What a rollercoaster of a game as neither deserved to lose but in the end Whitstable got over the line in extra time. This was a superb game for the neutrals but for the managers and supporters of either club it was nerve wracking.
The game started quickly as Whitstable scored in the fifth minute when a Tom Bryant corner into the six yard box saw Tyler D’Cruz under pressure drop the ball and Shaun Welford was quick to head it towards goals, where Danny Williams on the line knocked it in under pressure.
Lancing took eight minutes to equalise when George Rudwick on the right saw his low cross get to the back post for Lewis Finney to side foot in.
Four minutes later and Whitstable were in front again when Louis Sprosen threaded the ball through for Welford who once in the area shot past D’Cruz.
Just five minutes later Whitstable increased their lead when another Bryant corner into the area saw D’Cuz flap at the ball and Craig Cloke on the back post headed goal wards, where Williams again one yard out headed in.
Whitstable seemed to be in control but Lancing continued to play, and in the very next minute nearly got a goal back when Rudwick passed to Luke Donaldson in the area, his shot was parried away by Dan Eason but went straight to Mike Williamson twenty yards out, his first time shot was pushed around the post by Eason.
Three minutes later they had pulled a goal back when Williamson in the area was fouled by Cloke and a penalty was given, up stepped Finney, his penalty was superbly saved by Eason but unfortunately came back to him and this time made no mistake and shot home.
Lancing were now back in the game and Whitstable were getting a bit nervous, then in the 36th minute they equalised when Lewis Finney’s free kick thirty yards out on the left went into the area, and Alex Fair twelve yards out headed home.
In the forty third minute Whitstable should have taken the lead again when a long throw by Welford into the Lancing area saw a handball and a penalty given, up stepped Welford but his penalty straight down the middle was superbly saved by D’Cruz.
The half time whistle went both managers had some work to do and both sides looked dangerous going forward but looked dodgy defending.
The second half started with Lancing on the front foot, in the fifty first minute they took the lead for the first time when Rudwick’s cross to the far post saw Finney’s header come back of the crossbar but Alex Bygraves headed in from one yard.
Five minutes later and Whitstable spurned a chance to equalise when Sprosen’s free kick to the back post found Bryant but he could not direct his header goal wards as it went wide of the post. A minute later and Whitstable were back in the game when a long ball forward saw D’Cruz flap at it and the ball came out to Sprosen, his shot was handballed in the area, a penalty given, this time Williams stepped up and shot into the bottom right hand corner for his hat trick.
This did not get Lancing down as they continued to play football and cause problems for Whitstable, in the seventy first minute a corner into the area was half cleared to Lewis Finney whose shot from twenty five yards went past the post. In the eighty second minute Ricky Freeman collected the ball, ran towards the goal before unleashing a cracking shot which was going into the top left hand corner but D’Cruz tipped it over the bar.
A minute later Williamson twenty five yards tried his luck but Eason tipped it over the bar, from the resulting corner to the back post Bygraves headed over. Whitstable nearly nicked the game in the ninetieth minute when Charlie Smith took aim from twenty eight yards but his free kick came back of the post. The final whistle went and the game went into extra time.
Extra time was only two minutes old when Fair found himself in the area and after twisting and turning his shot from eight yards went just wide, six minutes later Lewis Finney forty yards moved forward before trying his luck from twenty yards but Eason pushed it around the post.
In the one hundredth minute Whitstable again took the lead when a Freeman corner into the area was headed home by Welford, everyone thought that would be it but Lancing had other thoughts when in the one hundredth and fourth minute they equalised when Fair twenty five yards out tried his luck, the ball ended up in the bottom left hand corner of the net.
Whitstable were stunned by this but in added on time they again took the lead when Harris Rodgers cross to the back post found Welford who headed in from six yards.
The second half of extra time saw Lancing trying their best to get another equaliser but for once the Whitstable defence held firm and when the final whistle went it was celebration time for Whitstable, £725 in the kitty but for Lancing it will be back concentrating on the League. Whitstable now await the draw on Monday.
Whitstable Town:
- Eason 2. J.West 3. T.Bryant 4. R.Gillman 5. C.Cloke 6. S.West 7. L.Sprosen 8. O.Lee (67)
- R.Freeman (100) 10. S.Welford 11. D.Williams (93)
Subs Used: 12. C.Smith (67) 14. H.Rodgers (90) 15. N.Treadwell (100)
Subs Not Used: 16. D.Ruddy
Bookings: 2. J.West (39) 7. L.Sprosen (81) 12. C.Smith (86)
Lancing:
- D’cruz 2. D.Marsh 3. L.Broughton (120) 4. A.Bygraves 5. D.Sharman (115) 6. E.Finney (99)
- G.Rudwick 8. M.Williamson 9. A.Fair 10. L.Donaldson 11. L.Finney
Subs Used: 14. W.Berry (99) 15. A.Spinks (115) 12. M.Sibanda (120)
Subs Not Used: 16. M.Platt
Bookings: None
Referee: Mr T.Nicholls
Assistants: Mr D.Sanchez & Mr A.Mirza
Images courtesy of Les Biggs