Whitstable maintained their unbeaten start to the season with a hard fought draw with thanks going to Man of the Match Luke Watkins.

The game started quickly for Whyteleafe as in the 5^th minute they took the lead when a throw in on the right side by the penalty are found Roscoe D’Sane who knocked it to Jensen Grant who passed to Bentley Graham who stabbed it home from 7 yards.

In the very next minute a Jason Thompson free kick into the area was half cleared to Graham whose first shot was blocked & came back to him & then his shot was parried away by Watkins into the path of two Whyteleafe forwards who knocked into the net but both were offside.

Whitstable’s first shot in anger came in the 14^th minute when Ian Pulman passed to Ryan Goulding whose shot from 20 yards flew wide of the post. Two minutes later Tom Loynes ran from halfway & then shot from 25 yards going over the bar.

In the space of 60 seconds the game turned as firstly in the 19^th minute D’Sane passed out wide to Graham whose low cross found Grant 7 yards out on his own & his shot was saved by Watkins legs for a corner, then in the 20^th minute the ball was played upfield for Goulding who from 20 yards shot past Sheikh Ceesay.

The game went quiet for a while as both teams seemed to give the ball away & then in the 34^th minute Thompson 25 yards out saw his shot pushed around the post for a corner & then 5 minutes later a Whyteleafe corner to the back post saw Thompson rise but head over the bar this would not be his day as he would have numerous shooting chances but none would go in.

The second half saw Whyteleafe take control of the game with Whitstable relying on breakaways but defending well. In the 49^th minute Kieron Kenlock crossed to Thompson who from 12 yards blasted over the bar.

Another chance came three minutes later when Tommy Smith’s cross rebounded to D’Sane whose shot from 6 yards was saved by Watkins.

In the 58^th minute another half chance came when D’Sane on the right wing passed back to Williams who passed sideways for Thompson who from 25 yards shot wide.

Three minutes later D’Sane out muscled Oliver Gray & went into the area & from an acute angle blasted his shot goal wards only for Watkins to push it over the bar.

Whitstable had their first half chance in the 66^th minute when Loynes down the right crossed into the area for Goulding but from 6 yards out his header went over the bar. In the 69^th minute Whyteleafe were unfortunate not to take the lead when Dylan Merchant saw his header from 8 yards pushed out by Watkins but only to Merchant who shot over the bar.

In the 72^nd minute another chance came when Thompson’s free kick into the area found D’Sane whose header came back of the crossbar to Grant whose snapshot his D’Sane & went out for a goal kick.

In the very next minute it was Whitstable’s turn as first Loynes on the right cut inside & let fly only for Ceesay to push it over the bar & from the resulting corner to the back post Nick Treadwell’s shot was saved by Ceesay’s legs & cleared.

In the 79^th minute another chance came when D’Sane& Shawn Lyle combined & D’Sane’s cross found Lyle 5 yards out & his shot was saved by Watkins & then three minutes later D’Sane on the left cut inside & passed to Thompson who from 18 yards saw his side foot effort pushed around the post by Watkins.

The final whistle went & Whitstable came off relieved to get the point but mainly had to thank Luke Watkins for he was the man in the way of Whyteleafe winning this game.

WHYTELEAFE:

1.S.CEESAY  2. K.KENLOCK (17)  3. T.SMITH  4. L.HOLLINGSWORTH  5. D.MERCHANT  6. J.THOMPSON  7.  R.FOWLER 8.  J.GRANT  9. R.D’SANE   10. T.HARPER (68)  11. B.GRAHAM

SUBS USED: 15. T.PRATT (17)  14. S.LYLE (68)

SUBS NOT USED: 12. A.PENFOLD

BOOKINGS: 3.T.SMITH (41)  7. R.FOWLER (43)  6. J.THOMPSON (52)  15. T.PRATT (87)

 

WHITSTABLE TOWN:

1. L.WATKINS  2. J.HEALEY  3. P.WEDGEWORTH  4. L.DOHERTY  5. O.GRAY  6. N.TREADWELL  7. L.GIRT 8.  J.HOGG  9. I.PULMAN (77)  10. R.GOULDING  11. T.LOYNES

SUBS USED: 12. K.ROWLAND (77)

SUBS NOT USED: 14. R.CIMMEN  15. A JAMES  3. 16. A.SKINNER  17. C.HICKS

BOOKINGS: 6.N.TREADWELL (84)  8. J.HOGG (88)

 

REFEREE: Mr G.READ

ASSISTANTS: Mr N.OWEN  & Mr A.NAYIR

ATTENDANCE: 229