Whitstable’s cup run ended almost before it began at Carshalton, who ran out comfortable 5-1 winners and were rarely troubled by a Whitstable team who offered little as an attacking threat on the day. The Oystermen had a few bright moments in the opening minutes and even though the home side gradually took control, the game remained goalless until the 37th minute. A second goal just before the interval gave Whitstable a mountain to climb in the second half and three further goals in an eight minute spell gave the home team a comprehensive win. Whitstable kept going and did manage a late consolation goal before the final whistle confirmed Carshalton’s place in Monday’s draw.

With only a few Step 3 clubs entering the FA Cup at this stage, a trip to Carshalton Athletic was not the kindest of draws for Whitstable, although Colston Avenue was the scene of a memorable 2-1 FA Trophy win during the 2013-14 season when Whitstable made it to the last 32 under manager Nicky Southall. The last time the teams met in the FA Cup was in the First Qualifying Round of the 2009-10 season when Whitstable won 2-1 at the Belmont Ground. When the 2019-20 season was terminated, Carshalton were in 5th place in the Isthmian Premier Division and they are fancied to challenge for honours again this time around. Striker Ricky Korboa recently left to sign for Northampton Town, but there have been some new additions including former Kingstonian goal scorer Dan Bennett and Nyren Clunis, who had made nearly 500 appearances for Dulwich Hamlet. Another forward, David Fisher has joined on loan from AFC Wimbledon. Whitstable were without Aaron Millbank, Harry Stannard, Liam King and Jake Mackenzie for a variety of reasons, but there were competitive debuts for Luke Medley and Tom Mills, with Dean James and Victor Aiyelabola also making their first appearances from the bench in the second half

After surviving an early corner, Whitstable showed a little early promise and Tijan Jadama made a good run into the box before being closed down by several defenders and when the ball came out to the left, a good Mills cross was deflected just wide. Jordan Cheadle, who was to prove a constant threat on the left, tested Dan Eason with a free kick in the 8th minute. Medley was then put through on goal, but was halted by an offside flag. In the 22nd minute a long diagonal ball out to the left was crossed first time by Cheadle to Bennett, who fired over the top. Another cross from the left then found Tommy Bradford, but he shot straight at Eason. Medley got into the box again at the other end, but was unable to hit the target from a narrow angle. Eason was soon back in the action, keeping out a Bennett header. Whitstable went close in the 32nd minute when Jay Hards found Jadama, who weaved his way past several Carshalton players, but the angle was too tight and his shot went across the goal and wide.

Home pressure finally earned a reward when Fisher collected the ball on the left of the area and did well to shoot low past Eason into the bottom right corner of the net. Bobby Price almost doubled the advantage when his great curling shot was acrobatically tipped over the bar by Eason. The Whitstable goalkeeper could do nothing in the 44th minute however when a great move led to a Price cross from the right picking out the impressive Ernold Haxhiu in the box and his shot went just inside the post to send his team in 2-0 up at the break.

Bennett tried a low shot just after the restart, but it was comfortable for Eason, who had to make a much better stop in the 52nd minute when Carshalton worked the ball across from right to left before Cheadle’s firm strike was parried away for a corner. The game then became a bit scrappy, as the referee struggled to keep control and a number of yellow cards were produced. Eason saved from Bradford before Whitstable won their only corner in the 59th minute, but Patrick Ohman remained untroubled in the Robins goal. Charles Etumnu and James were introduced in place of Luke Girt and Hards, as the Whitstable manager tried to find a way back into the game. It was Carshalton though that added a third in the 69th minute when a corner dropped to Cheadle who rifled the ball into the net. Liam Gillies tried an ambitious long distance shot that sailed over the bar before another left wing cross reached Bradford whose shot hit the inside of the left post before rebounding across the goal into the opposite corner to make it 4-0. The fifth goal soon followed in the 76th minute when Whitstable gave the ball away to substitute Clunis who ran forward down the right and crossed for the former Gambian international, and Norwich City and Dulwich Hamlet player, Omar Koroma to shoot past Eason.

There were a couple more blocked attempts from the home side, but Whitstable were having a little more possession in midfield and when they won a free kick in the 87th minute, Ollie Rowe rose above his marker to meet the delivery by Gillies and plant his header into the net. Etumnu, who had done well in midfield since coming on, collected the last of the six yellow cards shown in the 88th minute and Fisher shot just wide after a good run, but there were no further goals and Whitstable’s FA Cup adventure was over for another year.

A new league campaign begins next week with a trip to Sittingbourne, who had their own FA Cup disappointment, losing 4-1 at Deal Town.

Carshalton	Data	Whitstable
12	Shots on target	1
4	Shots off target	5
4	Shots blocked	0
6	Corners	1
11	Fouls conceded	18
2	Offside	1
0	Penalties	0

Carshalton Athletic
Patrick Ohman, Bobby Price (Kelvin Manuel 74), Paris Hamilton-Downes (c), Luke Read, Danny Dudley, Jordan Cheadle, Kershaney Samuels (Omar Koroma 69), Ernold Haxhiu, Dan Bennett (Nyren Clunis 70), Tommy Bradford, David Fisher.
Subs (unused): Joseph Parker, Peter Adeniyi, Orefe Bello.
Goals: David Fisher 37, Ernold Haxhiu 44, Jordan Cheadle 69, Tommy Bradford 72, Omar Koroma 76.
Yellow cards: Dan Bennett 61, Paris Hamilton-Downes 74, Jordan Cheadle 78.

Whitstable Town
Dan Eason, Leo Mazzone, James Brown, Luke Girt (Charles Etumnu 67), Ollie Rowe (c), Tom Bryant, Jay Hards (Dean James 65), Tijan Jadama, Luke Medley, Liam Gillies, Tom Mills (Victor Aiyelabola 79).
Subs (unused): Ollie Gray, Muhammed Cham, Reece Gillies.
Goal: Ollie Rowe 87
Yellow cards: Leo Mazzone 57, Jay Hards 64, Charles Etumnu 88.

Attendance: 326
Referee: Howard Collins
Assistants: Scott Orchard & Rodney Van Niekerk