FA Vase winner Seager "feels the pain" after elimination

Past FA Vase winner Marc Seager felt the pain as his Whitstable Town side were dumped out of this season’s competition in the second qualifying round on Saturday, writes Stephen McCartney.

Seager, who won the competition as a player with Tommy Sampson’s Deal Town in 2000, saw his Whitstable Town side lose their first game of the season at Sussex County League side Oakwood.

“I hope the players are feeling the pain of that performance the way I am”, the Whitstable Town manager told www.whitstabletownfc.co.uk

“Yes the losing hurt, but no side will go through a whole season unbeaten. It was the manner of the first half performance that so upset me.

“We let the home side boss the game. I am not going to say we are better than them, they beat us on the day and the record books show they beat us one nil - we wish them well in the next round.

“But I have tasted the joy of winning this competition and know that there are very few teams who on our day could better us. Today we let ourselves down and that’s what hurts.”

The game’s decisive goal came via a good run from midfield by Lee Butcher, who although forced out wide still found too much space to continue his run then curl in a shot past former Chatham Town and Sittingbourne goalkeeper Kevin Fewell.

Whitstable will be looking to bounce back on Tuesday night when Hythe Town visit the Belmont before Ryman Premier League neighbours Margate visit in the second qualifying round of the FA Cup.