Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Town out after feisty encounter
FIRST-HALF PENALTY PROVES ENOUGH TO SETTLE QUARTER-FINAL TIE WHICH ENDS WITH WINNING TEAM DOWN TO NINE SCEL round-up
Whitstable Town’s interest in the Kent Reliance Senior Trophy ended with a 1-0 defeat by nine-man Ashford United in Tuesday night’s quarter-final at Belmont.
The tie was settled by Adrian Stone’s 40th-minute penalty, awarded after visiting midfielder Jason Goodchild went down on the corner of the penalty box.
Town thought they should have had a spot kick themselves when substitute Aaron Quain went down but saw their appeals waved away.
They were unable to get themselves back in the tie, despite United having George Savage and Ryan James both sent off in the second half.
Savage was shown a straight red for a late challenge just past the hour mark, before James followed him to the dressing room after picking up his second booking 15 minutes from the end.
Quain started on the bench after arriving late for the game, which attracted a crowd of only 86
The result ended Town’s impressive run of nine successive wins, with United the last team to beat them, 4-2 at Homelands in early December.
Town moved into the top-five of the Southern Counties East League, Premier Division, with a 2-0 home win over Rochester United on Saturday. Second- half goals by Craig Thompson and Quain completed a swift league double for Whitstable, who secured a sixth successive clean sheet.
Rochester were the last team to score against them in a 4-3 win at Strood just before Christmas.
Two good saves by Dan Eason kept them in the game in the first half, before Thompson put Whitstable in front after 64 minutes, heading in Quain’s cross. Kane Rowland added the second, converting Connor Hood’s set-up 10 minutes from time.
Rochester defender Steve Rothery headed another Rowland effort clear, as it looked destined for the top corner, Quain put another effort wide and Bola Dawodu also missed out, after rounding goalkeeper Dan Houckham.
Canterbury City’s home game against Fisher on Saturday will go ahead at Homelands on Saturday.
The ground owners, Minotaur, have gained dispensation from the Football Association to allow football to continue to be staged there, after the 3G surface failed a pitch test – required to meet FIFA requirements – and was removed from the governing body’s list of approved surfaces.
There had been fears earlier in the week that City and Ashford United would be left without a home ground for the rest of the season
City continued their good form on the road with a third successive away win, 3-1 at Corinthian on Saturday.
Gary Mickelborough scored twice with new-boy Ashley Kohler getting the other goal, as City moved into ninth place.
City will be joined in the last four of the Kent Reliance sponsored Senior Trophy by Deal, Ashford, and either Cray Valley PM or Lordswood who were due to play last night (Wednesday). .