No Excuses...Town bow out of F.A. Vase. Oakwood 1 Whitstable Town 0...

"I hope the players are feeling the pain of that performance the way I am,? Whitstable manager Marc Seager said after his side lost for the first time in all competitions this season. ?Yes the losing hurt, but no side will go through a whole season unbeaten, it was the manner of the first half performance that so upset me. We let the home side boss the game, I am not going to say we are better than them, they beat us on the day and the record books show they beat us one nil. We wish them well in the next round. But I have tasted the joy of winning this competition and know that there are very few teams who on our day could better us, today we let ourselves down and that?s what hurts.?

For the first ten minutes of the cup-tie it was fairly even stuff, with a few testing challenges going in from the home side just to let Whitstable know they were in a game. For the most part they went unanswered and that set the tempo for the first 45 minutes during which Oakwood bossed the game except for a good move involving Stuart King and Sam Prett in the 10^th minute. Kings shot beaten away by the 6ft-5 Oaks keeper Scott Kenwood. Prett following up could not quite get enough on the ball and Kenward gathered well. for rest of report click read more box

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Oakwood score

The Oaks Ben King at the heart of their defence never played a poor pass, in the middle the Oaks skipper Lee Butcher had so much time on the ball he ran the game. All it need was the visitors to stop Butcher receiving the ball unchallenged and the home sides supply line would have been cut off at a stroke. Town failed to see this and the home side grew in confinence with Morgan Harris up front starting the cause problems with some quik darting runs onto Butcher?s passes, Harris demanding a good save from Whitstable keeper Kevin Fewell to stop the home side extending their lead.

Whitstable looked all at sea.
The games only goal came via a good run from midfield by Butcher, who although forced out wide still found too much space to continue his run then curl in a shot past Whitstable keeper Kevin Fewll to bolster the small crowds hope of a win. ?Scored it with your left? cried out his team-mates as they celebrated, ?never believed it unless I?d seen it,? called another.

WTFC 'Jackson'

Still Whitstable looked flat, a hangover from Tuesdays dramatic 5-4 come back against Deal or playing with one eye on the F.A. Cup tie at home to Margate. Either way they were not in the game. Steve Marshall replaced Sam Prett after Prett felt a twinge with his hamstring with five minutes of the half remaining.

 Half Time: Oakwood 1 Whitstable Town 0

 Whitstable manager Seager let his players know in no uncertain terms he was far from happy, ?they let themselves down; that first 45 minutes was the worst we have played all season.?

Form the restart it was a more even contest with Whitstable?s King and Marshall prepared to mix it with the home side, both players went close, Oaks keeper Kenwood pulling off a great save as Marshall was through on goal.

King shoots, Perona jumps out of way

Mickey Lane who had a quite game shot just over just before Seager called off midfielder Jake Gess who himself was subdued as he was in danger of receiving a second booking having stupidly kicked the ball away in the first half. His replacement Marlon Button started to get some joy on the flanks and for the first time in the game Whitstable?s midfield of Perona and Alex Hossick had a grip on Butcher, with him nullified the Oaks never looked the same threat again.

The home side seemed content to sit on their one goal lead chopped and changed a couple of players before changing into a more defensive formation,. At the back Whitstable?s Jackson Okiakam and Michael Adcock needing to be alert to breakaways and the odd corner the home but the side never looked like extending their lead.

Whitstable on the other hand could not beat in-form keeper Oaks Kenwood no mater how they tried, Marshall hit the post after a great run by Tom Parker. King his a rasping shot straight at the keeper and Perona had a couple of chances as the home side tired and a renewed Whitstable plied on the pressure but without success.

At the final whistle with the home side jubilant it was left for Whitstable to rue their chances after such a poor first half. Games are won and lost over 90 minutes; if you allow the opposition the time to play one half unchallenged at their tempo, then it?s an impossible game of ?catch-up? for the next 45 minutes.

 

Whitstable Team:

Kevin Fewell: Gary Sayer: Michael Adcock: Jackson Okiakam: Tom Parker: Alex Hossick: Marcos Perona: (capt) Mickey Lane: Jake Gess: Stuart King: Same Prett:

Subs: Gary Carter: Mark Lane: Steve Marshall: Rob Thomas; Marlon Button: