A slow start ultimately cost Whitstable the chance of returning from Brighton with any points from their first league game for three weeks. A header from Marvin Hamilton and a near post finish by Connor Tighe, both set up by Dave Martin, gave Whitehawk a two goal lead in the first few minutes. The first half was mostly one way traffic, as the home team playing down the significant slope might have added several more goals. They did score again before the break, with Tighe heading in another Martin cross. Whitstable made two changes for the second half and played much better, creating the majority of the chances, but despite going close on several occasions, Whitehawk defended well and were able to keep a clean sheet and claim a valuable three points.

This was the first meeting between the two teams since the 2011-12 season, when Whitehawk won the league and promotion to the Premier Division, which they also won and subsequently spent five years in the National League South. Consecutive relegations saw them return to the South East Division this season, where they have made a reasonable start. Their last two competitive matches were in the FA Trophy, when they were knocked out by Hastings United after a replay. The injured Freddie Parker missed out for Whitstable and Leo Mazzone started in midfield.

The ground is set on a hillside between the South Downs and the English Channel and in front of a good sized, noisy crowd on a dull afternoon, Whitehawk attacked from the start. The opening goal came from their first corner in the 3rd minute taken by the experienced Martin who proved to be the main difference between the teams. The 34 year old, who started at Slade Green, has played for a number of clubs including Dartford, Crystal Palace, Millwall, Derby County and Southend United. He swung the ball in to the near post and a well-timed run by central defender Hamilton allowed him to glance a header past the defenders on the line and into the far corner of the net. Another goal arrived in the 7th minute, as this time Martin received the ball on the halfway line and clipped it over the defence, where a well-timed run from Tighe beat the offside trap and the former Welsh youth international shot from the left of the area to beat Dan Eason inside his near post. The pressure on the Whitstable goal continued, with the home team playing the ball around nicely in midfield.

A swerving Martin free kick from 25 yards tested Eason again, but he was able to punch clear. JP Kissock then set up Henry Muggeridge, but he put the chance wide and a few minutes later, Kissock again slipped the ball through for Muggeridge who found himself with just Eason to beat, but the Whitstable goalkeeper was able to save. Jake Mackenzie was relieved to see his header go just wide of his own goal as he did well to clear a dangerous Muggeridge cross. John Ufuah tried his luck with a long shot in a rare Whitstable attack, but it was an easy catch for James Broadbent. Whitehawk eventually scored again in the 40th minute, with Martin again the creator. He collected the ball in plenty of space on the left before his deflected shot was beaten out by Eason, but with the defence unable to complete the clearance, he was first to react and sent over a perfect left footed cross for Tighe to rise above James Brown and head past Eason. It might have been worse, but for a great block by Josh Spencer that denied Muggeridge as he was about to shoot. Whitstable would have been relieved to hear the half time whistle with the score at 3-0.

Whitstable manager Lloyd Blackman made two changes for the second half, with Marcus Elliott and Liam Gillies being introduced. Whether it was the changes, the slope, Whitehawk being happy to hold on to what they had or a combination of things, it was a completely different game from the restart. Whitstable started to win more possession in midfield and limited the home team to very few opportunities, whilst creating a number of their own. Elliott held the ball up for Aaron Millbank to try an early shot, then a Gillies free kick was headed over by Spencer at the back post. Millbank made a run into the box where he was halted by a clumsy challenge, but the ball ran loose for TJ Jadama and Broadbent did well to push his shot behind for a corner.

Luke Girt became the only player to be shown a yellow card in the 57th minute, when a heavy challenge left Charles Banya, the former Crawley Town, Maidstone United, Margate and Harrow Borough defender, unable to continue. In the 78th minute, a long throw by substitute Connor Sanders dropped for Elliott whose shot was blocked, before Tom Bryant was also denied. Another Sanders throw saw a Whitehawk defender help the ball across goal and back off the post to Bryant, whose header was saved. A deflected effort by Alfie Rogers was then collected by Eason, who had a much quieter half. A last minute Whitstable corner almost brought a consolation goal, as a scramble led to a Sanders shot just being cleared off the line by Kissock.

It was a much better second half display by Whitstable and they will need to produce that energy from the start in the forthcoming games, which start with a home fixture against Whyteleafe on Saturday.

Whitehawk	Data	Whitstable
8	Shots on target	5
2	Shots off target	4
3	Shots blocked	4
5	Corners	3
5	Fouls conceded	9
2	Offside	3
0	Penalties	0

Whitehawk
James Broadbent, Luke Emberson, Charles Banya (Fintan Walsh 61), JP Kissock, Kacper Lopata, Marvin Hamilton, Henry Muggeridge (c) (Rob Deda 84), Lewis Unwin, Rhyle Ovenden, Connor Tighe (Alfie Rogers 73), Dave Martin.
Subs (unused): Lucas Rodrigues, Duane Ofori-Acheampong.
Goals: Marvin Hamilton 3, Connor Tighe 7, 40.

Whitstable Town
Dan Eason, Jake Mackenzie, James Brown, Luke Girt, Josh Spencer, Tom Bryant (c), Leo Mazzone (Connor Sanders 77), Tijan Jadama, Aaron Millbank, Harry Stannard (Liam Gillies 46), John Ufuah (Marcus Elliott 46).
Sub (unused): Liam Dickson
Yellow card: Luke Girt 57

Attendance: 273
Referee: Greig Walker
Assistants: Richard Sargeant & Liam White