Whitstable Town FC

Andy Kier

WTFC 2 Sporting Bengal 1:  KPL CUP: Group C: With over half the side who played on Saturday missing for this Group C Cup match manager Seager was still determined to field a strong side. "When you think we had Zubes, (Marcos Perona) and Sam Prett who both missed Saturdays match through injury sidelined again tonight. We had no Steve Marshall who still has four stitches in his head wound from Saturday, Marlon Button, Lee Jones also out, Lee's picked up a knock, but still put out a very strong side. Then it goes to show what strength in depth we have."

With Darren Budge wide right and  Stuart Harrison on the other flank Town started brightly, Jake Gess scoring after the Sporting keeper charged away an Andy Constable shot, Gess on hand to slot in his fifth goal of the season.

Coach Simon Halsey saying: "We played some different formations this evening, played players out of position as these are the sort of things you sometimes have to cope with during a game. Budge who is normally wide right, second half we had him on the left, Keiry we asked to go out left, Gary Carter from right back into midfield, and so on. Now these players are used to being asked to play out of position as it gives us a chance to look at different formations and try a few different things."

Shortly after Budge followed up with some good work on the right, finishing well with a good strike. At 2-0 with manager Seager having his first run out of the season holding down the midfield Town played some good football, Constable was denied  a number of times as was Stuart King on a frustrating night for Whitstable's strike pair.

After the interval Seager went off and Town rang the changes, upsetting the balance of the side allowing the visitors to press. Without putting Kevin Fewell in Town goal under pressure they showed some intent, Fewell's defence needed to be alert and when  Andy Keir came on he was asked to play left of a back three. Town were stretched \at the back and for the first time the visitors threatened scoring to bring the game to life. At the other end Constable and King still were frustrated by the keeper who although unorthodox in his style pulled off some good saves. When Whitstable revered to 4-4-2 they were never really troubled again, Keir looking sharp as in his usual centre back slot as had Seager after his 55 minutes in midfield. Coach Simon Halsey saying: "We played some different formations this evening, played players out of position as these are the sort of things you sometimes have to cope with during a game. Budge who is normally wide right, second half we had him on the left, Keiry we asked to go out left, Gary Carter from right back into midfield, and so on. Now these players are used to being asked to play out of position as it gives them a