Town ease into next round of FA Cup: Clint Gooding was a much happier man come 4-45pm after his third game in charge whilst manager Mark Lane was on holiday.  “Delighted with the way the lads played, that performance today shows what we can do if we cut out the mistakes. “ See next some great pictures from the game by Per Laleng

PICTURES: For  the second time in seven days at the Belmont Whitstable took an early lead, this time Stuart Vahid prodding home from close range after Ian Pulman’s shot was blocked by the visiting keeper. It was almost a case of ‘the same again’ as Town then switched off with keeper Kevin Fewell rushing off his line just getting to the ball ahead of Croydon’s advancing forward. Last week; that minutes lapse of concentration cost Town the game. Thankfully Whitstable composed themselves and took a firm grip on the game this time, scoring their second from a well taken free kick, Gareth Cornhill’s delightfully flighted delivery needed just a flick on for Vahid to score his second of the match in the twenty-sixth minute. Whitstable restricted the visitors to some long range shots which Fewell dealt comfortably with any that were on target.

At the restart the visitors had a couple of half chances, once when Town’s defence was caught flat-footed but fortunately with Fewell out of position and players scurrying back to defend his goal the ball was struck wide of the target. That just about summed up the visitors afternoon as anytime they were in a decent position the pass was miss-hit and shots blazed over. There were a couple of booking for either side as the game was played at a decent pace, but in truth the visitors were never able to trouble the home side. Pulman was replaced by David Cory.

Pully: ‘It’s all about the team’

Pulman saying after the match: “You know how much I want to score goals, the one real chance I had the keeper just got a hand to and fortunately Stuart (Vahid) was there to knock it in.  But it’s all about the team and Clint and Laney know that I want Whitstable to do well this season and I know I can score goals but if we keep wining that all that matters. “

Dan Scorer was replaced by Scott Heard who was straight into the action, supplying a great cross for Cornhill to score Town’s third, leaving Gooding with a big smile on his face at the final whistle.

MOM Stuart Vahid:

WTFC (c) Tony Rouse