Whitstable Town 2-2 Ashford Town - Lane, 47, rolls back the years

The irony wasn’t left on the freezing spectators after Saturday’s encounter had been abandoned at half-time because of water logging that this Thursday night saw the Belmont endure a biting easterly wind coming straight from the Thames estuary.

Fair play to both sets of players for an entertaining encounter in which both sides had the lead at one point only for a late Mitchell Sherwood penalty to earn Steve Lovell’s Ashford a point.

Afterwards Lovell admitted that he was pleased with a point.

He said: “After playing Saturday and Tuesday I changed things around a bit tonight. Some of the players that haven’t been playing came in and did well but when you play a side that’s managed by Marc Seager you know what to expect.

“And Whitstable were exactly what I expected.”

Seager was a little more annoyed that his side had been pegged back by Sherwood’s penalty.

But he conceded: “We’ve had a hell of a season and that leaves us with just one defeat now in what eight or nine games, which isn’t bad at this time of the year is it?”

Both managers would have been pleased with the endeavour that both sides showed in an entertaining encounter.

Veteran keeper Lane’s first save came as early as the sixth minute when Paul Jones headed goal wards only for Lane to pluck the ball out of the air.

There was little that the Whitstable goalkeeper coach could do with the game’s opening goal on 19 minutes.

James Humphrey’s inviting long ball dropped over the Oystermen’s defence and Jones, seizing the opportunity in a flash, volleyed the ball over the goalkeeper and into the roof of the net from twenty yards - quite possibly a late contender for Ashford’s goal of the season.

If the game’s opening goal was magnificent the Whitstable equaliser ten minutes later probably wouldn’t win many awards!

Not that Sam Denly will complain as it was the central defender who bundled Ian Pulman’s knockdown, from a Tommy Martin corner, over the line from all off two yards.

Ashford’s territorially had the advantage but with the impressive Dave Cory working tirelessly upfront for the home side you always felt that Whitstable could cause problems on the break.

And so it proved on 57 minutes when Pulman’s run and cross down the left was missed by Danny Lye only for Cory to be denied by a magnificent point-blank block from Ashford goalkeeper Jamie Riley.

From the corner Pulman this time was denied as Lye redeemed himself - the defender somehow recovered to force Pulman’s shot wide off the left post.

Substitute Mark Lovell should have put the visitors in front on the hour but his shot from Sherwood’s cross sailed into the trees behind the goal.

It could have been so costly for Ashford as on 81 minutes Jake Gess swept the home side in front.

Substitute Dan Whisker fed Pulman who unselfishly, seeing Gess in support, rolled the ball into the winger’s path and his first time shot beat Riley into the corner of the net.

Ashford, desperate now for an equaliser, roared back and Denly was on hand to clear the ball off the line after Jones’ cross caused chaos in the home defence.

The equaliser arrived just two minutes from time as a corner from the left was headed goal wards only for official Mr Steve Brook to spot a red hand and a penalty was awarded.

Sherwood stepped up and despite a valiant effort from the 47-year-old Lane the ball squeezed into the corner of the net.

That said to give Sherwood his dues it was just about the perfect penalty.

Honours even then between two sides safe from relegation and already guaranteed Ryman One South football for next season (league restructuring permitting of course).

And two managers in Seager and Lovell, who it could be said promised so much to Kent football in the years to come.

Final words to Lane, the star of the show.

When jokingly told he’d been pencilled in to play in goal for Whitstable on Saturday, he laughed: “I’m not sure I’ll be able to walk by then. That’s me - I’m back in retirement!”

Whitstable Town: Mark Lane, Gary Sayer, Danny Tipple, Liam Quinn, Clint Gooding, Sam Denly, Tommy Martin (Nick Bagley 83), Marcos Perona, Ian Pulman, Dave Cory (Dan Whisker 69), Jake Gess.
Subs: Stephen Lloyd, Tom Parker, Marc Seager.

Goals: Sam Denly 29, Jake Gess 81

Booked: Jake Gess 88

Ashford Town: Jamie Riley, Toby Ashmore, Aaron Freeman (Andy Doerr 60), Lee Hockey (Joe Hitchings 83), Sean Ray, Danny Lye, Mitchell Sherwood, James Humphrey, Walid Matata (Mark Lovell 45), Paul Jones, Jimmy Bottle.
Subs: Anthony Browne, Sam Moore.

Goals: Paul Jones 19, Mitchell Sherwood 88 (pen)

Attendance:  260
Referee: Steve Brook
Assistants: David Spain (St Leonards on Sea, east Sussex) & Gary Croft (Battle, east Sussex)