KSN are proud to support:

Whitstable Town 2-1 Lydd Town
Whitstable Town 2-1 Lydd Town

Whitstable Town secured three SCEFL Premier points on Tuesday night that takes Jamie Coyle’s side to within two wins of securing Play Off football after a gritty 2-1 win over relegation threatened Lydd Town. 

smart

But the player manager was the first to admit that the Oystermen made hard work of the three points that saw them climb above Rusthall (who they face on Saturday) and Punjab United (who they beat last week) into fourth place in the table and at times rode their luck. 

In the final analysis though the points stayed at the Belmont as just a minute after Ryan Philpott had equalised Nathan Jache’s first half strike that had given Whitstable the half time advantage, Jayden Boulton’s shot which keeper Claudio Boakye could only help into the roof of the net. 

The game ended in controversy though as Lydd player boss Ryan Smith was shown a straight red card from referee Amber after the official refused to give the visitors a penalty after sub-Harry Bryne was pole-axed in the box in a mad scramble that somehow the home side survived. 

For the game to finish that closely is a massive testament to the fight the visitors showed in the second period as they were so poor in the opening forty-five that no one would have begrudged the home side a bigger lead than just Jeche’s goal. 

It was largely down to Boakye that the home side were not out of sight by the break. The Dover keeper playing on loan as regular Lydd stopper Connor Collins was away, pulled off a fine early save to keep Finn O’Mara’s shot out. The keeper then pulled off a magnificent save to deny Bradley Schaeffer’s effort before Whitstable finally took the lead – Jeche on hand to power a header home from Schaeffer’s pin-point cross. 

Boakye saved his side again by smothering and keeping out Albie O’Mara-Knapp’s point-blank effort from a Robbie Rees free-kick and when Nico Cotton’s free header from one of Lydd’s first corners sailed high over the home bar, Whitstable really were comfortable with ten minutes left in the half.  

Schaeffer was then brilliantly denied by Fin Turner’s last ditch saving tackle before Cotton so nearly turned provider as Will Dempsey got on the end of a delightful free kick to glance the header inches wide of Dan Colmer’s left post. 

It was the warning of what was to come in the early stages of the second half, as Lydd flew out of the blocks. Tyler Sterling’s free kick didn’t miss by much with Colmer motionless before Philpott’s effort from the edge of the box was hooked over his own bar by O’Mara again with the Whitstable keeper motionless. 

Lydd duly did deservedly level as Philpott pulled away really well at the back post to power home into the bottom corner beyond a despairing keeper, but parity was to last less that 90 seconds as Boulton charged forward and his skidding shot took a horrible bounce just in front of Boakye who could only help the ball into the roof of the net!   

Boulton’s goal set up a fascinating final quarter where chances came at both ends. 

James Rogers missed a golden chance for the visitors as unmarked from a free kick he headed wide whilst Schaeffer and sub-Ronald Sithole couldn’t convert a two-on-one break as the former dragged his shot wide of goal. 

Sithole was then denied by a fine Boakye save before came the Lydd charge at the end as they went in search of what could still have been a precious point. The home defence really didn’t deal with a fine Cotton ball into the middle and after missing the initial cross, Colmer was the most relieved man in Whitstable when the cross rebounded off a Lydd player at the back post straight into his grateful arms. 

Deep into stoppage time, the visitors were convinced they should have had a penalty as Byrne was flattened in the box, but referee Amber deemed the challenge was a fair one and whilst poor Byrne was treated, Lydd player boss Smith was shown a straight red card as he led the protests. 

The home cheers at the final whistle were perhaps more of relief than anything else, but as Coyle re-iterated after the game, after reaching Wembley, this week for the Oystermen is all about the points they need to seal a Play-Off place… and now they are three points closer! 

WHITSTABLE TOWN – Colmer, Aboagye, Boulton, Dalton, O’Mara, McIntyre, O’Mara-Knapp (Sithole), Rees, Smith (Day), Schaeffer, Jeche (Cotton) 

Subs – Thomas, Grant 

LYDD TOWN – Boakye, Turner, Dempsey, Sawyer, Dickens, Rogers, Cotton, Dolan (Smith), Philpott, Sterling (Byrne), Holden (Calvert) 

Subs – Walter, Burden 

REFEREE – Mr. Amber 


 
Seo