Bryant makes perfect start

Southern Counties East League

New signing Tom Bryant was on the scoresheet as Whitstable made it four straight wins with a 2-0 win over Deal in Southern Counties East League on Tuesday.

It was a second 2-0 win of the season for the Oystermen against their visitors but Deal caused them plenty of problems to belie their lowly position in the table.

Whitstable began slowly but Ryan Philpott’s shot which was saved by Dan Eason was the only chance the visitors created.

With Darren Marsden proving influential at the other end, it was the hosts who went ahead five minutes before half- time when debutant Bryant was in position to pounce with a fierce shot high into James Tonkin’s net after a long ball forward had been nodded down in the box.

The hosts dealt with most of the aerial bombardment in the second half, although Charlie Walsh saw a 20-yard free-kick rattle the bar while Deal substitute Kristen Gregory drew brought a fine save from Eason.

The second goal went to the hosts in the dying seconds when Town’s leading scorer Kane Rowland outmuscled Jack Paxman before firing home his 13th goal of the campaign.

Canterbury recorded their first ever win against Hollands & Blair, inflicting just a second league defeat of the season on their hosts at Star Meadow on Monday.

After a reasonably even opening half which saw both sides waste chances, it was City who made the breakthrough in first- half stoppage time when Dave Pilcher flicked on for Gary Mickelborough to control and dink over the keeper.

The home side looked back on track when James Mcdonald broke the offside trap to fire past Daren Hawkes and level six minutes after the break.

However, parity was shortlived as Pilcher slotted City ahead again just before the hour after the Blair rearguard was opened up again allowing Mickelborough to square to his strike partner.

Justin Ascheri went close to equalising with the only real secondhalf chance for the hosts but City punished some more slack defending as Rob Lawrence bundled it through as he was fouled for Mickelborough to run on to and make it three.

Only a goalline clearance from Lewis Taylor prevented a bigger margin of defeat as Miguel Rothe bustled through before his low shot was hacked clear.