Whitstable came up against a Cray side who fielded the same back four who were in the side voted ‘team of the season’ in the Ryman South League last year, as Cray were for the most part were untroubled whilest Whitstable’s poor run of form continued. www.kentishfootball.co.uk. Stephen McCartney reports
Despite the defeat, Whitstable Town boss Marc Seager, who lost striker Dave Cory to a knee injury during the second half, took the positives out of tonight’s match.
“What we’ve done tonight, not the greatest performance on Saturday and what we’ve done, we’ve come up here against a very good side,” Seager told www.kentishfootball.co.uk.
“It was always going to be very tough for us to get anything tonight. We’ve set our stalls out and I thought we put on a good show.
“I thought it was a massive step in the right direction. I thought for one of the first times this season we had a lot of shape.
“The lads gave me everything. We lost 2-0 and we’re disappointed with the two goals we gave away but other than that they had one other chance and I think they found it hard to open us up.
“I think we might have had a bit more courage when we were in possession of the ball in the final third - that comes with confidence.
“The fact that we haven’t scored for (the last four league games) is a big dent in the confidence, but we’ll work on that." CRAY WANDERERS 2-0 WHITSTABLE TOWN Steve Aris, thought he had given Cray Wanderers the lead, with just 228 seconds on the clock. Dolby swung in a left-footed free-kick from thirty-yards for the central defender to head past goalkeeper Kevin Fewell, only for an offside flag to dampen celebrations.
Whitstable Town almost broke the deadlock, with a classic counter attack, after 17 minutes. A long ball up to striker Ian Pulman saw him cut inside before rolling the ball to leading goalscorer Gess, whose right-footed lob from 25-yards, agonisingly cleared the crossbar, with home goalkeeper Jack Bradshaw rooted to the spot.
At the other end, Jamie Kempster should have done better with a left-footed stroked shot, which was comfortably gathered by Kevin Fewell, low to his right.
However, it was no surprise when Cray Wanderers deservedly opened the scoring after 25 minutes. A deep cross from the left by Colin Luckett found striker Tony Atkins in space in the middle of the penalty area and Fewell could only watch as the header looped over him and into the net as Atkins opened his goalscoring account for the new season.
Whitstable tried to hit back immediately when Pulman was fouled having turned Aris. But a right-footed Marcos Perona free-kick from thirty-yards was turned around the left-hand post by young goalkeeper Jack Bradshaw.
Cray Wanderers’ almost doubled their lead just 29 seconds of the second half elapsed. Atkins’ flick header released the quick Sterling inside full-back Gary Sayer and as the winger looked to dink the ball over the advancing Fewell, the Whitstable goalkeeper gathered the ball bravely.
Whitstable went close from their second corner of the night when Tom Parker’s flag-kick was palmed up into the air by Bradshaw and the goalkeeper recovered to block Paul Ainsworth’s header at the far post.
But Cray Wanderers wrapped up the victory as early as the 50th minute - as Whitstable didn’t appear capable of clawing their way back into the game after that.
Dolby’s corner was cleared by the visiting defence only for Kempster to play an early ball back to the Cray forward, Dolby's near post cross was deflected by Ainsworth, only for Aris to stoop to head home at the far post.
Aris almost turned hero to villain when his intended pass for Danny Chapman, who was protecting the back four all night, was intercepted by Perona, but his tired right-footed shot, from the edge of the penalty area, in the 66th minute, was comfortably saved.
A hopeful cross into the box by Luckett was headed clear by Ainsworth and the ball dropped beautifully for Dolby to strike a left-footed volley from 25-yards that Fewell could only palm into the air before claiming the ball in front of Kinch.
Whitstable striker Scott Punton had a couple of chances late in the game - powering a header over following a corner from fellow substitute Jack Tanner and then spurning a great chance when Pulman should really have done better. CRAY WANDERERS 2-0 WHITSTABLE TOWN
Ryman League Division One South
Tuesday 9th September 2008
Stephen McCartney reports from Hayes Lane |
Kent Football News 
Whitstable came up against a Cray side who fielded the same back four who were in the side voted ‘team of the season’ in the Ryman South League last year, as Cray were for the most part were untroubled whilest Whitstable’s poor run of form continued. www.kentishfootball.co.uk. Stephen McCartney reports