Whitstable Town FC

Erith & Belvedere 1 v Whitstable Town 0... Penalty miss costs Town ?Deer?

The home sides manager Wayne Brown received the manager of the month award for February before the kick off, and much was talked about the additions he has made in the two months or so since he took over at Erith & Belvedere. Whitstable manager Marc Seager elected to start with Andy Constable up-front alongside Sam Prett, with Tom Parker wide left and Arron Knight on the right. From the off Parker kept wide and found space to run at ?Deres? defence. It was the visitors who played the football, Parker creating the games first chance, his great run down the left found Constable who crashed a shot off Deer?s keeper Ricky Hall?s upright in the 15^th minute. The home side were always a danger with their over the top, then lay off and run style of play and Rob Thomas and Andy Keir needed to be alert. It was a slip by Thomas, which gave the home side their first real chance, Mark Hickson saving well from Leon Braithwaite. It was another Leon, this time Whitstable?s Leon Ingram who was involved in one of the games best moves, his overlap with Parker, then delightful lay-off by Prett to Constable whose shot went just wide should have been a goal.

If Whitstable were playing all the football, the visitors were roughhousing just as effectively, their abrasive style knocking Town out of the stride, both Knight and Gary Sayer lucky not to be injured after robust challenges. Knight escaped serious injury after he was charged into the concrete surrounding the far stand; for a while looked as if he might not continue. The home side snapped up any ball in the air, Brown and Mitch Cowley less than comfortable when Whitstable ball played on the deck.

In the 44^th minute Prett, who was non-stop throughout and had a solid first 45 minutes, was hauled over inside the area, the ref had no hesitation in pointing to the spot. Player/manager Seager stepped up to take the spot kick; his run up gave an indication of power over placement, his fierce strike rebounding back off the posts and out of play.

Town trudged off at the interval knowing they should have been at least a goal ahead, maybe two, the home side happy to be on level terms.

Half Time: Erith & Belvedere. 0 v Whitstable Town 0

With Town picking up where they left off, the ?Deres? player manager Brown urged his side to lift their game. Whitstable still playing the better football all their best openings from runs down the flanks. The games best move came after Knight who started out wide had shaped to go outside cut in, then dropped his shoulder before brushing off a strong challenge then laying a reveres angle ball which found Prett who had run in front of his marker. Prett?s 60^th minute shot beat Hall but clipped the outside of the woodwork.

Knight was to play a part in the build up to the games only goal, raising his hand to protect his face from close range, he was adjudged to have committed a foul. From the resulting free kick the Dere?s scored in the 66^th minute through Wayne Brown, his poked in shot from just two yards out after Hickson had saved but could only parry the flighted free kick, the home side had three attempts to score Brown netting at the third. The home side showed more intent after their goal, still Town looked best bet to find the back of the net with Constable and Prett both lively.

However the home side could have extended their lead, Hickson saving well from Deres substitute Darren Spinks, after good work by Spinks gave him the space to shoot.

Town swapped Andy Keir (injured) for Michael Addcock; late on they change Ingram for Gary Ward as they went in search of a goal. But it was not to be as the home side slowed the game down with substitutions and letting balls run out of play, Whitstable loosing by the odd goal which come the last day of the season could cost them very ?Dere?s? indeed as they chase the outside chance of a promotion spot.

With Thamesmead withdrawing from the ground grading, Bececkham looking very unlikely to reach the standard; this win gives the home side hope that their spell in the Kent League could be over come May. But who knows, stranger things have happened and I still think there is time for a few more twists and turns, a little heartbreak before the last ball is kicked by the current teams in the Kent League this 2005/06 season..

Team: Mark Hickson: Gary Sayer, Leon Ingram: Andy Keir; (capt) Rob Thomas Tom Parker, Marc Seager, Marcus Perona, Aaron Knight: Andy Constable: Sam Prett:

Subs: Mark Lane. Andy Martin: Michael Addcock: (Keir) Steve Marshall: Alex Hossick: Gary Ward, (Ingram)

Tony Rouse WTFC ? 2006