Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Defeat follows derby day win
Isthmian South East
Whitstable Town got back to winning ways with a derby day victory at Faversham on Saturday,
The Oystermen won 2-0 in a dominant performance with first-half goals from Tijan Jadama and Harry Stannard. John Ufuah created the first chance of the game for the visitors in finding Stannard but the forward’s shot went wide from 20 yards. Whitstable took the lead in the 20th minute when James Brown’s cross was met by Jadama who placed his header past Luke Watkins in the Faversham goal.
The away side doubled their lead eight minutes before the break. Jadama won the ball back and found Aaron Millbank, whose effort was blocked, only for the ball to be turned in by Stannard. Faversham manager James Collins made two changes at half-time, introducing Luke Griffiths and Michael Hagan to try and force a way back. The home side tried to test Dan Eason on the hour mark but Griffiths’ shot was well wide. Jadama was brought down by Stefan Wright and from the resulting free-kick, Whitstable skipper Tom Bryant’s header found Ufuah who put a good chance wide. Faversham failed to trouble Eason as a couple more long shots flew over the bar and Brown made two interceptions in added time to keep the clean sheet. Whitstable acquitted themselves well before going down 3 - 1 t o t i t l e c hasers Hastings at The Belmont on Tuesday.
The result extended the Sussex side’s unbeaten run to 13 games and took them to the top of the table.
Ufuah had the game’s first chance, forcing a good save from Hastings keeper Louis Rogers but the visitors then broke upfield to take the lead as Davide Rodari headed home. Eason did well to tip over Daniel Ajakaiye’s 20-yard drive, while the closest Town went in the first half was a Jamada header which went over. Within three minutes of the second half starting Town were level, Stannard turning the ball home after a cross had come out off the underside of the bar. Hastings regained the lead on 54 minutes, Gary Elphick heading home from Ollie Black’s throw. The same player wrapped up the points in the 66th minute when a corner was driven into the near post and he diverted the ball home.
■ Herne Bay beat Sevenoaks Town 3-2 in a thrilling encounter on Saturday. Sevenoaks started brightly with a Louis Collins header striking the post but Bay took the lead through debutant
Callum Adonis-taylor who f i ni s hed o f f a goal mouth scramble for a 1-0 lead at halftime.
The away side were level after the break through Jake Beecroft and almost took the lead, but Bradley Schafer’s free-kick was tipped over by Bay keeper George Kamurasi.
Bay responded by going ahead themselves when a Keiron Campbell through ball found Zak Ansah who rounded the keeper to score.
A deflected Schafer free-kick brought the scores level but Bay took the win thanks to Ryan Cooper’s long throw which was met by the head of Bola Dawodu Bay manager Ben Smith said: “The boys worked really hard for each other today and that’s the mark of a good side. “I’m delighted, but we’ve got to kick on from here and keep pushing for a play-off position.”