Whitstable Town after relegation had to regroup & their first competitive fixture of the season saw them in action in the most famous competition in the world, their opponents were from Sussex & in the end they powered to a 4-0 victory taking with them £1500 in prize money.

Whitstable started the game the quickest when in the 6^th minute they took the lead, a Callum Wraight corner to the far post was flicked on where Nick Treadwell was & he stabbed the ball home from 3 yards, in the next minute Newman Poku tried his luck from 25 yards but saw his effort go over the bar.

In the 11^th minute the Oakwood keeper Brendon Millborrow’s clearance to halfway was knocked forward for Darren Marsden who ran forward but from 18 yards his shot went wide. In the 14^th minute Whitstable doubled their lead when a free kick to the back post was half cleared to Poku who controlled it & passed into the area for Treadwell who turned & shot in from 8 yards.

In the 23^rd minute it could & maybe should have been three when Charlie Smith in the area saw his first effort blocked by Millborrow & it came back to him & his shot goal bound was cleared off the line by Gerald Manville. Whitstable were now in total control & it was a case of how many.

In the 31^st minute another chance came when Marsden picked up a clearance ran forward went into the area but again his shot went wide & in the 36^th minute another chance came when Marsden on the right dinked a cross to the back post where Treadwell headed back for Smith but his header goal bound was headed over the bar for a corner.

Half time arrived & the Whitstable manager Scott Porter would have been really happy apart from the fact they had not scored more whilst the Oakwood manager Mark Gilbert would have been relieved that it was only two-nil.

The second half started as the first with Whitstable in charge, in the 50^th minute Marsden passed out wide for Poku who returned the ball to Marsden but from 18 yards his shot went wide.

Chances were now coming thick & fast as in the 55^th minute Smith on the left wing cut in & went along the 18 yard box before passing into the path of Jamie Collado & his shot flew just over the bar.

Five minutes later a Reiss Crimmen corner to the back post saw Smith head just wide of the post, two minutes later Marsden on the left went into the area got to the by-line & saw his shot pushed around the post by Millborrow.

In the 66^th minute Scott Punton running forward from halfway went into the area & then passed to Marsden whose first time shot going towards the goal was blocked  & in the very next minute a long clearance saw Smith on his own & he raced into the area before shooting just wide. Oakwood finally had their first shot on target when in the 68^th minute Clive Piller saw his shot easily saved by Dan Eason, four minutes later a Piller free kick from 22 yards beat the wall but not Eason who punched it clear.

This would be Oakwood’s last chance as Whitstable took control & were still creating chances. In the 75^th minute Lee Winfield put Smith clear in the area but his shot was saved then 4 minutes later they increased their lead when Winfield 40 yards out played a magical ball forward for Smith to run on to & as the Millborrow came rushing out Smith just eased the ball past him & from 15 yards knocked the ball into an empty net.

Another chance came in the 82^nd minute when Smith 10 yards out received the ball from Toby Heydon & his shot was saved at the second attempt by Millborrow. In the 86^th minute Treadwell found himself in the area 10 yards out & a hat trick ready to acclaim but it was saved.

In the 89^th minute it became four in bizarre fashion as Ollie Lee 25 yards out ran forward into the area beating the defenders & he got to the by-line & his shot from the acutest of angles his Millborow’s legs & went in, ( the tannoy announcer gave it to Lee ).

The full time whistle went & Whitstable march on with a comprehensive victory & now will play Eastbourne Town on the 20^th of August at home.

 

WHITSTABLE TOWN:

1. EASON 2. S.PUNTON  3. C.WRAIGHT (45)  3. O.LEE  5. J.KENNETT  6. L.WINFIELD (81)  7. N.TREADWELL 8. J.COLLADO 9. N.POKU 10. D.MARSDEN (78)  11. C.SMITH

SUBS USED: 12. R.CRIMMEN (45)  19. T.HEYDON (78)  14. O.BROWN (81)

SUBS NOT USED: 15. G. McILHERON  16. L.NEWTON  17. H.BROOKS  18. C.MANNING

BOOKED: 5. J.KENNETT (62)  11. C.SMITH (74)

 

OAKWOOD:

1. MILLBORROW 2. M.SHUGA’S  3. A,CAWTE (21)  4. C.LEACH  5. G.MANVILLE  6. J.NOURSE  7. C.PILLER  8. T.GILBERT 9. J.McNAB (66) 10. K.PURKIS  11. L.WRAGG (55)

SUBS USED:  17. S.GALLAGHER (21) 14. R.MURPHY (55)  12. S.FABER (66)

SUBS NOT USED: 15. J.CLARKE  16. G.MILLER

BOOKED: 8. T.GILBERT (41)

 

REFEREE: Mr DAVID HARRISON

ASSISTANTS: Mr MICHAEL WRIGHT  &  Mr NICKOLAS HODGES

ATTENDANCE: 164

Pictures supplied by Les Biggs