Whitstable Town 1st Team
Matches
Sat 17 Oct 2020  ·  The FA Trophy 20-21
Ashford Town (Middx)
M Bunyan (8')
1
0
Whitstable Town Football Club
Whitstable Town 1st Team
No Cup Joy In Middlesex

No Cup Joy In Middlesex

Ron Martin18 Oct 2020 - 00:23
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Super strike by Bunyan enough to dump Whitstable out of the FA Trophy

ASHFORD TOWN (MIDDLESEX) 1 WHITSTABLE TOWN 0
Buildbase FA Trophy Second Round Qualifying
Saturday October 17 2020 15.00

Whitstable bowed out of the FA Trophy in their first game of the competition with a disappointing defeat at Ashford Town (Middlesex). A single goal was enough for the home team and it was a strike worthy of winning any game. Whitstable were always in the contest, but found it difficult to create many chances. A good save by Paul McCarthy from a Tijan Jadama header just before half time was the closest the Kent team came and although they had a fair amount of possession in the second half, the Ashford goalkeeper was not really tested again.

This was a new ground for the good number of Whitstable supporters that made the 87 mile trip from the coast. The South Central Division team had beaten Hulbridge Sports 1-0 in the previous round with a late Steven Duff goal, whilst Whitstable had a bye. There was a debut for new signing Jack Miles and with the continued absence of several defenders, the former Sevenoaks Town centre back was a welcome addition. There were places on the bench for two Whitstable Town Youth players, Euan Sallis and Harry Boyce-Huggins.

Whitstable had the ball in the box from free kicks a couple of times in the opening minutes, but McCarthy was able to collect the ball on each occasion. The decisive goal came in the 8th minute when a long punt up field by McCarthy was flicked on by Matt Bunyan, the ball was nodded back to him by Daniel Brown and as it bounced up, he struck a great left footed shot into the top right corner from 22 yards, giving Dan Eason no chance. Shortly afterwards, Bunyan had the ball in the net again as he chipped Eason after being found by a Jack French through ball, but an offside flag had already been raised. Bunyan was then involved in a clash of heads that led to a delay in proceedings. A shot by French was deflected wide for a corner in the 18th minute as Ashford looked the more threatening team. Eason was then able to catch a glancing header by Bunyan from a French cross. Whitstable had their first effort on target in the 25th minute when a good move saw the busy Liam Gillies pass to Aaron Millbank who hit a low shot on the turn from the edge of the box, but McCarthy was able to get down to save.

The dangerous Bunyan was unable to continue due to injury, so was substituted by James Cottee in the 29th minute. Ashford had to make another change a few minutes later when Kane Fitzgerald was replaced by Brad Sweeney. A home corner in the 38th minute saw two headers cleared off the line by Simon Kabamba in quick succession, firstly from George Spiers and then Daniel Brown. The best moment of the game for the visitors came in the 40th minute when Ryan Flack sent over a good cross from the left to the back post where Jadama rose well, but his close range header was brilliantly clawed away for a corner by McCarthy. Just before the half time whistle, French saw his shot deflected wide and from the resulting corner a bit of head tennis led to the ball going just past the far post. After another Ashford corner was cleared, Gillies tried a shot that was blocked in a crowded area and the hosts went in with a deserved lead.

The early stages of the second half brought few clear chances, but there were some optimistic penalty shouts from the home crowd when Eason dived to push the ball away before colliding with Brown who had tried to run on to it, but the referee was not interested. Sam Humphreys became the first of five bookings when he fouled Luke Medley, who perhaps looked the most likely player to create something for Whitstable. Flack then collected the only caution for Whitstable and from the free kick that followed the ball was cleared as far as Brown who tested Eason from distance. Whitstable were seeing more of the ball, but a Flack shot that sailed over the bar on 67 minutes was their first attempt of the half.

Cottee had a shot well charged down, then he got past Miles on the left and strode into the area but was unable to beat Eason at the near post. Brown then managed to take the ball around Eason on the right, but the angle was too tight. Duff was next to test the Whitstable goalkeeper following a good run into the box from the left, but having done the hard work shot straight at the grateful Eason. Brown then tried a long shot that took a slight deflection before being gathered by Eason. Kabamba broke forward and hit a shot from the right that looked to be going just wide although McCarthy saved comfortably by his post. Whitstable kept pushing forward and won several late free kicks, but just could not break through a well organised defence and a late Ashford break might have settled things, but the final pass was not the best. The referee, who had a good game, blew the final whistle somewhat short of the indicated five additional minutes, but in truth an equaliser never looked likely.

Ashford can now await the draw for the next round whilst Whitstable have a week to prepare for a trip to one of the title favourites, East Grinstead.

AshfordDataWhitstable
7Shots on target2
7Shots off target2
4Shots blocked2
7Corners2
14Fouls conceded11
4Offside0
0Penalties0

Ashford Town (Middlesex)
Paul McCarthy, Sam Humphreys, Julius Mngadi, George Spiers, Dale Burnham, Darryl Harrison, Kane Fitzgerald (Brad Sweeney 37), Jack French, Daniel Brown, Matt Bunyan (James Cottee 29), Steven Duff.
Subs (unused): James Vass, Harry Woodward, Dean Greenwood.
Goal: Matt Bunyan 8
Yellow cards: Sam Humphreys 59, Jack French 69, Steven Duff 86, Brad Sweeney 90+2.

Whitstable Town
Dan Eason, Simon Kabamba, Tom Mills, Luke Girt (c), Jack Miles, Leo Mazzone, Ryan Flack (Dean James 81), Liam Gillies (James Brown 70), Aaron Millbank, Tijan Jadama, Luke Medley.
Subs (unused): Victor Aiyelabola, Tom Bryant, Muhammed Cham, Euan Sallis, Harry Boyce-Huggins.
Yellow card: Ryan Flack 61

Attendance: 163
Referee: John Perry
Assistants: Steven Conway & Christopher Fernandes

Match details

Match date

Sat 17 Oct 2020

Kickoff

15:00

Attendance

163

Competition

The FA Trophy 20-21
Team overview
Further reading

Team Sponsors

First Team Sponsor - FibreTech UK Ltd
Management Sponsor - The Tony Rouse Mispronunciation Society
Management Sponsor - The Tony Rouse Mispronunciation Society
Management Sponsor - Stuart Kingston