A valiant effort by Canterbury City, in fact it was more than that, as for the second time this season they ran free-scoring, runaway leaders AFC Whyteleafe very close, before succumbing again by just the one goal.

They made the hosts battle for everything and earn everything to such an extent that once Whyteleafe were two-one in front early in the second-half, they were already looking to run down the clock and waste time and eventually, after a frenetic final period, they were mightily relieved when the final whistle blew!

Despite the defeat, City will be leaving Church Road wondering how they didn’t quite get something at least from the game having played so well and matching their opponents for work rate, heart and strength, but in the obvious form they’re in, Whyteleafe away was always going to be a tough assignment.

The first half chance of the game fell to City, when Mo Cham headed wide under pressure in the opening minute. ‘Leafe responded well and probably should have taken the lead a couple of minutes later when Mike Hill whipped in a low cross that leading scorer Aaron Watson could only deflect up and over the bar from a couple of yards out.

The hosts started meaningfully and were quick in getting forward as City keeper Tom Benham made a smart spreading save to deny Max Morgan before Hill’s long strike took a slight deflection en route to soaring well over the City bar. Helge Orome took the resulting corner, but although City initially cleared the danger, the ball was recycled and Benham was forced into another save, this time to thwart Orome.

It wasn’t all Whyteleafe though as a City break saw Cham fire wide on the run, while a dangerous looking free-kick from wide left was well taken by home keeper James Shaw. The game was competitive and played at pace moving from end to end. Gaspar Mico almost got on the end of Watson’s through ball for the hosts before Cham and Harry Maher combined well to almost prise the home defence open. A free-kick hoisted into the City box was well dealt with by Benham before a lovely City move ended with Alfie Giles firing over.

A couple of City crosses failed to find a recipient, while a promising break also fizzled out, before Benham was called into action again – firstly going down well to his left to keep out Hill’s long range effort and then commandingly claiming Orome’s in-swinging corner.

On twenty-seven minutes, City almost took the lead when an incisive move ended when Rob Lawrence dinked a clever, quick-fire chip shot over Shaw, but the keeper, back-pedalling and on the stretch, just managed to get enough of his fingertips on the ball to push it over the bar.

From almost going in front, a minute later City unfortunately found themselves in arrears. Benham had already made a point blank block to deny Mico down at one post but as the rebound bounced across the goal area, a bit of a scramble ensued and despite another couple of City blocks, Watson eventually forced the ball home near the other post for 0-1.

The hosts seemed content to sit on the lead and strangely, there wasn’t too much urgency from them for some time. City saw a couple of crosses cleared by the home defence, before Luke Illsley made an important defensive header for them when Whyteleafe did eventually threaten again.

On forty-two minutes, City deservedly equalised. A free-kick out wide left was sent in by Lawrence and Joe Nelder rose unchallenged, to calmly nod the ball home, cleverly guiding it into a huge gap in the direction from which it had come to make the score 1-1.

There were no further chances of any note in the run up to the break, although City’s Jake McCarthy was called upon to make a telling defensive clearance, so all-square going back to the changing rooms seemed just about right.

The home side were a bit sluggish coming out for the second-half and again were just lacking the bite and energy you probably would have expected. An excessively convoluted corner routine ended with James Teodorescu firing well over the bar before Watson saw a shot blocked out for a corner.

Just nine minutes after the restart however, they scored a telling second when the referee blew for a penalty just a second before the ball was rammed into the City net. A tad unfortunate for the hosts, but fortunately for them and probably for the referee as well, Watson sent Benham the wrong way from the spot and scored with a half stuttering run-up to put Whyteleafe back in front at 1-2.

For a team top of the league, in good form, with two of the league’s leading scorers on the pitch and winning their last game 6-1, you might have expected them to kick on and put City to the sword. Curiously however, they didn’t really do this, or City didn’t allow them to do it and Whyteleafe were soon trying to wind down the clock and take time out of the game. After the close call earlier in the season at Hartsdown Park, they may have decided to dig in and hold on to what they had.

The time wasting was getting worse and despite several warnings and hurry up’s from the referee, he eventually lost his patience with keeper Shaw and showed him the yellow card for his lethargy! City meanwhile were more anxious to push on with the game and although Harry Maher was required to make a good blocking clearance, City were the ones who were now making the running.

A couple of crosses went begging for them, while a long effort from Lawrence was safely pouched by Shaw, before the keeper sped out hurriedly to nick the ball of the toes of Monty Saunders as he almost latched onto Lawrence’s clever through ball.

Urged on by the bench and with a couple of replacements made, the hosts steadily began to respond and Benham made a smart spreading block to deny Watson before doing well to beat away a close range effort from Temi Alaka.

With time fast approaching but a heavy chunk to be added, Whyteleafe found themselves down to ten men following a sin bin offence and were suddenly scratching around as City strove to level the game up. Both sides made further changes but all the remaining chances fell City’s way. Giles saw his low strike easily saved by Shaw, while Nelder struck a big volley from distance over the bar. In a frenetic last few minutes, Illsley saw his long effort sail wide while Cham also dragged another distance effort the wrong side of the post.

With the hosts under pressure and desperately disputing with the officials whether or not the sin bin should have ended by now, the referee finally brought the game to its end and with it just squeaking Whyteleafe the narrowest of victories.

It had been a sterling effort from City and a nice touch at the end as they went over and thanked the fans behind the goal who had made the journey to support them. No points today but plenty of pride and plaudits!

Final score: Canterbury City 1 AFC Whyteleafe 2

City: Tom Benham, Luka Radojevic, Jake McCarthy (Leo Dodds), Louie Procopi (Monty Saunders), Joe Nelder, Harry Maher, Rob Lawrence (Brad Walledge), Luke Illsley, Alfie Giles (Ben Binder), Mo Cham, Harry Sikirwayi (Darren Cooper).