WHITSTABLE TOWN 3 EAST GRINSTEAD TOWN 1
BetVictor Isthmian League South East Division
Saturday 18 January 2020 15.00

Whitstable completed the double over their winless opponents, but had to come from behind after Shawnikki Clement-Peter had given a much changed East Grinstead team the lead on the half hour mark. The visitors caused a few problems on the break in the first half, but failed to make the most of a couple of promising situations and Tijan Jadama fired in the equaliser just before half time to give Whitstable a timely boost. East Grinstead offered very little in the second half, when home goalkeeper Dan Eason was virtually untroubled. Aaron Millbank tucked away a penalty after Harry Stannard was fouled soon after the restart to put Whitstable ahead. Millbank later had one header ruled out for offside and another hit the bar in the closing moments, but the points were secure once Marshall Wratten had curled in a great third midway through the half.

A lot of rain has fallen on the Belmont pitch in recent weeks and a pitch inspection was arranged for the morning. The referee was happy for the game to go ahead, although the surface was tricky in some areas. Whitstable came into this match in reasonable form, having drawn their last two league fixtures against Sevenoaks and a good Chichester team, whilst in between, earning a notable win at Welling in the Kent Senior Cup. Marshall Wratten, who had scored both goals at Welling before getting injured, returned to the team in place of Charles Etumnu. East Grinstead arrived at the seaside having failed to win any of their 18 league games, as well as conceding 12 goals in a Velocity Trophy game at Hastings. Whitstable had won the reverse fixture 3-0 back in October, but of today’s team only Gil Carvalho and Robin Deen featured in that game, although their captain Drew Cooney may have done, had he not received red cards in each of the last two games. Former Whitstable striker Stephen Smith was on the bench. Now under new management, they had shown some signs of improvement in their previous 3 games, narrowly losing to Sittingbourne and Hythe after conceding late goals and drawing with Whitehawk.

There were a few opportunities for Whitstable to get the ball into the East Grinstead box in the opening minutes, but no real chances created, whilst at the other end Michael Uwezu was quickly closed down when he tried to test Eason on a couple of occasions. Carvalho tried a long shot that forced Eason to push the ball behind for a corner in the 10th minute, but when it was cleared John Ufuah made a great run down the right from deep inside his own half into the penalty area at the other end, only to shoot wide of the far post. Then, on 15 minutes, it was the turn of the visitors to break quickly from a Whitstable corner when Carvalho sent Uwezu clear with Raheem Sterling-Parker for support and only one home defender, but the pass was played at the wrong time and drew an offside flag. East Grinstead won two corners, with Luke Girt doing well to bring the ball out from the second, before being pulled back by Uwezu, who collected the first caution of the game. Some more good play by Ufuah on the right got him into a shooting position, but Benjamin Dudzinski managed to deflect the ball behind for a corner. East Grinstead were quick to seize on the next home corner and again raced forward, but this time Jake Mackenzie was able to make a crucial clearance. The goal that had been threatened on several occasions arrived in the 30th minute, when a cross from the left was not properly cleared and Zak Henry collected the ball before finding Clement-Peter on the edge of the box and he turned past a couple of challenges before shooting low past Eason’s right hand to give his team the lead.

Uwezu had to be replaced due to injury and Whitstable pushed forward seeking an equaliser. Ufuah and Stannard had shots kept out, then Stannard clipped the top of the bar from a free kick. Carvalho got into a promising position, but was unable to find the finish and then found himself in the book for delaying a free kick in the 44th minute. When the free kick was swung into the box, Tom Bryant appeared to be caught in the head with an arm and play was stopped while he received treatment. When play restarted, in added time, Millbank was fouled by Simba Kudyiwa just outside the box and Stannard’s delivery was only cleared as far as Jadama, who brought the ball down before slamming it past Dudzinski to make it 1-1. Henry eventually talked his way to a yellow card and the teams went into the break level.

Whitstable did not have long to wait for their second goal, which came from a 50th minute penalty. Henry lost possession in midfield and the ball was played to Stannard who was brought down by Kudyiwa as he was about to shoot. Millbank shot low to the left under the diving goalkeeper to make it 2-1. Jadama and Luke Girt were winning all the challenges in midfield as their opponents seemed to tire and Kudyiwa was spoken to after unceremoniously halting a dangerous run by Jadama. Bryant created an opening for Ufuah whose initial shot was blocked before he sent the rebound across to the far side, where Wratten crossed and Millbank headed home, but he was denied by an offside flag. Henry was replaced by Deen and then Sterling-Parker was the next to collect a dissent booking, before he too was substituted as East Grinstead tried to find a route back into the game. It was all but settled in the 69th minute however when Stannard released Wratten on the right and he cut inside on his left foot and curled an unstoppable shot into the top left corner to give Whitstable a two goal cushion.

Carvalho bent a free kick straight into the hands of Eason, which turned out to be his team’s only attempt of the half. Play soon returned to the other end as Ufuah had a shot comfortably saved and Girt lobbed an effort over the top. Whitstable brought on Marcus Elliott, Liam Gillies and Leo Mazzone towards the end as they continued to dominate. Stannard swung over the 8th of Whitstable’s 10 corners and it was just missed by everyone in the box, then a Connor Sanders throw was cleared to Girt just outside the box and his well struck shot was pushed away by Dudzinski. In the last of the four added minutes another Sanders throw was met by the run of Millbank, but his glancing header hit the bar. Whitstable had done enough to collect a deserved three points and leave the groundsman with some repair work to do on the pitch ahead of the next home game.

Whitstable move up to 10th in the table and next face a trip to Three Bridges on Saturday.

Whitstable Town
Dan Eason, Jake Mackenzie, James Brown, Luke Girt (Leo Mazzone 89), Connor Sanders, Tom Bryant (c), John Ufuah, Tijan Jadama, Aaron Millbank, Harry Stannard (Liam Gillies 82), Marshall Wratten (Marcus Elliott 78).
Subs (unused): Josh Spencer, Charles Etumnu.
Goals: Tijan Jadama 45+2, Aaron Millbank pen 50, Marshall Wratten 69.

East Grinstead Town
Benjamin Dudzinski, Reece Batchelor, Andrew Musungu, Zak Henry (c) (Robin Deen 61), Simba Kudyiwa, Jalen Jones, Raheem Sterling-Parker (Donte Lodge-Francis 68), Reece Williams-Bowers, Michael Uwezu (Terrique Hall-Anderson 32), Shawnikki Clement-Peter, Gil Carvalho.
Subs (unused): Jonathan Moanda, Stephen Smith.
Goal: Shawnikki Clement-Peter 30
Yellow cards: Michael Uwezu 21, Gil Carvalho 44, Zak Henry 45+2, Raheem Sterling-Parker 62.

Attendance: 314
Referee: James Simpson
Assistants: Richard Joss & Robert Columb