Whitstable visited South Park Reigate on a breezy Saturday afternoon looking to extend their winning run, but the table topping hosts were the only team in the division with a better record over the last six league games. Whitstable fell behind to a well-worked headed goal by Cerny Ando, but Kane Rowland equalised before the interval. More injury concerns meant half time substitutions for the Oystermen, but they again found a way to win and it was Mikey Berry that scored the decisive goal to the delight of their supporters that had travelled in large numbers to provide plenty of encouragement throughout the game.

The teams had met twice before, during the 2015-16 season, which ended in relegation for Whitstable. South Park had won 2-0 at home in October, then later 6-1 at Whitstable, when the Whitstable team coincidentally included Dean Grant. Both clubs have returned to this division for the current campaign with South Park being moved sideways from the South Central where they finished eighth last season, while Whitstable were of course promoted from Step 5. With the teams in top form, this meeting attracted an attendance of 345 including a good number of Oyster supporters. The "Sparks" were leading the table with 24 points from 11 games and Whitstable's recent run had taken them to seventh place, with 15 points from 9 games. As expected, Whitstable fielded a very different team to that which played in the Velocity Cup on Tuesday, with ten changes to the starting eleven. Central defensive pairing Mason Hunter and Corey Panter were fit to return and there was a debut for new signing from Steyning Town, Billie Clark.

The game kicked off with a strong, blustery wind blowing through the relatively open ground, with Whitstable playing into the breeze in the first half. An early Whitstable corner was cleared before South Park might have scored in the sixth minute. George Vincent released Finlay Johnson who found himself one on one with Dan Colmer, but the Whitstable goalkeeper made a good save with his legs then, before the ball was cleared, Vincent had an effort blocked and Johnson fired over from 22 yards. Home goalkeeper Baldwin Kaluya got down to save Kenny Aileru's shot across goal after Kane Rowland had played him in. South Park opened the scoring in the 23rd minute when a free kick was played short and Dan Moody, about 40 yards out, sent the ball into the box where Cerny Ando arrived from beyond the far post on the right to plant a firm header across Colmer and into the far corner.

Ryan Bernal went into the book for a handball, but Whitstable gradually began to create opportunities and a long ball by Colmer gave Aileru the chance to make a run into the box where his low shot was saved by Kaluya at the expense of another corner. Henry Young's delivery was initially cleared to Koby Yeboah who gave Young another chance to cross from the right and Rowland arrived in the six yard box to chest the ball home and make it 1-1 in the 35th minute. The action swung back to the other end and a quick break led to the ball being cleared to Johnson whose shot was blocked by Hunter and Brad Wilson latched onto the rebound to try a left footed shot that Colmer did well to push away for a corner. There was one late chance for Whitstable when Aileru got to the byline on the right and pulled the ball back for Clark who couldn't make the right connection to test Kaluya, so it remained all square at the break.

Yeboah and Nathan Green were feeling the effects of the first half and were replaced at the restart by Robbie Rees and Grant, as the Whitstable team was reorganised with Rowland dropping back into the defence. Almost immediately, there was a collision between Grant and Ross Stepney as they challenged for a Colmer clearance, which resulted in a yellow card for the Whitstable striker. Ted Sullivan ran forward down the right and shot across goal, but wide after Whitstable had lost possession on the halfway line. Bernal then shot over the bar for Whitstable who then replaced Aileru with Seb Amatai. Rees shot wide from distance and Tijan Jadama's shot was comfortably caught by Kaluya.

Whitstable had limited South Park to few clear chances in the second half, but needed Colmer to make an important stop in the 67th minute when a long throw to the near post gave Vincent an opportunity to turn and shoot. Young's free kick was saved after Grant had been fouled 25 yards from goal, then Grant sent the ball across goal with nobody there to finish. Whitstable got the all-important second goal in the 76th minute as Colmer launched the ball up the middle for Grant, who was just onside and brought it down for Rees to find substitute Mikey Berry and he shot past Kaluya to kick start the celebrations behind the goal. A few minutes later, Berry had a long shot saved.

Whitstable had generally defended well, but got lucky in the 86th minute when they appeared to be distracted about an offside flag and a right wing cross found an unmarked Vincent in the middle, but he headed wide of the far post. Colmer was in action again, blocking a shot at the near post as the clock ticked down. The final minutes were seen out by Whitstable to record their fifth successive win and continue their rise up the table

There is no time to rest as Whitstable are on the road again on Tuesday evening when they play Sittingbourne in the next league fixture.

South Park	Data	Whitstable
5	Shots on target	7
3	Shots off target	4
5	Shots blocked	0
3	Corners	4
16	Fouls conceded	11
0	Offside	1
0	Penalties	0

South Park Reigate
Baldwin Kaluya, Jerry O’Sullivan, Jack Tucker (Sam Tutt 77), Hayden Gale, Ross Stepney, Cerny Ando, Dan Moody (c), Ted Sullivan (Craig McGee 78), George Vincent, Brad Wilson (Alex Body 63), Finlay Johnson.
Subs (unused): Jensen Grant, Tom Smith.
Goal: Cerny Ando 23

Whitstable Town
Dan Colmer, Ryan Bernal (Matty Holness 86), Nathan Green (Dean Grant 46), Mason Hunter, Corey Panter, Koby Yeboah (Robbie Rees 46), Kenny Aileru (Sebastian Amatai 52), Henry Young, Kane Rowland, Tijan Jadama (c), Billie Clark (Mikey Berry 63).
Subs (unused): none
Goals: Kane Rowland 35, Mikey Berry 76.
Yellow cards: Ryan Bernal 27, Dean Grant 46.

Attendance: 345
Referee: Grant Steele
Assistants: Oliver Storey & Angus McWhirter