Punjab United 1-4 Whitstable Town - We're in a real good place at the moment and it's in our hands and that's where we want to be, says play-off chasing Whitstable Town manager Jamie Coyle

Punjab United 1 – 4 Whitstable Town
Location	Elite Venue, Dunkirk Close, Gravesend, Kent DA12 5ND
Kickoff	08/04/2025 19:45

PUNJAB UNITED 1-4 WHITSTABLE TOWN
Presence & Co Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division
Tuesday 8 April 2025
Stephen McCartney reports from Elite Venue

WHITSTABLE TOWN manager Jamie Coyle says his side are in a great place and it’s in their hands as they bid to finish in the Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division play-offs this month.

The Oystermen extended their impressive unbeaten run to 19 games following this emphatic 4-1 win over the side holding the final play-off berth in this ninth-tier division.

With both sides putting the ball in the air and playing a very direct style of football at the Elite Venue, Whitstable Town took the lead through wide left striker Harvey Smith, who headed in his 16^th goal of the season.

Whitstable Town dominated large chunks of the second half, however, with attacking midfielder Bradley Schafer putting in a man-of-the-match performance, scoring two second half goals, with 38-year-old striker Joe Healy coming off the bench to dink a sublime late fourth to open his goalscoring account in only his third game for the club.

Coyle, 41, was one of five changes to the side that came home from Gloucestershire with a goal-less draw against Hartpury University on Sunday, booking their FA Vase Final place with a 2-0 aggregate win and they will play AFC Whyteleafe at Wembley Stadium on 11 May.

“Absolutely delighted with the result. It was a horrible fixture in terms of looking forward to it tonight, following what happened at the weekend,” said Coyle.

“Potential banana skin, on a real difficult pitch for both teams but the level of performance, especially in the second half, it could’ve been, maybe, five or six goals really.  The keeper’s pulled off a couple of really good saves. We’ve hit the post two or three times as well.

“We’ve made five changes from the weekend and for the boys to put that level of performance against a team that are doing really well, Punjab are flying in the league, I’m ecstatic, I’m really, really pleased.

“We can kind of park (Wembley) now, put it to bed until May for the Final. We’ve still got a job to do in terms of winning our games in hand and getting a place in the play-offs.

“On paper, it was a real tough fixture for us tonight and you’re always worry about the game afterwards with such the high emotions of the Vase Semi-Final but the group in there and to make the changes and then follow it up with that performance and the result over the weekend, is absolutely phenomenal.”

Punjab United really had to win this game and a heavy defeat may have damaged their play-off chances and manager Jugjit (Chipie) Sian was a bitterly disappointed figure during the post-match press conference.

“Terrible! I think we were bullied over the park and to be honest they played exactly like we do but better, that’s it, that’s how I can sum it up,” said Sian.

“They didn’t play football, just knock the ball long, which we knew was coming. I knew exactly how they set up and I told everyone before we started the game.

“Probably one of our biggest games of the season and we bottled it! That’s it. It’s as simple as.

“What was missing? Everything! Everything that we stand for. Everything! Just no passion, got bullied, second best to everything. Made silly mistakes, the goals came from silly mistakes and that was the worst thing about it all.

“Whitstable are very professional. Listen, we beat them at their ground (2-1, 5 October) and we bullied them and they will tell you that, when we went to Whitstable we bullied them and to be honest they’ve probably learnt from that and they’ve been bullying everyone else.

“I can understand how they play and why they play because they’re good at it, they were a better version of us tonight.”

Punjab United created the first goalscoring chance with seven minutes and eight seconds on the clock after Roman Campbell was fouled and the Punjab United striker stroked his left-footed free-kick over the four-man wall and the ball was comfortably plucked out of the air, two-handed by visiting goalkeeper Daniel Colmer.

Sian said: “Listen, we started alright. We sort of set our lot up. I don’t know, I don’t think we had a shot on target probably after that. That’s the first game in months that we didn’t create anything.

“It was half-cut cr*p really and I still feel our players let us down really because we didn’t play, they didn’t turn up, 60% max.”

Coyle added: “It was a tough game. It was going to be a game of set-pieces tonight. We said that because it’s such a difficult pitch.

“They’re very strong at set-pieces, they scored three out of the five goals (at Sutton Athletic) the other night from set-pieces, so we knew defensively we had to be strong.

