled in a fourth early in the second half to complete the scoring.

This was the third meeting between the teams this season, as they met twice back in October, with Whitstable winning a Kent Senior Trophy tie at Holmesdale 4-0 and just ten days later they went one better, winning 5-0 at home in a league match. Holmesdale, managed by former Whitstable striker Andy Constable, secured enough points earlier in the season to not have any relegation fears, but their form has stuttered more recently and coming into this game they had not won for seven games. As the season end draws near, both had just three league matches to play, although Whitstable also face Punjab United in the Kent Senior Trophy final next Sunday. Manager Jamie Coyle made six changes to the Whitstable team that beat Hythe Town on Easter Monday, resting a number of regular starters. Josh Robson replaced Dan Colmer in goal and Jayden Boulton, Will Thomas, Ronald Sithole, Connor Wilkins, Lewis Chambers, Theo Osinfolarin and Javaun Splatt were all either on the bench or rested, together with longer term injury victim Jake McIntyre, while Jack Nelson was playing for VCD Athletic on a dual registration. There were welcome returns though for Ricardo Thompson who missed the previous five games due to injury and Malachai Belboda who was back in the team for the first time since January. There was a sparse crowd of 83 at the rural setting in Bromley on a blustery afternoon that brought a mixture of sunshine and brief showers.

There was almost a very early Whitstable goal in just the second minute when Joe Healy received the ball from Dean Grant on the right and instantly returned it into the middle where Grant tried to lob goalkeeper Charlie Wealands from the edge of the box, but the ball dropped onto the top of the net. Healy was soon in the action again when he tried to flick the ball across the box, but it hit the outstretched arm of Josh Harper who had little time to react, but the position of his arm persuaded the referee to award a penalty that was confidently dispatched by Bradley Schafer to give Whitstable the lead in the 14th minute. Holmesdale attempted to reply and a long free kick flicked off the head of Deandre Williams and wide, then Finn O'Mara got his head in the way of a shot by Mecca Samuels and Cameron McGovern fired wide from distance. Belboda was fouled on the left and Schafer's free kick was met by Tyler Hatton whose header beat Wealands and crashed off the underside of the bar before being cleared. Whitstable doubled their advantage in the 29th minute with a high quality finish. An Isaac Currie cross was headed out to Belboda on the left and he skipped past a defender before finding the far corner of the net with a great shot from the 18 yard line.

Whitstable were playing well and looking for more goals. Belboda pulled the ball back for Jack Peters whose low shot was pushed out by Wealands and Grant's attempt to follow up was blocked. In the 34th minute, O'Mara headed Healy's corner towards goal and Callum Keeble did well to head away from under the bar, then Grant headed Schafer's corner over the top. Perhaps the best Holmesdale chance came in the 41st minute when Nathan Palmer found Williams on the right and continued his run into the box to receive the return pass, but he shot straight at Robson. In the time added, Whitstable had two corners and when the second was returned to Schafer, his cross was headed towards goal by Grant and although Wealands got down well to save, Hatton was there to put the ball in the net. Before play could restart, the referee blew for half time with Whitstable leading 3-0.

It seemed unlikely that Holmesdale would get back into the game, but soon after the restart a free kick led to a scramble in the Whitstable penalty area as the ball bounced around before Williams attempted to force it over the line, but Currie managed to clear. A miscued clearance at the other end went straight to Healy who delivered a perfect cross for Grant, but he somehow put the ball over the bar from a couple of yards out. Another Whitstable corner caused problems as O'Mara shot over after Hatton's header had been blocked. It was 4-0 and all over in the 56th minute when Healy got in on the right to send over a low cross that was just behind Grant who couldn't quite turn the ball into the net, but Peters was behind him and although a defender on the line kept his initial effort out, it rebounded back off Peters and the assistant signalled a goal.

Both teams made substitutions, with nine of the ten making appearances as the managers took the opportunity to give players minutes on the pitch, including goalkeeper Riley Butt for the home team. There was a rather curious yellow card shown to goalkeeper Robson for time wasting over a goal kick when the wind blew the ball away! Grant collected a long ball forward and held off his marker to shoot, but the ball went over the bar. Ronald Sithole had a shot blocked after a good ball from Hatton had set up the chance. Holmesdale won a corner when Fynley Rutherford's long range shot was deflected, then in the 80th minute, Jude Jeffery made a good run down the right and his cross led to some penalty appeals for a push, but the officials showed no interest. The game drifted through the closing minutes with little goalmouth action and Whitstable moved on to 83 points with two games remaining.

Whitstable entertain Hollands & Blair on Tuesday in their last home game of the season before Sunday's county cup final against Punjab United at Maidstone.

Holmesdale	Data	Whitstable
2	Shots on target	8
4	Shots off target	7
3	Shots blocked	5
5	Corners	6
6	Fouls conceded	11
0	Offside	1
0	Penalties	1

Holmesdale
Charlie Wealands (Riley Butt 70), Deandre Williams, Ayo Lugboso, Cameron McGovern (Anthony Morrison 69), Josh Harper, Ali Mansaray (William Bell 62), Fynley Rutherford, Nathan Palmer (c), Mecca Samuels (Jude Jeffery 62), Lewis Heywood, Callum Keeble (Malachi Hudson 55).
Subs (unused): none
Yellow card: Nathan Palmer 81

Whitstable Town
Josh Robson, Ricardo Thompson (Connor Wilkins 87), Malachai Belboda (Fin Cotton 60), Mikey Dalton, Finn O’Mara (c), Tyler Hatton, Isaac Currie (Sinnkaye Christie 80), Jack Peters, Joe Healy (Ronald Sithole 69), Bradley Schafer, Dean Grant.
Sub (unused): Javaun Splatt
Goals: Bradley Schafer (pen) 14, Malachi Belboda 29, Tyler Hatton 45+3, Jack Peters 56.
Yellow card: Josh Robson 66

Attendance: 83
Referee: Max Doyle
Assistants: Adam Back & Adam Aylward