A moment of quality on a dull, cold and wet afternoon produced the decisive early goal scored by Jake Mackenzie that made it twelve points for Whitstable from their last four league matches, having previously only collected five from their first thirteen. The result also owed a lot to some determined defending with Dan Eason making two key early saves and Junior Baker impressing alongside Tom Mills and Will Thomas at the back.

Whitstable arrived at Sevenoaks having at last gained some confidence following three important league wins. County cup losses in between, in a final at Dartford and with a much changed side at Ashford, could be put to one side as the quest to climb the table continued. New signing Samuel Itauma came in for his first league start, although Whitstable were still without several longer term injury victims and the recovering Tom Carlton was amongst the substitutes. Sevenoaks have not enjoyed a great start to the season themselves and had lost 3-0 at home to Whitehawk in their last game. Leading scorer Louis Collins was missing, having been sent off in a 2-1 win at Faversham at the end of November, but two former Oystermen did start, Steve Smith and Jason Fregene.

Whitstable had to defend a couple of early set pieces as Sevenoaks pressed forward, then a Danny Walder free kick at the other end rebounded off the wall to Baker whose pull back was struck over the bar by Mackenzie. Eason was the first goalkeeper to be tested when Dean Gunner got his head to a Bobby Dunn corner from the right, but the Whitstable stopper made a good save with his leg at the far post. Whitstable took the lead in the 9th minute with a well worked goal. Mackenzie received the ball on the left from a free kick before playing it forward to Stephen Okoh, who passed it back to George McIlroy and he clipped it first time into the box where it bounced perfectly for Mackenzie who had continued his run and chipped it over the advancing goalkeeper. Smith looked like testing Eason as a dangerous right wing cross came into the box, but Baker just managed to get his head to the ball first to clear. Keith McMahon had to change the plans when Gus Barnes limped off after 34 minutes, so Itauma moved across to right back with substitute James Brown taking his place on the left. Some neat football around the Sevenoaks penalty area led to an opportunity for Kemo Darboe to try a shot that was deflected past the post for a corner. After each team had collected a yellow card for fouls, another Danny Divine cross was brilliantly headed out by Baker to deny the arriving Smith at the back post a couple of minutes before half time and ensure Whitstable went in with their lead intact.

The home team enjoyed a lot of possession in the second half and created the majority of the chances, but Whitstable defended really well, so that Eason was mainly called upon to deal with crosses into the box. Sevenoaks had a couple of long range shots that failed to hit the target before Okoh had a chance on the break down the left, but when he got into the box, although he failed to connect as well as he might have liked, his low shot took a deflection that almost diverted the ball past Joe Docherty. Darboe then received the ball from a free kick and turned smartly, but sent his shot high over the bar. Stefan Wright was seeing plenty of the ball on the right and tried a shot from a narrow angle that was caught by Eason at his near post. Smith was presented with a sight of goal after a rare slip in the Whitstable defence, but dragged his shot wide. Wright was then shown a yellow card when referee Peter Wilson felt he went down too easily just inside the box. Sevenoaks came closest to an equaliser in the 69th minute when one of a series of long throws by Wright led to a scramble in the box, Baker threw himself bravely in the way of a close range shot and a follow up effort was also blocked. Play was then halted so that Baker could receive some treatment from the physio. Harvey Welford, son of prolific striker Shaun, who played for Whitstable under Scott Porter, was one of two late home substitutes, while Whitstable sent on Harry Goodger to try to help hold the ball up as the clock ticked down. Sevenoaks kept pushing, but were unable to trouble Eason during the remaining time that included nearly five added minutes and Whitstable claimed their fourth consecutive league win to climb above their hosts on goal difference.

East Grinstead are the visitors to the Belmont on Saturday in the last game before Christmas, as Whitstable try to keep their winning run going ahead of some festive local derbies.

Sevenoaks	Data	Whitstable
3	Shots on target	2
6	Shots off target	4
3	Shots blocked	2
4	Corners	1
11	Fouls conceded	10
4	Offside	1
0	Penalties	0

Sevenoaks Town
Joe Docherty, Danny Divine, Jason Fregene, Stefan Wright, Freeman Rogers (c), Dean Gunner, Luke Leppard, Kweku Ansah, Steve Smith, Bobby Dunn (Lamin Bah 83), Ben Davisson (Harvey Welford 83).
Subs (unused): Elliott Duncan, Jon Pilbeam, Matthew Blendell.
Yellow cards: Ben Davisson 39, Stefan Wright 63, Kweku Ansah 90+3.

Whitstable Town
Dan Eason, Jake Mackenzie, Samuel Itauma, Junior Baker, Will Thomas, Tom Mills (c), Gus Barnes (James Brown 34), Danny Walder, Kemo Darboe (Harry Goodger 77), George McIlroy (Victor Aiyelabola 90), Stephen Okoh.
Subs (unused): Tom Carlton, Rodney Eruotor.
Goal: Jake Mackenzie 9
Yellow card: Danny Walder 41

Attendance: 105
Referee: Peter Wilson
Assistants: Mark Gidman & Peter Dingle