“They’ve nicked one from a set-piece, which is disappointing but I thought collectively tonight the boys were outstanding!”

The vocal Colmer also has a very big kick on him and just 18 seconds later, Schafer cut in from the left and onto his right-foot and his angled drive was comfortably saved by Punjab United goalkeeper Owen Bushell.

Whitstable Town were kicking down the slope and a poor clearance from Punjab’s goalkeeper Owen Bushell was hit by Whitstable Town central midfielder Robbie Rees, who played the ball out wide to Smith, who cut inside and his 25-yard angled drive wasn’t going to trouble the Punjab goalkeeper.

Punjab United’s left-winger William Johnson-Cole floated in a cross from within the left channel and fellow winger Anthony Adesite rose to loop his header straight into the gloves of Colmer, plucking the ball comfortably out of the air with his two raised gloves.

The 13-goal Jack Hopkins was pushed further upfield as an attacking midfielder and he chested the ball before hooking the ball out to Johnson-Cole, who easily cut inside Whitstable’s right-back Ricardo Thompson, and his angled drive took a deflection and Colmer got down swiftly low to his right to hold, at the half-way point.

“Another good little good passage of play, cut in, that could’ve deflected anywhere to be fair,” said Sian.

Coyle added: “It took a little bit of sting out of the shot, I think. A great reaction save from Dan, really, really good.”

Whitstable Town were direct in their approach and striker Dean Grant went down easily under a challenge from Punjab United centre-half Kyden Lewin Thomas.

Rees floated a deep free-kick towards the back post, the ball was knocked down by Grant and Owen Bushell stuck out his right leg to prevent an unmarked Ronald Sithole squeezing the ball into the net from a tight angle.

Whitstable Town opened the scoring following the resulting corner, their first of four, the goal timed at 25 minutes and 25 seconds on the clock.

Rees swung the ball in with his left-foot from the right and Roman Campbell switched off and allowed an unmarked Smith to find a pocket of space at the near-post to steer his header through a crowd of players to find the far corner.

“We were working on the set-piece last week. It’s a new one that we’ve just brought in and to score from it after two games is really pleasing as well,” said Coyle.

“We’ve been a real threat from set-pieces recently but we haven’t quite capitalised as much as we could’ve done but that was a great header from Harvey, great movement and obviously right off the training ground for that one.”

Sian added: “We set up for corners, we know exactly how to defend corners and Roman lost his marker and got caught.

“But I will say something, speaking to the lino (Michael Dye), it was a pure dive for the free-kick to get the corner in the first place. It was embarrassing!  That should never happen!

“They didn’t really create anything apart from that corner, which should never have been a corner but we should still be marking and that’s the problem with it, we should have marked!”

Whitstable Town’s three strikers, Smith (left), Grant (centre) and Sithole (right), but Schafer in behind them was their main architect and threat as he often linked up play, with Punjab United’s two midfielders, Ayomide Majekodunmi and holding midfielder Wayne Bushell struggling to stem the tide.

Grant’s first time pass fed Smith out on the left before Rees got involved and slipped the ball through to Sithole on the left by-line but Owen Bushell came out and along his by-line to narrow the angle to make the block and divert the ball behind for a corner.

Rees drilled a long diagonal from inside the Whitstable half and a sublime first touch from Sithole say him control the ball on the run but he lacked conviction with his shot, which was comfortably gathered by Owen Bushell in the 36^th minute.

Whitstable’s holding midfielder Mikey Dalton hit a long ball from the half-way line and Grant put in a deep cross towards the back post but Smith ghosted in and steered his header past the near post from a tight angle.

Coyle said: “He said ‘he just lost it in the lights’ – but that was another good chance and straight after that Schafer got brought down, for me, which was a clear-cut penalty, even their fans were laughing and we should have had a pen in the first half.

“But we’ve knocked on the door for the whole game tonight and I thought going forward we were electric and caused loads of problems.”

Schafer’s third of six long throws was twice cleared by the home side’s defence and the ball came back out to Schafer, who took a touch and his right-footed angled drive from 25-yards bounced once and was comfortably gathered by the busier of the two goalkeeper’s, Owen Bushell.

