Whitstable Town FC

Whitstable Town Reserves produced one of their best performances of the season to absolutely demolish the Second Division league leaders in this first leg cup semi-final. Whitstable were very wary of the threat that Folkestone could cause them after three very close and competitive games last season.The first ten minutes belonged to Folkestone as they came out and attacked Town from the off but Town held firm. Town, probably against the run of play at this point took the lead after good work by skipper Shane Davies saw midfield maestro Jake Gess thread a ball through for winger Darren Bridges who ran onto his pass and fired a great right footed shot across the keeper to put Town 1-0 up.

This really put Town in the mood and they started to open Folkestone up, barely 5 minutes later saw Town storm into a 2-0 lead when a long ball up field was flicked on by Andy Rumball which Darren Budge brought down with one touch and laid the ball into the path of Rumball who had made up the ground from flicking it on to unleash a shot low and hard into the bottom corner of the net. This was Rumball?s first goal since returning to Town 8 weeks ago. Keeper Hickson produced a great save at the feet of the Folkestone striker on 30 minutes to keep the lead comfortable. Soon after Town were awarded a free kick wide on the left and Budge whipped a great delivery into the box which took a slight deflection onto the crossbar before bouncing down and into the net to put them into a healthy 3-0 lead which they could only have dreamed of at the start of play. Almost from the restart Town could have got a fourth when Andy Martin chipped the keeper only to see his shot hit the bar and somehow Budge missed an open goal following up the rebound. Then came the Folkestone fight back which was only to be expected and in the space of 3 minutes the Town woodwork was struck twice.

Half Time: Whitstable Town 3 Folkestone Invicta 0 (Bridges, Rumball, Budge)

Manager Simon Kay and his assistant Peter Budge demanded that the players didn?t let themselves down after sailing into a great lead and that they went out in search of more goals knowing there was still a half and an away leg to go against a very capable Folkestone side. At the interval Folkestone made two changes bringing on Oliver Walters and Stuart Taylor and switched to a 3-4-3 in an attempt to get back into the cup tie. But what a perfect response to that and their manager?s demands as Town went and grabbed an unbelievable 4^th goal. Darren Bridges ran from the half way line before playing a great ball over the top for Darren Budge to latch onto and fire an unstoppable shot into the roof of the net from just inside the area for his second of the game and 9^th goal of the season. The long ball became a threat from Folkestone now but Josh Maine and Sam Baker were equal to what was thrown at them at the heart of the defence. With 15 minutes remaining Folkestone grabbed what was a deserved goal for the way they never gave in and had created many chances as Rob Knott crossed from the left and Simon Rainbow slid the ball past Hickson. Folkestone were lifted by the goal and won a succession of free kick which saw many dangerous deliveries into the Town box but they couldn?t find a second and late into the game a breakaway 5^th goal came when Darren Budge helped by the decoy run by Bridges reversed his pass the other for Martin to run clear on goal and lob the oncoming keeper to give Town a 5-1 lead to take to Folkestone next week.

At full time the delight was clear to see for all involved on the Town bench and players out on the field but the tie is not over as Town must now finish off the job next week at Folkestone.

Full Time: Whitstable Town 5 Folkestone Invicta 1 (Bridges, Rumball, Budge (2), Martin)

Man Of The Match: Jake Gess: Although not getting himself on the score sheet and adding to his tally of 10 for the season Gess had a hand in the first and was at the heart of everything, winning his tackles and playing the simple pass and not wasting possession. This decision was backed up by first team manager Marc Seagers who thought Gess was outstanding and that it was an awesome performance by the Reserves.

Town: Hickson, Duffy(Rigden), Davies(C), Baker, Maine, Gess, Budge, N.Smith, Rumball(Harker), Martin(Braidwood), Bridges. Subs: Whittaker, Wright.

Town Reserves next face Chatham Town on Saturday at the Belmont in the Floodlit League and then next Tuesday travel down to Folkestone for the second leg in the hope of clinching a place in the Final of the League Cup against either Dartford or Ashford Town.