Whitstable travelled to Hythe for their first away game of the new season and suffered a 2-0 defeat in a game that, with the exception of a few moments of quality, was fairly low on entertainment. Tom Carlton scored the first goal with a wonderful strike from distance and the home team were well worth their half time lead, as Dan Eason had to make a good save from a Frannie Collin header to prevent them doubling their lead before the break. Whitstable improved in the second half and frustrated the home fans by having a lot of possession, but there was very little threat of an equaliser. Carlton forced Eason into another diving stop, but the Hythe midfielder was instrumental in their decisive second goal when Eason could only parry another powerful low drive and the ball fell kindly for substitute Rhys Bartlett who applied the finishing touch.

Whitstable kept the same team that had drawn their opening game against Sittingbourne. Hythe had suffered a confidence draining 7-2 defeat at Burgess Hill in their opener, although surely have enough quality in their squad to challenge at the top end of the table as the season progresses.

The home team pushed Whitstable back in the early stages, but apart from a couple of corners and an optimistic penalty appeal, failed to really threaten the goal. In the 13th minute however, from out of nothing, Carlton put them ahead when he struck a fierce left footed shot from a few yards outside the penalty area that went in off the far post, giving Eason no chance. Whitstable tried to respond quickly and a low cross from the right flashed across the goal just out of reach of the arriving Liam Gillies. Hythe almost scored again in the 15th minute when a good cross from the left was met by Collin, but his header was brilliantly tipped over the bar by Eason.

The game then became quite scrappy with a few fouls, although Collin had another headed chance that went wide. Just after the half hour mark, a foul by Jake Mackenzie on the touchline led to a minor scuffle that resulted in yellow cards for Mackenzie and Luke Girt. Aaron Millbank got his head to a good John Walker cross, but his effort was comfortably saved. A good Whitstable attack involving Osman Proni, TJ Jadama and Liam Gillies almost created an equaliser, but goalkeeper Ryan Nicholls was quickly out to claim the ball. There was a bit more late pressure on the home goal just before the break, when a saved Millbank shot led to successive corners, but Hythe survived to preserve their 1-0 lead at half time.

Whitstable started the second half brightly, with Jadama shooting wide after a good spell of possession. Hythe broke well a few minutes later though and Luke Blewden crossed from the right, but Collin scooped his shot over the bar. Back at the other end, Millbank headed a Proni free kick wide under pressure from several defenders. Whitstable, not for the first time, gave the ball away in midfield, leaving Carlton to break clear, but his low shot lacked the power to beat Eason. Marcus Evans, who had a good game alongside Tom Bryant at the back, chipped the ball forward for Millbank whose shot was deflected behind for a corner. Whitstable introduced the lively Tarik Ibrahim for Marcus Elliott in the 63rd minute, just before Chris Kinnear went into the book for a late challenge on Jadama. Ibrahim started to cause a few problems down the right and won a corner that was headed just over by Bryant.

The home crowd were growing a little concerned, as their team were unable to put the game to bed and Hythe were understandably lacking a bit of confidence after their big opening day defeat. There was always the feeling though that they were more likely to score the next goal and Carlton once again drew a great save from Eason, when his curling shot was just kept out. The game was settled in the 80th minute when another low Carlton shot was pushed out by the diving Eason, but only as far as Bartlett, who followed in to score. Whitstable might have grabbed a consolation when an Ibrahim cross was cleverly guided towards goal by Proni, but the ball went just wide of the far post. There was little further action apart from two late yellow cards for the home team, who saw the game out for a deserved, if a little nervy, three points.
Both teams now move on to the Emirates FA Cup Preliminary Round, with Hythe facing a tricky tie at Cray Wanderers. Whitstable have a home game against Southern Combination League Newhaven and will hope that they can find more of a cutting edge to their play, if they are to progress further in the competition.

Hythe	Data	Whitstable
6	Shots on target	2
2	Shots off target	4
1	Shots blocked	1
4	Corners	6
8	Fouls conceded	7
0	Offside	1
0	Penalties	0

Hythe Town
Ryan Nicholls, Ryan Cooper, Charlie Webster, Chris Kinnear (c), Callum Adonis-Taylor, Ollie Rowe, Adam Woollcott (Elliott Capel 76), Tom Carlton, Frannie Collin (Sid Sollis 84), Luke Blewden (Rhys Bartlett 64), Stephen Okoh.
Subs (unused): Ben Fitchett, Alistair Carney.
Goals: Tom Carlton 13, Rhys Bartlett 80.
Yellow cards: Chris Kinnear 63, Rhys Bartlett 84, Sid Sollis 90+2.

Whitstable Town
Dan Eason, Jake Mackenzie, John Walker, Luke Girt, Marcus Evans, Tom Bryant (c), Liam Gillies (Danny Patterson 78), Tijan Jadama, Marcus Elliott (Tarik Ibrahim 63), Aaron Millbank, Osman Proni (Alex Anderson 85).
Subs (unused): Josh Spencer, Muhammed Cham.
Yellow cards: Jake Mackenzie 34, Luke Girt 35.

Attendance: 263
Referee: Peter Cruise
Assistants: Matthew Grist & Joseph Dann-Pye