After eleven league games without a victory, Whitstable finally picked up three points with a comfortable 3-0 win against Whitehawk on a sunny, but chilly afternoon at the Belmont, where the home fans last saw a win four months ago. Whitstable controlled the game from the start, restricting their visitors to few sights of goal until later in the second half and Dan Eason had one of the easiest of his 275 games in goal for Whitstable. Scott Doe had already struck the bar before Jack Hanson finished off a good move to settle the nerves of the long suffering supporters and shortly afterwards Charlie Heatley smashed home a penalty after Andy Drury was brought down. A superbly struck Danny Walder free kick made it three before half time. Whitstable went close several times at the start of the second half, before the Hawks finally created a few opportunities that they were unable to take.

Whitehawk are not enjoying the best of seasons, but arrived at the Belmont twelve points better off than their hosts who did have a game in hand. A Kemo Darboe goal had given Whitstable the three points in the reverse fixture in atrocious weather conditions back in November. Andy Drury was fit to make his playing debut in his second game as Whitstable manager and took his place in midfield. There was also a first start for Jack Hanson, with Harry Goodger and Will Thomas returning to the team in a more experienced starting eleven. Whitehawk had to make a late change to their team with Dan Thompson replacing David Ijaha who was injured prior to kick off.

An early cross by right back Jake Mackenzie was headed wide of the near post by Drury whose overhead kick also went wide a few minutes later when the defence failed to deal with Walder’s ball into the box. Whitstable won their first corner on the left and the delivery from Walder picked out an unmarked Doe at the back post and his well struck volley hit the top of the bar. Hanson then collected the ball on the edge of the area, but shot just wide. A goal had been coming and duly arrived in the 12th minute when Heatley did well to chase down a high ball forward by George Monger and pass to Drury who helped it on to Hanson whose run from the left took him into the area and he shot past Nathan Stroomberg-Clarke just inside the post. The lead was doubled in the 18th minute when a Walder free kick was swung in from the right and helped on by Doe and Goodger to the far post where Drury was brought down in a clumsy challenge by James Fraser and referee Daniel Doyle pointed to the spot. Heatley stepped up, ignored the goalkeeper swinging on the bar, and fired an unstoppable shot into the top left corner of the net.

Omarr Lawson had the first attempt at the other end in the 27th minute when his shot was deflected for a corner that was curled straight behind for a goal kick, in a half to forget for the visitors from Brighton. There was one more opportunity for the Hawks when an Ollie Munt free kick was headed well over by Alex Malins. Drury and Heatley combined to set up Hanson whose shot was blocked before he was then fouled by Malins 25 yards out. Walder bent the free kick over the wall and into the top right corner to make it 3-0 in the 40th minute. Whitstable had only scored three goals in the previous ten games, so three before the break had most in the ground scarcely able to believe it, but it was a fair reflection of the half.

The Hawks made a change at start of the second half with Jamie Splatt replacing Thompson, but Whitstable again started the better. Goodger had a header from a Drury cross tipped over by the goalkeeper, then Heatley got past two defenders and found himself one on one with Stroomberg-Clarke, but shot wide. Doe shot just over following another Walder free kick, but there was to be no fourth goal. On 60 minutes, Jamie Splatt hit a low free kick that may have just been going wide, but Eason made sure and pushed it behind for a corner, which caused a few problems with shots from Javaun and Jamie Splatt being blocked and led to another corner before the ball was finally cleared. Whitstable won two more corners and Monger had a shot closed down, but there were then two good chances for the Hawks. A deep cross from the left was volleyed into the side netting by an unmarked Munt at the far post, then substitute Lekan Orimolusi wriggled clear in the box only to slice his shot wide. Whitstable made three late substitutions and there were three yellow cards for the Hawks, who enjoyed more possession towards the end. Orimolusi scuffed a weak shot to Eason, Lawson curled an effort over the bar and Malins headed a Munt free kick wide in stoppage time, but Whitstable had done enough to end their desperate, winless run and maintain some hope of avoiding relegation.

Next up is another vital home game against Chichester City on Tuesday evening in a rearranged fixture.

Whitstable	Data	Whitehawk
5	Shots on target	1
7	Shots off target	7
2	Shots blocked	3
7	Corners	5
16	Fouls conceded	14
3	Offside	1
1	Penalties	0

Whitstable Town
Dan Eason, Jake Mackenzie (c), Veron Nzinga, George Monger, Scott Doe, Will Thomas, Danny Walder, Andy Drury (Montrell Deslandes 81), Charlie Heatley, Harry Goodger (George McIlroy 90+1), Jack Hanson (Stephen Okoh 87).
Subs (unused): Jack Miles, Gus Barnes.
Goals: Jack Hanson 12, Charlie Heatley (pen) 18, Danny Walder 40.

Whitehawk
Nathan Stroomberg-Clarke, Harry Reed, Ashley Wadhams, Henry Blackmore, Daniel Thompson (Jamie Splatt 46), Alex Malins, Ollie Munt, Omarr Lawson (c), Javaun Splatt, James Fraser (Lekan Orimolusi 64), Tyrese Mtunzhi (Tareq Shihab 82).
Subs (unused): David Ijaha, Declan Kama.
Yellow cards: Javaun Splatt 73, Lekan Orimolusi 78, Nathan Stroomberg-Clarke 90+1.

Attendance: 293
Referee: Daniel Doyle
Assistants: Steven Goldup & Matthew Charles