THREE BRIDGES 3 WHITSTABLE TOWN 1
The Pitching In Isthmian League South East
Saturday February 26 2022 15.00

Whitstable slumped to another defeat as a good Three Bridges team were rarely troubled and eased to a comfortable win on a chilly afternoon. The game was less than a minute old when a great chance for the home team was lifted over the bar, but it was a sign of things to come and Dan Perry opened the scoring with a good finish before Curtis Gayler fired in the second from a corner just before half time. Things got no better after the break and Perry soon helped himself to another. Whitstable did grab a consolation when two of their substitutes combined for Stephen Okoh to beat Mitch Bromage with the aid of a big deflection, but they never looked likely to claim any points.

This always looked like a difficult encounter for an out of form Whitstable, with their opponents having scored eleven goals in their last three games, including a 5-1 victory over Ashford. Manager Keith McMahon brought in new signing George Whitelock as a left sided wing back, pushing Jake Mackenzie back into midfield. The sparse crowd of 94 once again included a fair sprinkling of long suffering away supporters hoping for an upturn in form with just ten games remaining.

Not for the first time this season, Whitstable started slowly and could have fallen behind straight away when possession was lost and Bryan Villavicencio pulled the ball back from the right side of the area for Noel Leighton who shot over the bar. Charlie Lambert, on loan from Eastbourne Borough, looked threatening on the right and went close when the Whitstable defence failed to cut out a long ball and he volleyed just over. Harry Goodger did his best to give the Bridges defenders something to think about and eventually brought goalkeeper Bromage into the game when his header from a long throw was claimed under the bar. Bromage then safely gathered a long range effort by Mackenzie, but had little else to deal with. The opening goal came in the 25th minute when Mohammed Kamara tried to bring the ball forward, but Bridges won possession and Joe Stone played the ball into the box for Perry to bring it down unchallenged and shoot past Dan Eason. Bridges continued to press forward with Perry and Gayler both having shots blocked and Lambert lifting another effort over the top. Leighton then headed the ball on for Perry whose shot was pushed around the near post by Eason, but from the corner Brannon O’Neill rolled the ball back to meet the late run of Gayler about 25 yards out and he curled it past everyone in the crowded box and into the net to make it 2-0 in the 41st minute. Leighton then glanced an O’Neill free kick wide. There was a little excitement for Whitstable fans in added time, firstly seeking a penalty when Danny Walder appeared to be pushed in the box, then a Junior Baker long throw caused a bit of a scramble before Bromage saved well from Charlie Heatley, but that would have been ruled out for offside.

Both managers made changes for the second half, with George McIlroy coming on for Whitstable, although perhaps surprisingly, it was fellow under 18 player Gus Barnes who was withdrawn. Whitstable began the second period looking even more disorganised and might have conceded straight away, but Tom Mills was on hand to block a Gayler shot on the line, then repeated the feat from a Perry header. Villavicencio sent Gayler through on goal, but he shot over with just Eason to beat. Another goal was coming and duly arrived in the 54th minute when Lambert set up Perry with the space to finish well for his second. Eason got down smartly to save from Gayler, then was called upon again to deny Lambert after a good run and fierce low shot. Whitstable introduced Callum Watts and Okoh for Walder and George Monger and were rewarded in the 72nd minute when, following their best passing move of the game, Watts found Okoh whose shot from 22 yards hit Tad Bromage on the back and looped past the wrong-footed Mitch Bromage into the net. After Gayler and O’Neill had unsuccessful attempts to restore the three goal lead, McIlroy’s shot was pushed behind to earn Whitstable their only corner of the afternoon in the 85th minute. The game drifted to its inevitable conclusion and remained 3-1, with a late O’Neill free kick from a promising position striking the Whitstable wall, but the points were already safe.

Three Bridges continue their good recent run, but Whitstable need to improve quickly, starting with a home game against Chichester on Saturday.

Three Bridges
Mitch Bromage, Joe Stone, Giani Ashley, Bryan Villavicencio, Tad Bromage, Ryan Brackpool, Charlie Lambert (Camron Lawson 74), Curtis Gayler (Dan Ferreira 88), Brannon O’Neill (c), Dan Perry, Noel Leighton (Michael Wilson 46).
Subs (unused): James Young, Ben Bacon.
Goals: Dan Perry 25, 54, Curtis Gayler 41.
Yellow card: Joe Stone 88

Whitstable Town
Dan Eason, Gus Barnes (George McIlroy 46), George Whitelock, Junior Baker, Mohammed Kamara, Tom Mills (c), Jake Mackenzie, Danny Walder (Callum Watts 59), Harry Goodger, Charlie Heatley, George Monger (Stephen Okoh 62).
Subs (unused): Will Thomas, Kemo Darboe.
Goal: Stephen Okoh 72
Yellow cards: George Whitelock 22, Danny Walder 53.

Attendance: 94
Referee: Stephen Hawkes
Assistants: Connor Fanelli & John Brown