THE RACE FOR PROMOTION:
Champions promoted into Isthmian League South East Division.
Teams second, third, fourth and fifth quality for play-off semi-finals with second and third being at home against fifth and fourth respectively

1 Faversham Town P35 W24 D9 L2 F89 A27 PTS 81 GD+62
Manager: Tommy Warrilow
Tuesday 15 April – away – Tunbridge Wells (13)
Monday 21 April – Home – Lordswood (20)
Saturday 26 April – away – Rusthall (3)

2 VCD Athletic P35 W21 D10 L4 F76 A35 PTS 72 GD +41 (one point deducted)
Joint-managers: Ross Baker and Danny Joy
Saturday 12 April – Home – Rusthall (3)
Monday 21 April – Home – Sutton Athletic (14)
Saturday 26 April – away – Bearsted (9)

3 Rusthall P34 W18 D8 L8 F76 A54 PTS 62 GD +23
Manager:  Jimmy Anderson
Saturday 12 April – away – VCD Athletic (2)
Saturday 19 April – Home – Whitstable Town (6)
Monday 21 April – away – Tunbridge Wells (13)
Saturday 26 April – Home – Faversham Town (1)

4 Fisher P35 W18 D8 L9 F60 A37 PTS 62 GD +23
Manager: Ajay Ashanike
Saturday 12 April – away – Sutton Athletic (14)
Monday 21 April – away – Whitstable Town (6)
Saturday 26 April – Home – Hollands & Blair (15)

5 Punjab United P36 W18 D7 L11 F61 A55 PTS 61 GD +6
Manager: Jugjit (Chipie) Sian
Monday 21 April – away – Stansfeld (17)
Saturday 26 April – Home – Erith & Belvedere (7)

6 Whitstable Town P32 W18 D5 L9 F67 A43 PTS 59 GD +24
Player-Manager: Jamie Coyle
Sunday 13 April – Maidstone – Larkfield & New Hythe  - Kent Senior Trophy Final
Tuesday 15 April – Home – Lydd Town (18)
Thursday 17 April – away – Lordswood (20)
Saturday 19 April – away – Rusthall (3)
Monday 21 April – Home – Fisher (4)
Wednesday 23 April – away – Corinthian (12)
Saturday 26 April – Home – Glebe (10)
Sunday 11 May – Wembley – AFC Whyteleafe – The FA Vase Final

Both manager’s were asked their thoughts going into the interval.

Sian said: “Fuming that we lost a marker on the corner. I said to them ‘pin them down the hill now’. We’ve got to play a bit more football in the final third, get some crosses in and stop kicking the ball right down the middle of them because that’s all they wanted.

“Their centre-halves were kicking it and every time we kicked it in the first half it was straight down the god damn middle again and that’s why I was fuming really because I told them not to do it!

“All through the game they’ve done it and that’s from the goalkeeper, all the way through from the back four, all the way to the top.”

Coyle added: “Well, just to be a little bit more patient and just take it a bit more pride in our set-piece delivery and I think we were going to cause a lot of problems with them.

“I thought we were unplayable at times in the second half and Schafer, for me, was by far the best player on the pitch!”

Punjab United came out with all guns blazing at the start of the second half, kicking down the slope.

Right-back Jordan Campbell recycled the ball back into the box and Johnson-Cole knocked the ball down for Hopkins, who looped his left-footed shot over the top of the left-hand post (4:56), with Sian admitting it was ‘good movement but a half-chance.”

Punjab United’s left-back Stephen Ratcliff launched a long ball out of defence to release Johnson-Cole down the left channel and his deep cross was sliced by Adesite as he got his shot off from just inside the box but the ball bounced and Colmer comfortably gathered.

A long ball out of Whitstable’s defence by Finn O’Mara released Grant on the charge and his right-footed half-volley from outside the box flashed across the goalkeeper and pinged against the base of the left far post in the 56^th minute.

“He hit the post and the crossbar didn’t he?  He had two glorious chances but that was a great strike from Granty and he obviously went around the keeper and it’s bobbled up and he’s obviously hit the crossbar with an open goal, so it’s another chance,” added Coyle.

Sian added: “That was a good move and again we lost our markers and that’s the problem. I don’t know what we’re trying to do there. I just didn’t understand why we we’re trying to play offside anyway when he ran through. I don’t know, it's frustrating!”

Schafer’s fifth long throw into the Punjab United box was flicked up by Smith at the near-post and with his third touch, hooked the ball over his shoulder and past the near-post.

