FA VASE WEEKEND? Good luck from WTFC to all the Kent League teams?
A big weekend lies ahead for Deal Town, Hythe Town, Maidstone United and VCD Athletic as they bid for a place in the last 32 of the F.A. Vase. The Third Round sees Deal Town at home to Tavistock Town, Hythe Town entertain Chalfont St Peter and Maidstone United play Broxbourne Borough at Central Park. Meanwhile, VCD Athletic visit Arundel in Sussex. Plus there is action in the Kent League with 5 Premier Division games.

About The FA Vase:
Prior to 1974, football players were either professionals or they were amateurs.  Professionals were paid to play by clubs whose entry into cup competitions was restricted to The FA Cup (or The FA Trophy). Amateurs, on the other hand, did not get paid and had their own cup competition, The FA Amateur Cup.In 1974, with many of the top amateur players receiving payment for playing,   The FA abolished the distinction, scrapped the Amateur Cup and introduced The FA Vase for the majority of clubs who had previously played in the Amateur Cup.Well over 200 clubs entered in the first season (1974-75) and Hoddesdon Town of the Spartan League beat Epsom and Ewell of the Surrey Senior League 2-1 in the final at Wembley before a 9,000 crowd. In 1999, 446 clubs entered, with two qualifying rounds preceding the six proper rounds, semi-final and final.
Winchester City are the current holders of The FA Vase following their impressive display against AFC Sudbury at Birmingham City FC.  The Wessex League side came away with a 2-0 victory to break the Suffolk club's hearts yet again following defeat to Brigg Town 12 months earlier

match Seven reasons to be cheerful? Whitstable Town FC 4 Thamesmead Town 3 KOKL Premier League?Saturday 3^rd December 2005 Picture WTFC keeper Sam Mott: If you love goals the Belmont is the place to be as Whitstable came out on top in a seven-goal thriller, the result in doubt until Andy Constable scored with almost the last kick of the game. On the back of being named as the Kentish Observer Kent League goals of the month winners for November, Whitstable supporters were once again served up a goal treat, first Whitstable throwing away a two goal lead with a brace from Steve Marshall. Then coming back from being 3-2 behind, Arron Knight levelling the score, for Andy Constable to score his second match-winning goal inside seven day. 

Sam Friskey signs and plays at Belmont.....Sam  Friskey newly signed from Erith & Belvedere plays his fist game at the Belmont tonight (Tuesday) in the Reserves Floodlit League. Town manager Marc Seager saying, ?now we have young goalkeeper Sam Mott in as cover for Marc Brown, the arrival of Sam  Friskey at Whitstable means that I have my squad sorted for this season. I believe we have the team sprit, the strength in depth through the clubs youth policy and Towns very strong reserves set-up managed by Simon and Peter to move the club forward. I am thrilled Sam Friskey has joined us, Andy Constable has just turned down a move, neither him or Sam were interested in the financial side, both players just want to play with quality players alongside them so that they can perform to the best of their ability. I feel we can offer them this at Whitstable.?  Friskey , previously an apprentice with Wimbledon FC was being chased by three other Kent League clubs, plus others at a higher level before signing for Whitstable.

? Constable clobbers Bay....? Whitstable Town 1 Herne Bay 0  Sat 26^th November 2005: pictue Andy Constable whose goal settled the tie: Andy Constable?s extra time goal finally settled the first of three Derby matches scheduled for this season between the two sides, if the other two league encounters, over the Christmas and the New Year are half as enthralling then football fans are in for a treat. Less you think this game was a football spectacle, it was not. But is was a true contest between two side when losing is more than just the result, in Whitstable?s case into the next round of the Lea Ray Cup, In the cups its as much about Monday morning at work and your side has just beaten the 'other lot' down the road. Who knows; the next encounters might go the other way, as we all know is when it?s a derby match; form, reputation, and some cases common sense goes out the window. This game had it all, an over fussy ref who seemed intent on blowing up for every transgression one minute, then letting bone crunching tackles go the next. 

Ex Whitstable player Owen Williams tussling with Andy Constable, after a tough challenge Williams then seemed more intent on his own version of wrestling?s WWF style holding Constable down instead of getting on with the game, the ref somehow deciding Constable had a part in the tussle, booking him as well as Williams was yet another lapse when the ref could have shown a more even handed view of the incident. A manager sent to the stands, in this case the visitors Jason Lillis who was eventually asked to stand behind the barrier, effectively he moved about two yards, such was the comedy surrounding some on the goings on. And there were also moments of neat football, although it has to be said, to coin an old football adage, the visitors ?hardly had a kick?.

Midweek Floodlit League:  Whitstable 2 v Sittingbourne 1: Tuesday 23^rd November 2005:
After going an early goal down to the visitors after 5 minutes Whitstable had the best of the first 45 minutes, the Sittingbourne keeper making some fine save, notably from Andy Martin who looked sharp throughout the game. Town went ahead early in the second half Robbie Summers scoring with a cross/shot from wide on the left, which evaded the keeper, just dropping inside the far post. The visitors had a better second half; Whitstable?s keeper also called on to make a couple of fine saves before Martin deservedly put Whitstable 2-1 ahead. The in-form striker beat the offside trap, slotting the ball under the advancing keeper, in a carbon copy move minutes before Martin was denied by the up right. Whitstable 2 v Sittingbourne 1

?Yong guns come good?  Greenwich Borough 0   v  Whitstable  Town 2:  KOS group cup.
Picture WTFC m.o.m. Tom Parker, never stopped running: A goal either side of half time, one from Arron Knight, the other a Stuart Harrison strike was enough to see off a spirited Greenwich side on a bitingly cold day in the suburbs of London. In an evenly contested first half it was Whitstable who went in ahead at the interval by the single goal, Greenwich unlucky not to be level but for great interception from Rob Thomas when emergency signed Whitstable keeper Sam Mott was stranded, Thomas clearing off the goal line. Town?s youngster Darren Budge,Tom Parker, Gary Sayer, Knight and Thomas all vied for the M.O.M for Town, Tom Parker just shading the vote for his 90 minutes of non-stop football.
I could have been so different had the dominance the home side shown in the first 10 minutes been converted into goals, both Gerome Steel and Chris Hubbard should have tested Whitstable keeper Mott with better strikes when wonderfully placed.