Following two wins on the road, either side of the Kent Senior Cup Final, Whitstable returned to the Belmont to take on third placed Haywards Heath. A confident start was rewarded with first half goals from Kemo Darboe and Stephen Okoh and when Danny Walder added a third from a free kick soon after the interval, a comfortable three points looked possible. The Sussex team had started to look more of a threat though and a Jerson Dos Santos goal gave them the spark they needed with 25 minutes remaining. When Luke Robinson added a second soon afterwards, it was time for home supporters to start checking their watches, but despite a few nervy moments, determined defending saw Whitstable hold on to win and climb out of the bottom three.

A comprehensive win at Hythe and a gritty display in horrendous conditions at Whitehawk had more than doubled Whitstable’s points haul for the season and created some optimism that the run might continue against a good Haywards Heath team that had drawn at leaders Cray Valley and beaten Hastings in their previous two games. There were home debuts for Kemo Darboe and Stephen Okoh, while George McIlroy returned in place of Tom Carlton who was injured at Whitehawk. Ollie Gray and Alex Gaggin were also recent injury victims, but experienced defender Junior Baker came in for his first Whitstable game after signing during the week.

Whitstable started really well, not allowing the visitors any time on the ball, and took the lead in the 7th minute. Okoh won a corner on the left, Walder swung the ball in towards Tom Mills and Darboe was able to steer the ball into the net when it arrived at the near post. The next Whitstable corner was partially cleared, but retrieved by Darboe who set up McIlroy to try for the top corner, but Billy Collings was able to push the ball around the post. A Heath free kick led to a little pressure at the other end, but Baker was able to make a couple of clearances before Dan Eason saved a low Sam Remfry shot. Darboe then created another chance for McIlroy whose shot was saved at the near post. After Josh Clack had a low shot deflected for a corner, Whitstable doubled their lead in the 24th minute. Gus Barnes took a throw in near the right corner flag, Darboe received the ball and turned past his marker before sending over a low cross for Okoh to fire home. A loose pass from Byron Napper was intercepted by Darboe who tried his luck from 30 yards with the goalkeeper out of position, but he was off target. Walder had a long range shot saved, then McIlroy robbed Remfry on the halfway line and played a one-two with Darboe, but curled his shot wide from 18 yards. Baker blocked a dangerous Dos Santos cross and Clack and Dos Santos both shot wide, but the score remained 2-0 at the break.

Heath made two changes for the second half, introducing Robinson and Andrew Briggs, but things got worse for them in the 48th minute when they conceded a free kick on the right corner of their penalty area and Walder struck a left footed shot past Collings at his near post. A good defensive clearance by Mills led to a sequence of three corners that were safely negotiated, before Barnes had to depart with an injury on the hour mark. In the 65th minute, Heath found the goal they needed to give them hope. It came after a blocked Kieran Rowe shot rebounded and Robinson shot low through a crowded area where Eason got down to save, but failed to hold on and Dos Santos was on hand to score. Okoh had a shot saved after a rare second half Whitstable break, but another goal for Heath made it 3-2 in the 70th minute. Clack played a good ball across to the left corner for Tom Cadman whose low cross was turned past Eason by Robinson. The pressure continued and McIlroy collected a booking before a couple of efforts were blocked and Eason made two routine saves from Dos Santos. The best two opportunities for an equaliser came in the last few minutes, as a great Clack cross was headed wide by Dos Santos then an unmarked Nathan Cooper fired a loose ball over the bar from just inside the box. Harry Goodger came on to help see out the added minutes without further alarm and Whitstable claimed another valuable win.

Kent Senior Cup action returns on Tuesday when Whitstable visit Ashford, then a league fixture at Sevenoaks follows on Saturday.

Whitstable	Data	Haywards Heath
7	Shots on target	7
3	Shots off target	5
0	Shots blocked	4
3	Corners	8
12	Fouls conceded	10
5	Offside	5
0	Penalties	0

Whitstable Town
Dan Eason, Jake Mackenzie, James Brown, Junior Baker, Will Thomas, Tom Mills (c), Gus Barnes (Victor Aiyelabola 60), Danny Walder, Kemo Darboe (Harry Goodger 87), George McIlroy, Stephen Okoh.
Subs (unused): Muhammed Cham, Rodney Eruotor, Tom Carlton.
Goals: Kemo Darboe 7, Stephen Okoh 24, Danny Walder 48.
Yellow card: George McIlroy 71

Haywards Heath Town
Billy Collings, Hamish Morrison, Tom Gilbert (Luke Robinson 46), Byron Napper (c), Nathan Cooper, Sinn Christie, Josh Clack, Kieran Rowe, Sam Remfry (Andrew Briggs 46), Jerson Dos Santos, Tom Cadman.
Subs (unused): Gil Carvalho, Liam Benson, Sam Freeman.
Goals: Jerson Dos Santos 65, Luke Robinson 70.
Yellow card: Jerson Dos Santos 81

Attendance: 255
Referee: Nick Dunn
Assistants: Nicholas Monkman & Steven Goldup