Whitstable Town smashed the cagey stalemate by doubling their lead with 19 minutes and 10 seconds on the clock, following a three-man move at a set-piece.

Colmer launched a big kick with his right-foot upfield from 35-yards from his goal-line and with his back to goal, Grant laid the ball back to Schafer, who clinically drove his first-time right-footed drive in off the base of the left-hand post (the ball nestling into the opposite corner) from 25-yards with a clinical strike.

“He’s scored goals like that all season since he’s come in (from league rivals Faversham Town), so from the edge of the box he’s a real threat and he’s got absolute quality and he’s shown that again tonight,” said Coyle.

Sian said: “Again, the midfielder’s went wondering. The ball just broke into that bit and we spoke about it at half-time. That’s why I’ve got two midfielders in there, both lost their markers.”

Sian had brought on striker Stefan Payne (56 minutes) and left-winger Reece Deakin (64) and the pair offered nothing in attack, as O’Mara and Jake McIntyre dealt with numerous long balls and long throws from Ratcliff (four) and Jordan Campbell (seven) into the Whitstable penalty area.

Whitstable Town were guilty of a glaring miss in the 69^th minute when Smith split open Lewin Thomas and Jordan Campbell with a long ball to release Grant, who skipped past the advancing Owen Bushell before hitting his left-footed shot against the underside of the crossbar (missing an open goal).

Sian added: “It was a good move by them.  We were getting caught because we weren’t tracking our men. We were lazy. We just didn’t really keep up with play. I couldn’t believe it.  When you’re second best you lose your markers and you’re switching off and he probably should’ve finished that.”

Punjab United’s 17-goal striker Roman Campbell easily shrugged off Dalton but his weak left-footed shot from 22-yards was comfortably gathered by Colmer.

Punjab United accepted a lifeline by pulling a goal back with 28 minutes and 12 seconds on the clock, following their third of four corners.

Ratcliff swung a good delivery in from the right with his left boot and Barry came up from the back to bury his header through a crowded goalmouth into the far corner to score his sixth goal of the season.

Sian said: “I was more frustrated in the first half when Steve put a delivery in and none of us attacked the header. We work on our set-pieces all the time and we didn’t really run in there at all and we’ve done it this one.

“It was a beautiful delivery and bang! They couldn’t keep up with that one. I knew if we got some quality into the box and quality crosses, we would cause them problems but I don’t think we hit one cross in today, which was any good.”

Coyle added: “Disappointed to concede from a set-piece because we knew that was their strengths. Outside of that, I thought defensively they defended very well.”

Punjab United then had the momentum and started to up their desire levels for about a 10 minute period.

“We did yes but then we’ve blown ourselves out again by not doing the good things. We put them under pressure for 10 minutes and you could see they were worried but then when you start giving the ball away, you start doing the same rubbish by kicking the ball straight down the middle and giving the ball away cheaply and then you go and concede cr*p goals.”

Coyle added “That’s what you expect. They’ve got some good experienced players in there and on this pitch it dictates how you play.  Both teams were having a barrage of long balls and that’s the way you’ve got to play on this pitch and we had to do the same tonight and just try to minimise mistakes.”

Explaining his side’s direct style of football tonight, Coyle said: “Unfortunately in this League, you have to look at the surface that you’re playing on and then that dictates the way that you play and I think both teams looked at that tonight and we obviously had a little bit more quality in the final third.”

Sian added: “It was quite an awful game to watch because both teams knocked the ball long and try to play the last thirds and that’s what it was going to be.

“I said to the (players), the best three up front are going to win the game and that’s exactly what happened.”

Ratcliff’s floated a right-wing corner, which was cleared by the Whitstable defence and the quiet Adesite drilled a right-footed angled drive from 15-yards, which stung Colmer’s fingers at the near-post.

Adesite had his pocket picked on the half-way line by Whitstable’s left-back Adedapo Olugbodi, who charged forward and into the penalty area before hitting a left-footed drive, which crashed off the top of the left-hand (near) post.

“It’s another one! Yes, I’m forgetting about the amount of times we’ve hit the woodwork tonight but he was really good again, on the front foot. Adedapo’s got loads and loads of pace and athleticism and I thought he done really well defensively, as well as going forward tonight,” added Coyle.

