Whitstable’s recent upturn in form, sponsors day, a local derby and Easter sunshine attracted over six hundred spectators to the Belmont Ground, but the team failed to find the performance needed to gain some valuable points. Neither team produced much quality on the hard surface with a stiff breeze and there were plenty of misplaced passes and wayward goal attempts, accompanied at times by some eccentric refereeing. With both goalkeepers relatively untroubled, one goal always looked as though it might be enough and so it proved, as Emmanuel Oluwasemo produced a rare moment of magic, firing past Dan Eason in the 71st minute.

Whitstable won 2-1 at Faversham in early January and it was three months before they tasted victory again, but new manager Andy Drury had guided the team to seven points from the last three games to give them some hope of avoiding relegation. Faversham had already accumulated enough points to ensure safety, so came into this derby with little pressure on them. There was one change to the home starting eleven, as Tom Mills returned at left back replacing Veron Nzinga.

In the 7th minute, a good cross by Jake Mackenzie to the back post was headed over the bar by Harry Goodger, then a few minutes later a chip into the box by Drury was just out of reach of Danny Walder’s run. When a throw in was only partially cleared, Mackenzie shot wide from just outside the box. The referee opened his note book for the first time and cautioned Charlie Dickens for a challenge on Walder near the halfway line. Walder swing in a dangerous free kick and Goodger appeared to be pushed as he went to meet it, but the ball continued to the back post where a diving header by Will Thomas was just kept out by goalkeeper Kie Plumley before being cleared off the line. On 19 minutes, Goodger was first to an aerial challenge and flicked the ball on, but then collided with Sam Bewick who had to receive some attention on the pitch. The Whitstable target man was somewhat harshly shown a yellow card, much to the frustration of the bench and manager – it would prove a costly card for Goodger later. Oluwasemo made a good run down the left in the 43rd minute before cutting inside and managing a low shot that Eason collected comfortably. In the time added on, Faversham captain Harry Harding ran into George Monger, who appeared to do little wrong, but nevertheless became the fourth player into the book. Faversham gained a corner and then thought they should have been given a penalty after seeing a raised Whitstable arm when the ball was delivered, but the officials thought otherwise and the score remained goalless at the break.

At the start of the second half, an attempted clearance by Matt Bourne fell to Walder on the 18 yard line, but his shot went wide and Clark Woodcock was next to put his shot the wrong side of the post at the other end. Oluwasemo had an effort deflected behind for a corner, as did Charlie Heatley for Whitstable. The breakthrough nearly came for the Oystermen on 64 minutes when a great Mackenzie cross looked certain to be nodded in at the far post by Goodger, only for Bewick to make a timely interception and put the ball behind for a corner that led to blocked shots by Scott Doe and Jack Hanson as Faversham defended well. The game’s key moment saw Oluwasemo rob Hanson and drive forward before firing the ball past Eason and just inside the left post from 20 yards. Faversham had created few chances, but had a great opportunity to double their lead in the 79th minute when Richardson-Brown collected the ball in his own half, went past Monger and Mills and sent in a perfect low cross for an unmarked Harding who completely missed his kick with just Eason to beat from 8 yards. Whitstable substitute Stephen Okoh delivered a deep cross from the left that was volleyed just over by Mackenzie. Goodger then lifted an effort way over the top when he latched onto a headed clearance. Whitstable’s day got worse in the 90th minute when Goodger was sent off after receiving a second yellow card, when he was adjudged to have obstructed Harding who was chasing a ball into the Whitstable half that would have been cleared by Eason. There was no way back for the ten men as Faversham were able to run down the clock with few alarms and take the three points.

Whitstable are now left hoping other results go their way whilst trying to win their last two games, at Ramsgate on Easter Monday and finally at home to Lancing on Saturday.

Whitstable	Data	Faversham
1	Shots on target	2
8	Shots off target	2
4	Shots blocked	2
6	Corners	4
12	Fouls conceded	10
1	Offside	0
0	Penalties	0

Whitstable Town
Dan Eason, Jake Mackenzie, Tom Mills (c), George Monger, Scott Doe, Will Thomas, Danny Walder (Gus Barnes 80), Andy Drury, Charlie Heatley (Stephen Okoh 70), Harry Goodger, Jack Hanson.
Subs (unused): Veron Nzinga, Montrell Deslandes, George McIlroy.
Yellow card: George Monger 45+1
Red card: Harry Goodger 90 (two yellows 19, 90)

Faversham Town
Kie Plumley, Sam Bewick, Charlie Dickens, Ethan Smith, Matt Bourne, Calvin Sedenu, Clark Woodcock, Harry Harding (c), Marcus Elliott (Siao Blackwood 84), Emmanuel Oluwasemo, Tyrell Richardson-Brown (Jono Richardson 87).
Subs (unused): Alfie Eyles, Benedict Bioletti, Beckham Hulks.
Goal: Emmanuel Oluwasemo 71
Yellow cards: Charlie Dickens 17, Matt Bourne 34.

Attendance: 609
Referee: Richard Joss
Assistants: Michael Donnelly & Simon Cutler