This was a game that showed of what the League can produce, goals, excitement and drama, Whitstable put in a spirited performance against a team that is fancied to challenge for the title.

The game started slowly & was as grey as the afternoon but in the end it turned out to be a great game. The first half chance of the game came in the 10^th minute when Timmy Babbington on the edge of the area tried his luck but Dan Eason in the Whitstable goal saved easily.

Whitstable took a while to get going but in the 22^nd minute Charlie Smith received the ball on the edge of the area went round one defender before shooting but it was deflected for a corner and from the resulting corner Rob Gillman saw his flicked header headed of the line by Rob Saunders.

Whitstable were now starting to get into the game but in the 26^th minute Sheppey scored when Lee Friend ran on to a through ball and once in the area flicked over the onrushing Eason.

Six minutes later it was nearly two when Karn Miller-Neave got to the by-line and his cross to the edge of the area found Friend but his volley went high and wide a minute later it was two when Ian Batten passed down the right wing for Remel Davis whose cross into the area was fired in by Friend from 12 yards.

Whitstable were stunned by this but in the 35^th minute they nearly got a goal back when Ashley Brown went down the right wing and crossed into the area where Newman Poku under pressure headed over the bar.

With half time approaching Whitstable wanted the whistle to end the half and go in with a chance but in the first minute off added on time Babbington got to the by-line & his low cross was bundled in by Davis.

The second half started with Whitstable aiming to get their pride back & possibly win the half and maybe win it with a determined performance.

In the 53^rd minute Whitstable got the start they wanted when a corner to the back post saw a scramble occur before Craig Thompson bundled it in from 3 yards.

Two minutes later Eason came to Whitstable’s rescue when Babbington in his own half released Friend who latched onto it and went into the area & from 15 yards his shot was pushed around the post by Eason.

In the 65^th minute Whitstable got their second and if people can remember the 1970 World Cup Final when Carlos Alberto scored what many pundits reckon to be the best team goal ever, Darren Marsden in midfield saw Connor Hood rushing up the wing and he passed out to him and from 15 yards Hood without stopping ran onto it and his shot hit the net.

The Sheppey players, coaches & supporters were shocked as 20 minutes earlier they were cruising to a superb win, then in the 70^th minute they got their fourth when Davis on the edge of the area controlled the pass and his shot from 20 yards beat Eason this seemed to be game over but Whitstable had other ideas.

In the 80^th minute Harry Brown from 25 yards saw his shot come back of the crossbar, then a minute later a free kick into the area saw substitute Harris Rodgers head just over the bar.

Three minutes later and Whitstable got their third when a corner into the area saw a scramble occur with the ball coming back of the post and Gillman smacked in from 3 yards.

Whitstable were now in with a chance of getting a point out of this which seemed out of the question at half time.

Full time was closing in and then to Sheppey’s dismay at least five minutes of added time was shown. Whitstable tried their best to get an equaliser but in the end Sheppey held on.

 

WHITSTABLE TOWN:

1. DAN EASON C.HOOD   3. H.BROWN  4. A.BROWN  5. R.GILLMAN  6. O.LEE   7. S.PUNTON (89) 8. C.SMITH (85) 9. C.THOMPSON  10. D.MARSDEN  11. N.POKU (61)

SUBS USED:  14. H.RODGERS (61)  16. B.CASS (85)  12. N.TREADWELL (89)

SUBS NOT USED:  15. A.QUINN  17. H.BROOKS

BOOKINGS: 9. C.THOMPSON (16)  11. N.POKU (45+1)

 

SHEPPEY UNITED:

1. WARFORD 2. C.HARROLD  3. K.MILLER-NEAVE  4. A.WILLIAMS  5. R.SAUNDERS  6. G.BATTEN  7. E.ADJEI (63) 8. L.FRIEND (85) 9. R.DAVIS 10. I.BATTEN (73)  11. T.BABBINGTON

SUBS USED:  16. J.FORNAH (63)  15. J.HUGGINS (73)  17. R.ATKINS (85)

SUBS NOT USED:  12. D.BRADSHAW  14. M.OKUBOTE

BOOKINGS: 7.E.ADJEI (16)  11. T.BABBINGTON (38)

 

REFEREE:  Mr S.PERRY

ASSISTANTS:  Mr M.CHARLES & Mr R.ALBERT

ATTENDANCE: 182

Picture supplied by Whitstable Town.