Sian said: “Listen, I don’t understand why he let him run 45 yards! Why just don’t make a foul on the halfway line, it’s done. Take a booking, that’s why we’ve got to be a bit more clever.”

Dominant Whitstable Town killed the game off by scoring their third goal of the game, timed at 38 minutes and 27 seconds on the clock.

Olugbodi’s left-footed long ball over the top saw Schafer beat Barry’s offside trap before cracking a left-footed rasping drive into the roof of the net of an open goal as poor goalkeeper Owen Bushell opened the gate once more for Schafer’s eighth goal for Whitstable this season.

“A great finish, absolutely great finish. It bobbled up as well for him and then he’s created a goal for Joe Healy as well.  He stood out for me tonight. He was by far the best player on the pitch and deserved his goals,” Coyle said of Schafer’s performance.

Sian added: “We won the ball back in the first passages of place and Steve them tried to chip it straight into centre-midfield when he should’ve over-hit it to Anthony down the wing because he was in.

“He goes and does that and it goes straight to their player, passes it over the top and they’ve gone.  Honestly, we haven’t done that all year. It was embarrassing to watch!”

Punjab United capitulated as Whitstable Town notched their fourth goal, with 40 minutes and 43 seconds on the clock.

Rees’ left-footed long ball went over the top of Barry, Schafer laid the ball off for substitute striker Healy, who dinked his left-footed shot over the advancing goalkeeper and into the roof of the net, a quality finish.

“I thought when Joe Healy came off the bench, he just brings another dimension in terms of his intelligence and his hold-up play,” said Coyle.

“That’s what he does all the time. I’ve played with Joe, he’s just got absolutely quality. I think we just needed to get him up the pitch a little bit and he’s come off  the bench and he’s made a massive difference for us, a huge difference with his quality and his decision making and he got his goal that he deserves and he’ll be an asset for us between now and the end of the season.

“He’s getting fitter every week, he’s training really well and he’ll be utilised between now and the end of the season.”

Sian added: “That’s Barry’s fault, Jack Barry’s tried to play him offside.  I don’t know why he’s trying to play him offside? As far as I’m concerned, if you’ve got no pressure on the ball in midfield, why are you playing offside?  Just walk it in. He weren’t going to beat Barry for pace and Barry went wondering!”

Coyle brought on stoppage time subs Will Thomas (47:33) and Ashdon Day (49:52) and the pair linked up well with the away side’s last chance with the last kick of the game (53:51).

Dalton hit a long ball to release Day down the right channel and he cut the ball back towards the unmarked Thomas, who drilled a first-time right-footed low drive towards the bottom left-hand corner, which was blocked well by Owen Bushell, low to his right.

Sian threw his goalkeeper under the bus, which is very rare for a manager to do during the post-match inquest to Punjab United’s poor performance.

“A good save to be honest but he had a poor game as well. His kicking was absolutely shocking and sometimes you’ve got to take it.  If you don’t play well, you’ve got to take it. His kicking started bad and it ended up bad and that cost us as well a little bit.

“Like I said, we didn’t turn up. Fair play to Whitstable, they’re a really good side. I hold my hands up. I wish them all the best for the Vase Final. I told the management team when they came in ‘it’s a dream come true for them’ and they’re a good side.

“They’ve shown they’re a good side. They’ve come here and I know they’d be up for it because it’s a play-of place. If they can get to a Vase Final at Wembley, which they have and get to a play-off place, Jesue, they’ve had a great season, haven’t they?

“But it’s such a shame because I really thought we were going to do something tonight – I did! I had nothing to fear.  I said to my players, ‘you play like we’ve just told you to, play to our strengths, what we’ve been doing’, we don’t fear no one in this league – but when you play like that, you’re going to get peppered because they’re a good side.”

Coyle said: “It was a brilliant save from the goalkeeper, a really good save. Will’s made a late run from midfield and could’ve potentially put it away but I thought he struck it really well and the keeper’s made a good save. It’s another glorious chance and I think on another night, it could’ve been a lot more.

“I think at this stage of the season and where we are in the league, the emotions that have gone on with the Vase, with the Kent Senior Trophy Final on Sunday, we’ve just got to just churn out results.  It doesn’t matter how it comes.

