Whitstable lost some ground on their promotion play off push when they came up against a stubborn mid table Chipstead who played better in the conditions & just about deserved their victory.
The game started with the Referee Mr Butler having to make 2 penalty decisions for both sides when firstly in the 4th minute Aaron James missed the through ball & Will Turi latched onto it went into the area but was challenged by James & he went down but the ball went to the relieved Luke Watkins then two minutes later a Whitstable counter attack saw Tom Loynes in on goal but he fell over after the challenge of Steve Betancourt but no penalties were given.
In the 10th minute Scott Heard passed to Kane Rowland who ran forward & then passed the ball into the path of Ian Pulman but his weak shot from 15 yards was easily saved by Milan Stojsavljevic.
Chipstead nearly took the lead in the 19th minute when a corner into the area was headed goal wards by Sean Preddi but was headed off the line by Loynes. Two minutes later Chipstead did take the lead when a corner was half cleared to Kofi Quartey who chipped it to the back post where Preddi was & he knocked it from two yards.
In the 26th minute it could have been two when Derek Tieku on the right crossed into the area for Turi who saw his flicked header pushed around the post by Watkins & from the resulting corner which was half cleared Tieku saw his shot from 20 yards fly over the bar.
The last chance of the half came in the 35th minute when Pulman on the left side of the area passed inside for Heard who laid it into the path of Rowland but from 8 yards blasted over the bar.
The second half saw conditions deteriorate as a snow shower came down & with the heavy pitch this would test both set of players for fitness.
In the 47th minute Watkins saw his weak clearance go straight to Tieku who raced into the area & was about to shoot when James came across & tackled him & cleared.
The rest of the game saw Whitstable dominate possession but not making Stojsavljevic have to make any demanding saves whilst Chipstead relied on the counter attacks.
In the 50th minute it was Whitstable’s go as Peter Wedgeworth crossed to Heard who laid it back for Ollie Gray but his shot was saved by Stojsavljevic.
Another chance came two minutes later when Rowland went into the area & crossed for Nick Treadwell but his header went straight to Stojsavljevic.
In the very next minute a Chipstead throw into the area found Tieku who turned quickly & shot but Watkins saved it easily. In the 56th minute a short corner saw Heard cross into the area which was half cleared straight to Loynes but his shot was easily saved.
In the 66th minute another chance went a begging as Wedgeworth saw his cross into the area knocked down for Pulman whose snap shot went wide. Whitstable came close to equalising when Pulman saw his shot from 20 yards cannon off the crossbar.
The last chance of the game went Chipstead’s way when Rob Webbe saw his shot from 25 yards go over the bar.
The final whistle & Chipstead took the three points back to Surrey deservedly so & Whitstable can take solace that they did not lose any points in their chase for a playoff place.
WHITSTABLE TOWN:
- WATKINS 2. O.GRAY (89) 3. P.WEDGEWORTH 4. A.JAMES 5. L.DOHERTY 6. N.TREADWELL 7. S.HEARD 8. L.GIRT 9. I.PULMAN 10. K.ROWLAND (68) 11. T.LOYNES (68)
SUBS USED: 12. J.MacKENZIE (68) 14. C.COYNE (68) 16. J.DONNELLY (89)
SUBS NOT USED: 15. O.LEE 21. H.BROOKS
BOOKINGS: 4. A.JAMES (80)
CHIPSTEAD:
- STOJSAVLJEVIC 2. S.SAMSON 3. L.FLANAGAN 4. S.BEANCOURT (78) 5. S.PREDDI 6. B.WEBBE 7. D.TIEKU 8. M.McCLEOD 9. K.QUARTEY (70) 10. W.TURI 11. D.MOODY
SUBS USED: 17. D.LOVEGROOVE (70) 14. J.KING (78)
SUBS NOT USED: 12. J.CRICHTON 15. F.BIDGOOD 16 .J.HAGAN
REFEREE: Mr S.BUTLER
ASSISTANTS: Mr. I.GELOV & Mr O.BUTCHER
ATTENDANCE: 211