WHITSTABLE TOWN 0 LANCING 1
The Pitching In Isthmian League South East
Saturday April 23 2022 15.00

The league’s two bottom teams met on the final day of the season and it was no surprise that a tight game was the outcome. There was plenty of endeavour from both teams as they battled to stay in the division. Whitstable needed a big win and never looked like achieving it, lacking a little bit of quality and composure at the key moments. Matt Daniel scored the decisive goal for Lancing midway through the second half, with his team’s only shot on target, although he had seen two earlier efforts ruled out for offside.

The reward for winning this game was a chance to escape the bottom two and certain relegation. Whitstable were three points behind their opponents and Phoenix Sports and whilst any win would have lifted them above Lancing, a seven goal swing was needed to overhaul Phoenix and get a chance of a reprieve or relegation play-off. When Whitstable travelled to Lancing in September, both were still pointless, but Lancing got off the mark with a 1-0 win. Dan Eason missed his first game of the season after damaging his shoulder at Ramsgate and taking his place in goal was Adam Highsted, who played for Whitstable back in 2015-16, a season in which they were last relegated! Jack Hanson was back after missing the last game, but with Scott Doe unavailable and Harry Goodger suspended, George Monger and Stephen Okoh also returned to the starting eleven.

A good crowd of 402 turned out on a cool, windy afternoon to see how events would unfold on a somewhat hard and uneven, end of season pitch. There were three early Lancing corners, but Highsted was untroubled. Danny Walder struck a low shot from distance that was comfortably saved by Alieu Secka in the Lancing goal. Charlie Heatley had a shot charged down and then a good run by Hanson created an opportunity for Walder on the edge of the area, but his shot also struck a defender. In the 17th minute, Lorenzo Lewis crossed from the left for Daniel, who controlled the ball and shot past Highsted, only to be denied by an offside flag – it looked a very close call. Okoh was fouled on the left and Walder’s free kick was pushed around the post by Secka. Heatley made a good run into the box before pulling the ball back for player manager Andy Drury whose shot was well blocked by a stretching Liam Hendy. A well weighted through ball by James Rhodes gave Lewis a good chance to test Highsted, but his shot was lifted way over the bar. A Heatley shot from the right was deflected behind and Monger’s corner was headed back into his own goalmouth by Will Berry, where Secka initially dropped the ball and was challenged by Heatley as he recovered it. This led to a bit of a scuffle between a few players that was soon calmed by referee Aaron Conn. Walder then shot wide following some good work by Monger and Okoh. On 41 minutes, Lewis was played in from the right, but could only hit the side netting from a narrow angle and it remained 0-0 at the interval.

Hanson was unable to continue, so was replaced by Muhammed Cham for the second half. There was an early sight of goal for Lewis, but his shot flew wide of the far post. In the 58th minute, Monger picked out the run of Drury who beat Secka to the ball on the 18 yard line and poked it towards goal, but Berry just got back to clear off the line. It would have been ruled out by the assistant’s raised flag against Drury, although a look at the replay suggested he was actually just onside. There was another offside decision at the other end, although this one looked more obvious against Mahamadou Juwara before he crossed for Daniel to find the net. The only goal was scored in the 68th minute when Juwara robbed Cham on the Lancing left and sent the ball into the box, where Modou Jammeh helped it into the path of Daniel and he slid it past Highsted. This was yet another tight offside call, as Jammeh was pretty much level with a couple of home defenders on the 18 yard line when the cross was delivered, but this one would have needed the VAR lines to sort out, so was probably fair enough. A few minutes later, a deep Monger corner was headed back by Jake Mackenzie for Heatley, but Secka did well to save. A Lewis cross went right across the goal with nobody able to apply the finish. Monger and Drury combined to find Cham on the left of the area, but his firm strike was kept out by Harrison Parker, just in front of the diving Secka. There were few late chances as Lancing managed the closing stages well, leading to a few frustrated challenges and bookings for Walder, Monger and Mackenzie. There was also a card for Lewis, who took too long to depart when being substituted. The game – and season – was up for Whitstable, who finish bottom on 30 points from 38 matches.

Phoenix are also relegated after crashing 0-3 to Herne Bay, so Lancing climb above them to earn a home play-off against Newhaven on Saturday for a place in this division next season. Newhaven only finished third in their league behind promoted Littlehampton Town and Saltdean United, who had accumulated enough points to also have been promoted as runners up, but failed ground grading, thus giving Newhaven a play-off chance.

Whitstable now face a busy summer, both on and off the pitch, and with manager Andy Drury, must now plan for the SCEFL Premier Division and hopefully a quick return to the Isthmian League.

Whitstable Town
Adam Highsted, Jake Mackenzie, Veron Nzinga, George Monger, Tom Mills (c), Will Thomas, Danny Walder (Montrell Deslandes 83), Andy Drury, Charlie Heatley, Stephen Okoh (Gus Barnes 75), Jack Hanson (Muhammed Cham 46).
Subs (unused): Cameron Chamberlain, George McIlroy.
Yellow cards: Danny Walder 81, George Monger 84, Jake Mackenzie 88.

Lancing
Alieu Secka, Harrison Parker, Mahamadou Juwara, Finn Daniels-Yeomans (c), Will Berry, Liam Hendy, James Rhodes (Brad Campbell-Francis 62), Darius Goldsmith, Matt Daniel, Modou Jammeh (Mohamed Joumaa Zabadne 90+3), Lorenzo Lewis (Isiah Corrie 83).
Subs (unused): Anesu Sisimayi, Danny Kingston.
Goal: Matt Daniel 68
Yellow card: Lorenzo Lewis 83

Attendance: 402
Referee: Aaron Conn
Assistants: Sam Wigington & Matthew Charles