“To come away to Punjab on a difficult pitch with a team that are doing really well at the moment and to leave here disappointed with only four goals, is a sign that we’re in a really good place.”

So who will be joining Faversham Town in the Isthmian League South East Division next season?

Tommy Warrilow’s side came away from Larkfield & New Hythe with a 2-1 win tonight and have picked up 81 points from their 35 (of 38) games and will have the ’C’ beside their name either on Saturday or next Tuesday.

VCD Athletic have picked up 72 points from their 35 games and are joined in the play-off zone by Rusthall (62 points from 34 games), Fisher (62 points from 35 games) and Punjab United (61 points – 18 wins, seven draws and 11 defeats).

VCD Athletic host Rusthall at Oakwood on Saturday – a game being covered by this website.

Whitstable Town remain in sixth-place with 59 points from 32 games (18 wins, five draws and nine defeats) and on tonight’s performance are serious contenders for promotion.

“It’s in our hands, that’s what I’ve said,” insisted Coyle.

“I think it was important tonight that we’ve kept our unbeaten run going and we didn’t lose the game but we’re leaving here now, you’re kind of thinking it could’ve been seven or eight, the amount of chances we’ve had and that’s a real good sign against a team that are flying, flying high in the league.

“We’ve just got to concentrate on ourselves now. We’ve got a Cup Final, we want to try to bring the first bit of silverware to the club this year, the first year that we’ve been here and then we can concentrate on our league fixtures that are near enough every other day between now and the end of the season.”

Coyle takes his side to Maidstone to play eighth-placed Larkfield & New Hythe on Sunday in the Kent Senior Trophy Final, before playing six league games against Lydd Town (home, 15 April), Lordswood (away, 17 April), Rusthall (away, 19 April), Fisher (home, 21 April), Corinthian (away, 23 April) and Glebe (home, 26 April).

“I’m really looking forward to going back there, they’ll be some old faces. I’ve got some real fond memories of some success at that football club, still people that work there that are part of the club that I speak to on a weekly basis,” said former Maidstone United centre-half Coyle.

“It’s really important that we go there and put on a real good display and we’re desperate to bring success to this football club and that’s our first opportunity.

“I know Michael Phillips (the Larkfield manager), he’s a real good friend of mine. I’ve played football with him since I was about 11 years old, so he’s a real good friend.

“We played them (on 22 March) and we beat them (2-1) at their place and they beat us (4-1) at our place (on 24 September) earlier in the season, so it’s going to be a tough game.  They’re going to be looking forward to it.

“I think it’s their first Cup final as a club at this level, so it’s going to be a real difficult game that.  We’re going to make sure that we’re organised and hopefully we’re not talking about the officials like we were the last time we played them!

“We’ve made five changes tonight from the team that played on Sunday and we’ve come away with a 4-1 win and disappointed that we haven’t scored more goals, so that just shows you the quality that we have in the squad, not just the starting XI but we can rotate things around.

“A lot of people say in football ‘you don’t want to keep changing things’, but we’re doing it for the last 18 games and they’re delivering and that’s testament to the players, they’ve been absolutely outstanding!

“We need to continue this run because we can’t let it drop. We can’t drop many points in the league because it will put us under a bit of pressure in terms of getting a play-off place – but we’re in a real good place at the moment. It’s in our hands and that’s’ where we want to be.

“We’ve got a real young team and we can call upon the under 23s and our squad players or the fringe players that are around and we’re going to need that.

“The fixture list, we’re clogged up with games. We’re going to have to keep rotating things around and every time we’ve done it, the boys have delivered so it makes it really difficult as a management team and that’s what you want.

“We want to be at home (in the play-offs). We want to play in front of our fans that have been absolutely unbelievable for the whole season. Give them something to look forward to, as well as the Wembley trip, so we want to finish as high as we possibly can in the league.

“We’re on a great run at the moment and we need to continue that, if we’re going to give ourselves a chance of playing at home in the Semi-Finals.”

Punjab United, meanwhile, have been between second-place and sixth-place all through their best campaign at this level and they must sit back and wait on other results ahead of their last two league games of the season.

Sian takes his side to bottom four side Stansfeld (35 points from 35 games and three points clear of the relegation zone) on Easter Monday, 21 April, before seventh-placed Erith & Belvedere visit here on the final day.

