A third game in five days proved too much for Hythe Town, whose grip on the final Ryman South playoff place looks more tenuous tonight.

A pacy, well organised Walton Casuals side swept in three goals against a tired looking side, who had few answers; indeed, without a stoppage time penalty save from Joe Mant, the scoreline could have been more lopsided.

Walton’s first goal had a fair share of luck about it as a rebound from a Hythe defender allowed Omar Foulkes to turn and fire the visitors ahead on 25.  Gabriel Odunaike wandered in behind a static defence to pick up Scott Day’s throughball seven minutes later, and he calmly slid his shot past the advancing Mant.

Day rounded off the scoring on 64, although it was at the third attempt after Mant had already blocked shots from Odunaike and Day; the latter an outstanding reaction save having been prone seconds earlier.

Twice within the opening 10 minutes, Walton’s wide man, Gabriel Odunaike found space in the Hythe area; once placing a header wide, then tamely shooting at Joe Mant, the home keeper.  This seemed to spark Hythe into life and both Alfie May and Frankie Sawyer had headers that failed to trouble Brannon Daly in the Walton net.

Hythe’s back four though was looking lethargic against the three pacy Walton forwards, but it took a moment of misfortune to gift Walton the lead.  Jordan Cheadle’s long freekick into the Hythe area was met by a powerful header from Laurence Harvey.  The header, though, caught Ben Wilson amidships, and bounced to Omar Foulkes, who turned and fired beyond Mant.

Rhys Paul was granted space to meet Cheadle’s left wing corner and, although May was able to fire a shot weakly at Day, it was Walton who looked the more likely to score.  And they did on 32, as Scott Day’s pass from midfield sprung the Hythe offside trap, with Odunaike having the composure to slide his shot past the advancing Mant.

Try as they might, Hythe were struggling to create anything in and around the Walton box, and it took a mistake from Quincy Rowe to give Jack Harris a sight of the post, but his shot was charged down by Liam Collins, who had read the danger.

Hythe made two changes at the interval to try to freshen up the side, but it was Walton who continued to press, with Odunaike given time to turn and shoot wide from Foulkes’ cross.

The home side’s best chance of the half came just after the hour, as Craig Cloke fired a volley through a crowd of players, but Rhys Paul had retreated and was able to clear off the line.

Within moments, Walton had sealed the match as Daly’s long freekick dropped to Odunaike, who flicked a shot with the outside of his right foot into Mant’s legs.  The rebound fell to Scott Day, whose first effort was denied by a remarkable full-length save by Mant, but the keeper couldn’t deny Day a tap-in from the second rebound.

One of Hythe’s substitutes, James Morrish, was able to meet Connor Hood’s cross and direct a header towards goal, but the real chances were coming uncomfortably often at the other end.  Youseff Bamba had a shot deflected just past the left post, with Mant scrambling across his goal, and Odunaike had another free header drift over.

Mant had to make another save from a Bamba shot from the edge of the area, but saved his best for stoppage time, with a full-length penalty save.  Day and Bamba combined on the right side and, following a strong claim that Day had controlled the ball with his arm, the Walton midfielder was tripped by Morrish.  Liam Collins stepped up and fired a low penalty to Mant’s right side, and the keeper reacted quickly enough to pounce on the follow-up chance as well.

With Molesey beating 6th placed Hastings tonight, both sides are just two points behind Hythe, who will be looking over their shoulders.  And no-one should discount Herne Bay who are a further point back.

HYTHE TOWN: Joe Mant, Connor Hood, Ben Wilson, Will Thomas (James Morrish 46), Craig Cloke, Laurence Harvey, Dave Cook, Darren Marsden (Dave Botterill 46), Frankie Sawyer, Alfie May (Louis Sprosen 74), Jack Harris.

Subs not used: Josh Burchell, Jack Mahoney.

Caution: Ben Wilson 54.

WALTON CASUALS: Brannon Daly, Liam Collins, Jordan Cheadle, Max Fitzgerald (Dominic Bowman-Flavell 84), Rhys Paul (Taylor Roles 82), Quincy Rowe, Peter Wedgeworth, Scott Day, Omar Foulkes (Glen Molyan 89), Youseff Bamba, Gabriel Odunaike.

Subs not used: Harvey Cheadle.

Goals: Omar Foulkes 25, Gabriel Odunaike 32, Scott Day 64.

Caution: Gabriel Odunaike 86.

Attendance: 260
Referee: Mr Stuart Butler
Assistants: Mr Zoltan Komkoly and Mr Marcin Indyk