Whitstable travelled to West Sussex searching for their first win since early January, with a new manager and several new players, after a busy week at the Belmont. Play off contenders Haywards Heath eventually claimed the three points, but needed a Gil Carvalho penalty just after the hour mark to break the deadlock. Dan Eason had made several good stops in the first half and Billy Collings saved twice with his feet just after half time in a game of few clear chances. Sinn Christie was sent off towards the end and Whitstable had penalty claims of their own turned down before Harry Lafflin added a second deep into added time to seal the win.

Andy Drury was in charge of Whitstable for the first time, following the departure of Keith McMahon. The team included new signings Veron Nzinga at left back and Scott Doe in central defence alongside the returning Jack Miles. Jake Mackenzie took over as captain in the absence of the suspended Tom Mills and there were two further new additions on the bench, Jack Hanson and Abdul Saccoh. With just one point from the previous nine games, this looked a tough start for the new manager, who was unable to play himself due to injury. Haywards Heath were well placed to finish in the play offs, although had lost 3-2 in the reverse fixture at the Belmont in December.

Non-League Day had helped attract a good crowd to the game, with the points important to both teams for different reasons. Reece Deakin lifted an early free kick over the bar, then the pace of Gus Barnes caused a few problems for the home defence, but a Stephen Okoh shot from a tight angle that went over the bar and a low Barnes cross that was just out of the reach of Charlie Heatley were the closest Whitstable came to a first half goal. A low Hamish Morrison cross from the right was hit first time by Alahady Jalloh, but Eason managed to get a hand to the ball and push behind for a corner. Carvalho then cut in from the left, but shot wide. In the 33rd minute, a corner on the right eventually reached Tom Cadman on the edge of the area and his left footed strike was saved by Eason. The Whitstable goalkeeper was called into action again just before the break, saving another effort by Deakin, but the score remained goalless when the referee blew for half time.

Whitstable began the second half brightly and after one Barnes cross had been headed out, the young winger won the ball on the half way line and delivered another cross that was only partially cleared and the ball fell to Heatley whose shot was a saved by the legs of Collings, with the rebound reaching George McIlroy and his low shot was also deflected around the post by the home goalkeeper’s leg. Christie was then cautioned for pulling back McIlroy before injury meant Barnes had to be replaced by Harry Goodger. The key moment arrived when Whitstable struggled to clear the ball after a shot was blocked and Danny Walder was then adjudged to have fouled Oliver Allen as he made a challenge just inside the box. Carvalho sent Eason the wrong way from the penalty spot to open the scoring in the 63rd minute.

There was an optimistic handball appeal at the other end when substitute Hanson chipped the ball into the penalty area, but the next flashpoint came in the 80th minute. Goodger was pulled back by Christie and the two ended up on the floor, leading to a minor scuffle that saw a yellow card for the Whitstable player and a red for Christie, who was already on a yellow. Byron Napper was perhaps fortunate to escape action from the officials after racing over to get involved in the incident. A few minutes later, Whitstable felt they might have been awarded a penalty when Heatley was bundled over as he ran on to an Okoh header, but the referee didn’t agree. There were a couple of late bookings for the home team as they tried to see the game out, but in the fifth added minute, Whitstable were caught out with a quick ball forward and a one-two between Lafflin and Carvalho gave the substitute the chance to slide the ball through the legs of Eason to wrap up a 2-0 win for his team who move up to fourth in the table.

There were some moments of promise for a Whitstable team that stayed in the game against good opposition until the end, but they remain adrift at the bottom and really need to get maximum points from their two forthcoming home games against Whitehawk and Chichester City.

Haywards Heath	Data	Whitstable
7	Shots on target	3
4	Shots off target	1
2	Shots blocked	1
6	Corners	2
13	Fouls conceded	11
0	Offside	3
1	Penalties	0

Haywards Heath Town
Billy Collings, Hamish Morrison, Tom Cadman, Byron Napper (c), Ben Holden, Sinn Christie, Alahady Jalloh (Kieran Rowe 72), Jordy Ndozid (Harry Lafflin 69), Reece Deakin (Adonai Dacruz 88), Oliver Allen, Gil Carvalho.
Sub (unused): Tom Gilbert, Kesna Clarke.
Goals: Gil Carvalho 63 (pen), Harry Lafflin 90+5.
Yellow cards: Adonai Dacruz 90+1, Kieran Rowe 90+4.
Red card: Sinn Christie 80 (two yellows 51, 80)

Whitstable Town
Dan Eason, Jake Mackenzie (c), Veron Nzinga, George Monger, Scott Doe, Jack Miles, Gus Barnes (Harry Goodger 53), Danny Walder (Will Thomas 90+2), Charlie Heatley, George McIlroy (Jack Hanson 69), Stephen Okoh.
Subs (unused): Abdul Saccoh, Montrell Deslandes.
Yellow card: Harry Goodger 80

Attendance: 422
Referee: Lawrence Torz-Brown
Assistants: Paul Ransome & Ryan Calver