“Listen, I’m just very disappointed. I’m a bit shocked at the moment because I never thought we’d come here tonight and get beaten like that and not having 11 players turn up on the pitch, it’s not the right way,” said Sian.

“Take nothing away from Whitstable. I thought they were just an unbelievable version of us because we’ve done that to many teams this year and they’ve done it to us. Fair play to them. We’ve done it to them at Whitstable and they’ve come back and done it in a better way here.

“We just have to go out and try to win two games, which isn’t going to be easy. Stansfeld won’t be easy away and nor Erith & Belvedere.  If this Punjab turns up for both of those games, we’re going to get beat, simple as that.

“It’s down to them (my players). I’ve done my bit. They’ve got to go and pick themselves up and they’ve got to go and do a result now and they’ve got to work hard, otherwise they’ve let themselves down.”

When asked about the play-offs, Sian admits tonight’s lacklustre performance has handed the advantage to Coyle’s men.

“Yes, I think that’s gone to be honest. I personally think that’s gone – but football’s a funny old game.

“I think we actually froze and I don’t understand why. We’ve been brilliant recently, we’ve been away to Tunbridge Wells and won 3-0. That could’ve been five, six or seven couldn’t it that game and I thought we were fantastic and we’ve done the same to Sutton, 5-1 and it could’ve been seven or eight-one at Sutton.

“At home today, big crowd and we froze. I don’t get it, honestly, I’m sitting here with you and I don’t know what happened.

“Listen, I think maybe we’re a bit critical because we’ve had an unbelievable season. We have been up there in the top five, top six all year. It’s a shame if we drop out because I don’t think we deserve to drop out but there’s better teams out there. There’s some teams that have got games-in-hand and if they get through then fair play to everyone whose got there.

“If we miss out, we miss out. I think no matter what we finish sixth, I think. It’s been an unbelievable year for us but I just feel a bit gutted because tonight was the one where we were going to show this League how far we have come as a club.

“The players’ are gutted but they need to learn some home truths and I told them the home truths. That is why, if you want to play at that high level, you’ve got to be consistent and you’ve got to grind out results and that’s what other really good teams do and we can’t just switch off like we did tonight.

“We’ll play the two games and we’ll see where we finish and see what happens in life and we’ll go again. We’ll get ready for Bank Holiday Monday, we’ll train hard and we’ll get ready for Stansfeld.

“I’ve always said and I’ll say it again, any team in this league can beat anyone. We’ve beaten good teams, so we’ve got to be focused and go out and do a job and I’m sure they’ll pick themselves up and we’ll get back to it.

“We’ll mope around for a few days. I’m going to mope around for a few days but listen in football, you’ve got to get on with it, dwell on it for a couple of games and then we’ll get on with it.

“I feel this was the game. If we got a draw out of it, I feel we would’ve got it (a play-off place).  We’ll see what happens. They’ve all got to play each other. We’ll see. Pressures everywhere. They’ve (Whitstable) got to win every game, everyone’s got to win every game and we’ve got to win every game. The pressures on everyone, so it’s who the best team gets it, that’s all you can do now.

“I’m gutted but fair play to Whitstable. They’ve done well and I’ll give them a bit of credit and say they were the better version of Punjab, so they’ve played our system absolutely brilliant so fair play to them.”

Punjab United: Owen Bushell, Jordan Campbell, Stephen Ratcliff, Wayne Bushell, Kyden Lewin Thomas, Jack Barry, William Johnson-Cole (Reece Deakin 64), Ayomide Majekodunmi (Stefan Payne 56), Roman Campbell, Jack Hopkins, Anthony Adesite.
Subs: Alfie Moynes, Robert Curtis, Ashley Probets

Goal: Jack Barry 74

Booked: Ayomide Majekodunmi 43

Whitstable Town: Daniel Colmer, Ricardo Thompson, Adedapo Olugbodi, Mikey Dalton, Jake McIntyre, Finn O’Mara, Harvey Smith, Robbie Rees (Will Thomas 90), Dean Grant (Ashdon Day 90), Bradley Schafer, Ronald Sithole (Joe Healy 78).
Subs: Jayden Boulton, Finley Cotton

Goals: Harvey Smith 26, Bradley Schafer 65, 84, Joe Healy 86

Attendance: 214
Referee: Mr Mitchell Bush
Assistants: Mr Michael Dye & Mr Thomas Colyer