Both sides are still in the draw for the Third Qualifying Round of the FA Trophy as they played out a game of two halves.

The first half was cagey & with the rain & strong winds it was a poor game but the second half was completely different as the rain stopped & both teams upped their game.

The game started quickly for Whitstable as in 30 seconds they had their first chance when a ball into the area found Craig Thompson whose turn & shot caused Dan Eason to make a save but that was their last chance of the half, Hythe did not do much better, in the 7^th minute a corner into the 6 yard box caused a scramble & the ball went into the Whitstable net but the Referee gave a foul on the keeper.

In the 19^th minute Taser Hasson’s long ball saw Shaun Welford race onto to it & as Luke Watkins came out of his goal the ball deflected to Josh Burchell but he took to long on the ball & the chance to hit his shot into an empty net went. The half finished with monsoon conditions the only real talking point.

The second half saw the rain stop & this helped both sides get a grip on the game & in the 51^st minute a shot into the Whitstable area was deflected to Welford whose first time shot was saved by Watkins, a minute later a free kick into the Whitstable area saw Dave Cook head on for Hasson but his elaborate bicycle kick went away from goal & cleared.

The game then changed immediately as both Managers made some substitutions. In the 56^th minute Hythe took the lead when Ronnie Dolan only on for three minutes went down the right wing & his cross found Welford who from 10 yards shot past Watkins for his 8^th of the season.

Whitstable got back into the game on the hour when Watkins long kick was flicked on by Ashley Baverstock for Thompson to ruin onto & he chipped over the onrushing Eason. Hythe nearly restores their lead when Welford on the edge of the area passed out wide to Hasson but from 15 yards his side foot shot went over the bar.

In the 69^th minute Hythe did restore their lead when Welford picked the ball up 40 yards out & went forward before unleashing a shot from 20 yards which forced Watkins to parry the ball out but straight to Dolan who coolly shot home from 10 yards.

In the 74^th minute Hythe nearly got their third when a corner into the area was met by Jamie Collado but his shot went over the bar. Whitstable equalised in the 78^th minute when a Jack Simon corner into the area was met by Thompson’s bullet header which Ryan Cooper on the line couldn’t stop it going via the crossbar.

The last 12 minutes & injury time saw both sides go for it & the last real chance of the game came in the last minute when Dolan on the right crossed to the far post for Welford but his stretching header went over the bar.

The final whistle went & both sides will have another go next Wednesday at the Belmont with maybe the incentive of a great game in the next round as Conference South clubs join.

 

HYTHE TOWN:

1. D.EASON  2. R.COOPER   3. J.WALKER   4. P.KINGWELL  5. C.CLOKE  6. D.LYE

7. D.COOK (53) 8. J.BURCHELL (53)  9. S.WELFORD  10. J.COLLADO  11. T.HASSON (88)

 

SUBS USED: 12. R.DOLAN (53)  14. L.WINFIELD (53) 15. L.WEBB (88)

SUBS NOT USED: 16.L.BLACKMAN  17. C.O’HARA

 

BOOKINGS: R.DOLAN (64)

 

WHITABLE TOWN:

1. L.WATKINS  2. J.KANE  3. C.MAGUIRE  4. P.HUGGENS (67)  5. J.GUEST  6. D.WELLS

7. S.HAFNER  8. J.MORRISH (53)  9. C.THOMPSON  10. C.SMITH  11. O.BROWN (57)

 

SUBS USED: 12. A.BAVERSTOCK (57)  14. J.McKENZIE (67)  15. J.SIMON (53)

SUBS NOT USED: 16. B.COBB  17. S.HALLETT

 

BOOKINGS: 6. D.WELLS (84)  8. J.MORRISH (45)

 

REFEREE: Mr G.MASKELL

ASSISTANTS: Mr K.NICHOLSON & Mr R.WHITTAKER

ATTENDANCE: 303