Whitstable made it back to back 3-1 wins with a good away performance against a physical Three Bridges team. An unstoppable strike by John Ufuah gave them an early lead and there were no more goals in the first half despite some promising moments at both ends. Whitstable suffered an injury blow just before the interval, which unfortunately led to a hospital visit for Connor Sanders. After Dan Eason had saved a Tom Tolfrey shot early in the second half, Whitstable took control of the game with two Aaron Millbank goals. He curled in a perfect free kick and shortly afterwards scored again after being set up by Liam Gillies. Ufuah, Millbank and Marshall Wratten all went close for Whitstable, but it was the home team that found the net from a well taken free kick by Curtis Gayler. Tolfrey then put a decent chance wide for Three Bridges, but Whitstable held on with relative comfort to claim the points.

After beating bottom team East Grinstead in their previous game, Whitstable travelled to face a Three Bridges team that were sitting third from bottom. They had been on a poor run since beating Hythe in November, but came into this game with renewed optimism after ending their winless run with a good 3-0 victory at Phoenix Sports. When the two teams had met at the Belmont in October, Three Bridges had two players and their manager sent off as Whitstable won 2-0. Liam Gillies returned to the Whitstable starting eleven and new signing Ollie Rowe was among the substitutes, whilst for John Ufuah, it was a return to the club where he played in a spell during the 2018-19 season.

It was Three Bridges that looked the more threatening in the opening minutes, with the majority of the danger coming down the left through Andrew Sesay and Eason did well to cut out an early low cross. Tolfrey then got into the box before laying the ball back for Gayler who shot over the bar from 18 yards. It was Whitstable that took the lead in the 8th minute however, as Gillies played the ball out to Ufuah on the right and he cut inside before curling a left footed shot from the edge of the penalty area that sailed over everyone and flew into the top left corner. It was a great finish and gave goalkeeper Kieron Thorp no chance. It looked like Ufuah might add a second in the 13th minute when an attempted header back by Troy Williams lacked power and Ufuah raced on to the ball, but appeared to be impeded as he was about to shoot and only managed to prod the ball forwards as he tried to stay on his feet, so it was easily cleared off the line and the officials ignored the Whitstable appeals. It was the turn of the home team to feel aggrieved a few minutes later when Sesay ran on to a header and went down just outside the box as Jake Mackenzie slid across to challenge, but again the referee saw nothing wrong.

Sesay was enjoying a lot of possession and another good run ended with a cross/shot that went just past the far post. Three Bridges had to make a change midway through the half when Billy Irving was replaced by Tadley Bromage, who went on to have a good game at the back. Another low cross by Sesay was pushed out by Eason, before Whitstable carved out a couple of chances following long throws by Sanders. Gillies shot over and then Sanders clipped the ball into the path of Millbank, but he was thwarted by Thorp who got down well to save. A few minutes before half time, Whitstable gave the ball away in the centre circle and Vincent Muwanga drove forward into the box, where Sanders just got across to block, but he was caught by the Three Bridges player and fell awkwardly. He had to leave the field and following a hospital visit was diagnosed with a dislocated shoulder. Rowe was introduced for his Whitstable debut just before the teams went off for half time with Whitstable leading by the single goal.

The home team started the second half brightly and James Brown had to be alert to clear as Muwanga looked to shoot and the Three Bridges player was the first into the book for catching Brown as he followed through. Brannon O’Neill swung a free kick into the box that was headed away by Tom Bryant as far as Tolfrey, whose low shot through the crowd was well saved by Eason. Luke Girt was then cautioned for a foul, but Whitstable were beginning to regain some control and a good run by Ufuah ended when he was brought down just outside the penalty area on the left. Millbank took the free kick and it curled over the defence and the ball beat Thorp before going in off the far post to make it 2-0 in the 59th minute. Three minutes later, Gillies was first to a loose ball on the left and slipped it across to Millbank, who looked to be just onside on the 18 yard line, and the Whitstable striker took a few strides towards the centre of the area before beating Thorp with a low shot inside the left post.

Whitstable looked as though they might add further goals and after Sesay had collected a yellow card for a foul, Gillies volleyed over from 25 yards, then Ufuah curled a low left footed shot just wide as Thorp dived across to attempt the save. Wratten chipped the ball into the box for Millbank who went down as he was challenged, but play was waved on. Rowe was next to be cautioned for upending Sesay as he ran towards the box and Three Bridges pulled a goal back from the resulting free kick as Gayler bent the ball around the wall, out of the reach of Eason and into the far corner. The home team might have got themselves right back into the game a couple of minutes later when substitute Stephen Adegboye hooked the ball forward to Tolfrey, but he dragged his shot wide. Home captain Lee Hall picked up the game’s final booking for another foul on Tijan Jadama in midfield, then after a good build up on the right, a ball into the box by Ufuah was just missed by Wratten as he looked sure to score his fifth goal for Whitstable. In the 80th minute, Whitstable broke quickly from a Three Bridges corner and Ufuah crossed for Millbank, but he was denied his hat-trick by Thorp who made a good left handed save just inside the post and Bryant headed the corner wide. Whitstable introduced Charles Etumnu and Harry Stannard and won two late corners, but neither goalkeeper was called into action again and Whitstable finished 3-1 winners.

There was good travelling support for Whitstable, which must have accounted for around half of the low attendance of 74. Everyone wishes Connor Sanders a speedy recovery from his unfortunate injury. Whitstable next face a home game against Burgess Hill Town and will be hoping to keep their recent good run going, having suffered a 3-2 defeat when the teams met in Sussex in September.

Three Bridges	Data	Whitstable
2	Shots on target	6
3	Shots off target	5
0	Shots blocked	2
3	Corners	3
20	Fouls conceded	9
3	Offside	2
0	Penalties	0

Three Bridges
Kieron Thorp, Troy Williams, Vincent Muwanga (Stephen Adegboye 60), Lee Hall (c), Curtis Gayler, Brannon O’Neill, Tom Tolfrey, Andrew Sesay, Giani Ashley (Tyrone Kirunda 66), Billy Irving (Tadley Bromage 22), Antone Douglas.
Subs (unused): John Lansdale, Shane Saunders.
Goal: Curtis Gayler 71
Yellow cards: Vincent Muwanga 51, Andrew Sesay 63, Lee Hall 75.

Whitstable Town
Dan Eason, Jake Mackenzie, James Brown, Luke Girt, Connor Sanders (Ollie Rowe 44), Tom Bryant (c), John Ufuah, Tijan Jadama, Aaron Millbank (Harry Stannard 90), Liam Gillies (Charles Etumnu 81), Marshall Wratten.
Subs (unused): Josh Spencer, Leo Mazzone.
Goals: John Ufuah 8, Aaron Millbank 59, 62.
Yellow cards: Luke Girt 57, Ollie Rowe 70.

Attendance: 74
Referee: Luis Nunes
Assistants: Luke Chapman & Calum Edgcombe