Whitstable Town FC

Hythe’s only route to goal seemed to be the long ball, which Rob Thomas and Jackson coped well with. It was a good entertaining first half in which Whitstable gradually took control. The game had started well for the home side; Whitstable keeper Kevin Fewell was called upon to make a smart save low down to his left as early as the fifth minute, Whitstable having a great chance themselves to take the lead with fifteen minutes gone after the home side failed to deal with a high ball into the box, John Akinde forcing a back header which but for a smart save by Jon Sparks the visitors would have taken the lead through an own goal.

Minutes later Akinde was pulled back when running towards the box, Mr Carter the referee showing yellow to Hythe’s Barry Crawford. Akinde was then bundled over inside the area, Hythe's defence sighing with relief, as to everyone’s amazement  the ref said no penalty. Then after he had words with the linesman, Crawford was sent off the second yellow, With Hythe down to ten men Whitstable’s effort was rewarded in the 47th minute when Constable met a pass from Marlon Button on the left; he volleyed left foot past the helpless keeper.

In the second half Whitstable looked sharp, with 55 minutes played it looked like we could count on more goals. Hythe then went down to nine men after referee Carter showed Aiden Purseglove a straight red for foul and abusive language. This seemed to unsettle the visitors more than the home side as Whitstable looked like they had stopped playing football and were simply pumping direct balls down the middle. To Hythe’s credit they worked their socks off, closing down so quickly and leaving three players on the half way line all the time, which Whitstable had had no answer to. For their effort Hythe were awarded an unlikely penalty in the 90th minute, which Brazier scored. The match was entertaining for all the wrong reasons, at final whistle Jimmy Stroutes and Jake Gess both getting sent off late on after words with Mr Carter, one assumes for protesting about the penalty. Strangely Whitstable looked the better side when they were playing eleven, than they did up against nine.

Report from Ken Gower: WTFC ©