What a game for the spectators as both teams served a feast of action with nine goals, two sending offs & plenty of action although not good football. This was not a game for the connoisseurs.

The game started with Whitstable coming out of the traps the quickest when in the 4^th minute Scott Heard passed to Ian Pulman in the area & his shot was parried away by Francisco Ramos.

Walton nearly took the lead in bizarre fashion when in the 9^th minute a long kick out of defence saw Luke Watkins have to push the ball onto the bar before catching it.

In the very next minute Jake MacKenzie on the right cut inside & let fly just shooting over the bar. Walton had their first real chance in the 12^th minute when Connor French running forward saw his shot easily saved by Watkins.

Another chance went a begging when a cross into the Whitstable area was half cleared to Gabrill Odunaike but from 10 yards out he side footed it wide.

In the 21^st minute Walton took the lead when Scott Day running forward saw his shot from 20 yards out saved by Watkins but he didn’t keep hold of it & French was in the right place to smash it into the empty net.

A minute later it could have been worse when Odunaike dispossessed Peter Wedgeworth in the area but pushed his shot wide of the post but in the very next minute Walton doubled their lead when Aaron James lost the ball to Malik Ouani who ran into the area before passing the ball into the net.

Whitstable had a lifeline in the 31^st minute when a free kick into the area saw Pulman fouled & a penalty given, up stepped Pulman who shot into the right hand corner.

A minute later Walton restored their two goal lead when Jack Barton received the ball out wide on the right & cut inside & from 20 yards hit the back of the net.

In the 34^th minute French received the ball 30 yards out & he twisted & turned before seeing his shot from 18 yards go wide of the post. Another chance went a begging when in the 43^rd minute a long ball forward to Odunaike in the area & he passed to French whose shot was blocked & came out to Ouani but he shot wide.

Right on half time disaster struck for Whitstable as bad enough being two down they now had to play with ten men as Luke Doherty was sent off for a last ditch tackle/ foul & being the last man.

It would be interesting to see how this game would pan out as Whitstable could go for it & lose by more while Walton could relax & maybe lose themselves.

In the 49^th minute Pulman’s free kick from 25 yards curled over the bar. In the 52^nd minute Ebrima Adams saw his shot from 20 yards pushed away by Watkins, then 6 minutes later an Ouani corner was headed goal wards by Adams but Watkins saved easily.

On the hour another chance went when Scott Day in the area saw his shot saved by Watkins. Whitstable got another lifeline when a long clearance out of defence saw a bad header back to Ramos & Pulman latched onto it & enticed Ramos before passing sideways for Kane Rowland to shoot into an empty net.

Walton came back with another half chance when Ouani saw his free kick deflected onto the bar. Walton restored their two goal lead when Whitstable lost possession & the ball ended up at Odunaike’s feet & from 20 yards saw his shot curl into the net.

Again Whitstable got a goal back when in the 79^th minute a free kick into the area was cleared to Joe Kennett who passed out to Pulman & his cross was handled & a penalty given, up stepped Pulman to shoot into the bottom left hand corner.

Whitstable were now throwing the kitchen sink at Casuals & in the 82^nd minute French was sent off & now both teams were playing with ten & then in the 83^rd minute thought they equalised when Pulman’s shot from 20 yards was pushed out by Ramos but only to Nick Treadwell but from six yards he blasted it over the bar.

In the 88^th minute Whitstable got the equaliser when Pulman saw his shot from 20 yards not held by Ramos & the ball came to Rowland who shot home.

With time running out another twist to the tale came when 5 minutes was added on at the end of the half & Whitstable were trying to get a winner & in the 95^th minute they got it when a free kick out wide on the right saw Wedgeworth float his kick in & Ramos flapped at it & the ball ended up in the goal.

The Whitstable players & Management went wild as they picked up three points in a fashion that shows the fight & spirit in the team.

 

WHITSTABLE TOWN:

1. WATKINS 2. L.DOHERTY  3. P.WEDGEWORTH  4 .A.JAMES(45)  5. J.KENNETT  6. N.TREADWELL  7. S.HEARD  (24)
2. M.GUILLA (67) 9. I.PULMAN  10. J.MacKENZIE  11. T.LOYNES

SUBS USED:  16. M.GIRT (24) 12. O.GREY (45)  14.  K.ROWLAND

SUBS NOT USED:  15. R.CRMMEN  17. J.LESTER

BOOKINGS: 16. L.GIRT (85)

SENT OFF:  2. L.DOHERTY (45)

 

WALTON CASUALS:

1. RAMOS 2. J.BARTON  3. L.FLANIGHAN  4. L.COLLINS  5. Q.ROWE  6. M.CUTTERIDGE  7. G.ODUNAIKE
2. E.ADAMS 9. C.FRENCH  10. S.DAY  11. M.OUANI (70)

SUBS USED:   12. J.JOHNSON (70)

SUBS NOT USED:  14 J.BOAKYE  15. S.HUCKLE  16. J.DEAN-JAMOH  17. L.BADIALI

BOOKINGS: 4. L.COLLINS (79)  8. E.ADAMS (90+5)

SENT OFF : 9. C.FRENCH (82)

 

REFEREE:  Mr P.YATES

ASSISTANTS: Mr J.DOWN & Miss L. SAUNDERS

ATTENDANCE: 156