Whitstable dropped to the foot of the table following their fifth successive defeat, leaving them with eleven games to turn things around. This was always likely to prove a tricky fixture between the bottom two teams and the key moment was a great strike by Steve Carvell midway through the second half. Alfie Evans added a second in the closing stages to ensure a home win as Whitstable were caught out at the back whilst pushing forward searching for an equaliser. Whitstable started positively, but Phoenix gradually came into the game and Dan Eason had to make several good saves to keep the score goalless at the break. With the gusty wind in their favour when play restarted, it was Whitstable that had the better chances to take the lead before Carvell’s strike, but they rarely threatened afterwards and the afternoon ended disappointingly.

When the teams met in October, Whitstable recorded their first league win of the season as a single goal by Luke Griffiths was enough to give Keith McMahon a successful start in his first league game in charge. Both teams have struggled throughout the campaign, although Phoenix, now managed by Steven O’Boyle, came into this game in better form having won three and drawn one of their last six matches. Whitstable had lost their previous four games and yet again made a number of changes to their starting eleven. George McIlroy and Zak Bryon were ruled out, although Junior Baker returned after missing several games with an ankle sprain and Gus Barnes was back on the bench following a longer term injury. Alex Gaggin, Kemo Darboe and Stephen Okoh also returned to the team. Another familiar face to return was Ben Harding who will resume his coaching role at Whitstable.

There were a lot of Whitstable supporters amongst the noisy crowd of 216 as the game kicked off with their team playing into a stiff wind. Whitstable were the better team until the mid-point of the half, without really testing goalkeeper Steve Phillips. The excellent Harry Goodger had an early effort blocked, then Gaggin’s left footed shot was saved following the game’s first corner. Jake Mackenzie started brightly in midfield and his hooked cross was nodded wide by Okoh before another testing Mackenzie cross was put behind for a corner. Evans was the first to test Eason in the 22nd minute, but his shot was easily saved. Malaki Toussaint was starting to find plenty of space on the right and after his cross caused problems, Eason had to be alert to deny Evans and when the ball came out to Bertie Valler on the edge of the box, his half volley produced a great low save from Eason. Baker rose to meet a Danny Walder corner, but his header was deflected wide. Gaggin had to be substituted in the 34th minute and was replaced by the returning Barnes. Toussaint continued to look dangerous and one cross was headed wide by Wale Adedoyin, then his shot was parried by Eason and Adedoyin’s follow up was well blocked by Jack Miles. A rare breakaway saw Darboe get into the box before being crowded out and the last action of the half produced another half chance for the imposing figure of Adedoyin who latched onto a Toussaint pass, but Eason was out to save.

The second half began with a couple of wayward efforts from the home team and Eason gathered a low Adedoyin cross. Whitstable then started to look the more likely to break the deadlock and Phillips did well to push a Mackenzie header around the post when he met a Barnes cross. Goodger headed the resulting corner back across goal to Darboe whose shot was well blocked by Henry Douglas on the line. Darboe next backheeled a Baker throw wide of the near post. Goodger, who was winning most of the aerial challenges, headed another Barnes cross into the side netting before Darboe’s header was saved by Phillips. A strong challenge by Goodger led to a Whitstable corner and also a few minutes of abuse directed at the officials from the Phoenix bench who thought a foul should have been given. Toib Adeyemi broke well from the corner to win one at the other end and that was cleared to Lewis Clark who shot just past the post. The decisive moment arrived on 70 minutes when Whitstable allowed Carvell too much space from a Tom Cousins throw in and the ball bounced nicely for him to hit a sweet strike over Eason and into the net from around 25 yards. Both teams made changes and Whitstable struggled to find a response. A Baker header back to Eason was intercepted by Calvin Poku, but he lacked the pace to take advantage and Miles got back to clear. Whitstable were reduced to long range efforts, as Walder, Mackenzie and Tom Mills all tried their luck from distance. In the 90th minute, Goodger had a shot blocked and there were appeals for a penalty when Mackenzie was prevented from following up. The game was settled shortly afterwards with Whitstable short of numbers at the back when losing possession and three quick passes gave Evans the chance to slot the ball past Eason. Phoenix could start the celebrations, but there was one final chance for Whitstable when Muhammed Cham headed a Barnes cross just wide. The game had been tight, but a couple of mistakes proved costly in the end for Whitstable.

The 2-0 result meant that Phoenix were finally off the bottom of the table, to be replaced by Whitstable, on goal difference. There are still plenty of teams within reach, but with the games running out, an improvement in form is needed soon to climb out of the bottom three. Whitstable are at home to Ashford United on Saturday.

Phoenix Sports	Data	Whitstable
6	Shots on target	6
5	Shots off target	5
2	Shots blocked	3
7	Corners	7
6	Fouls conceded	7
4	Offside	1
0	Penalties	0

Phoenix Sports
Steve Phillips (c), Lee Bird, Tom Cousins, Lewis Clark, Toib Adeyemi, Henry Douglas, Bertie Valler (Tom O’Connor 72), Malaki Toussaint, Wale Adedoyin (Calvin Poku 75), Steve Carvell (Byron Walker 89), Alfie Evans.
Subs (unused): George Whitelock, Emmanuel Oshinowo.
Goals: Steve Carvell 70, Alfie Evans 90.
Yellow card: Tom O’Connor 85

Whitstable Town
Dan Eason, Jake Mackenzie, Montrell Deslandes (Callum Watts 71), Junior Baker, Jack Miles, Tom Mills (c), Alex Gaggin (Gus Barnes 34), Danny Walder, Kemo Darboe, Harry Goodger, Stephen Okoh (Muhammed Cham 77).
Sub (unused): Will Thomas

Attendance: 216
Referee: Graham Swanton
Assistants: Nathan Kitteridge & Mahdi Elhalawany