Sevenoaks Town `1-3 Whitstable Town - Seager's men pile pressure on Vickers

SEVENOAKS TOWN 1-3 WHITSTABLE TOWN
Kent League Premier Division
Tuesday 24^th April 2007
Stephen McCartney reports from Greatness Park

Whitstable Town edged one step closer to winning the Kent League title, and promotion into the Ryman League, by putting in a professional performance at Greatness Park tonight.

The league leaders moved six points clear of third placed challengers VCD Athletic following their 3-1 win.

If Vickers fail to pick up maximum points in their penultimate game at second-from-bottom side Tunbridge Wells tomorrow night, then Whitstable Town will celebrate winning their first ever Kent League title at Thamesmead Town on Saturday.

But if the Crayford side win their match at Culverden Stadium, they could pip Whitstable to the title on the last day of the season when they welcome Deal Town to Oakwood, and Whitstable fail to pick up a point against their fourth placed hosts.

Whitstable fully deserved to go into the half-time interval with a two-goal cushion, after Steve Marshall and Jackson Ohakam netted inside the opening 23 minutes.

But when left-midfielder Matt Fagan pulled a goal back from a free-kick after 61 minutes, Whitstable felt the pressure but Marshall’s solo goal with nine minutes remaining sealed the vital victory.

Playing in front of their largest crowd of the season, Sevenoaks were not going to lay down and die and created a couple of chances themselves.

Tommy Olson sent a free-kick into the penalty area from just inside Whitstable’s half and leading goalscorer Tony Atkins found Kevin Fewell with a header from ten-yards.

And Fewell made a comfortable save from Aaron Smith’s near post glancing header following a long throw from defender Darren Pearson.

But Marshall broke the deadlock after seventeen minutes to the delight of the vocal travelling Oysterboys.

Gary Sayer’s defence splitting pass allowed Marlon Button to use his pace down the right hand side.

And the winger, who scored the decisive goal when Whitstable defeated a good Bearsted side to win the Kent Senior Trophy a couple of weeks ago, delivered a low cross towards the near post.

Sam Prett flicked the ball towards his strike partner Marshall, who buried the ball past Jamie Williams from six-yards out.

Slack marking from Sevenoaks allowed Whitstable to score from their second corner of the game just five minutes later.

Sayer played the corner short to Michael Lane, and his right-footed cross was met by a towering header from Ohakam and the central defender gave Williams no chance from six-yards.

Sayer blocked Matt Fagan’s hooked volley, following Pearson’s cross from the right, just before half-time.

Despite being 2-0 down at the interval, Sevenoaks had Whitstable on the back-foot and under the cosh for long periods.

Atkins drove a right-footed shot past Fewell inside the opening four minutes of the second half, but the offside flag had already been raised.

But Williams made the save of the night after 53 minutes, diving to his right to prevent Tom Parker’s left-footed free-kick from 25-yards floating towards the top corner.

Button wasn’t going to beat Williams with his right-footed drive from thirty yards soon after.

A lengthy injury to defender Nick Reeves assisted in Sevenoaks pulling a goal back after 61 minutes.

Sayer was booked following his crunching challenge on the defender, to become one of five players to be cautioned by Gillingham referee Mr Paul Kelly, who had a good game, during a fractious 25 minute spell.

But up stepped former Erith Town midfielder Fagan, and with his right-foot, he sent his angled free-kick over Fewell’s head and the ball flew into the net via the top of the far post.

This sparked a good spell for Sevenoaks, and former Dartford defender Tom Olson squandered two good chances from free-kicks on the edge of the penalty area.

With his side under pressure, Whitstable manager Marc Seager brought on the experienced Jimmy Strouts to shore up their midfield to preserve their 2-1 lead.

But a fine solo goal from Marshall, taking his tally to 15 for the season, wrapped up the victory.

He nodded the ball past Pearson and with his right-foot cracked a fierce drive from 25-yards that Williams could only palm into the roof of his net.

Fewell made a comfortable save from Atkins’ header late on, and Whitstable were off target through Strouts and Perona, ensuring there will be plenty of interest at Culverden Stadium tomorrow night.

“I’ve got to say that this result has put so much pressure on VCD tomorrow and Saturday,” a delighted Whitstable chairman Mr Tony Rouse said EXCLUSIVELY to www.kentishfootball.co.uk after tonight’s win.

“They’re going to look at the table now, they’re going to see Whitstable Town are four points clear, only needing one point now to win the league and I think this result is really, really going to turn the screws.

“We’ve got the pressure from them, they’ve turned us over twice, and I think this result was much about putting pressure on them as it was about winning the game.

“I think we can look forward to Saturday now, we’re going to be relaxed and we’re really going for it.

“We really want to do the business on Saturday, so next stop, Thamesmead.”

But Mr Rouse doesn’t expect any favours from Martin Farnie and his Tunbridge Wells side tomorrow.

“I don’t think any team in this league will lay down,” he said. “Today was no exception.

“We came here, Sevenoaks really gave it a good go at 2-1. You could see that they were back in the game and we looked a little unsteady.

“I wouldn’t say we wobbled but you could see the nerves. We weren’t holding the ball as much as we should have done but once we got number three, then we were settled.

“No team in this league will do anyone any favours. VCD have got a hard game Wednesday, and even harder one Saturday (against) Deal believe me.”

Whitstable Town manager Marc Seager added that he was delighted that his side are just one point away from winning their first league title.

“It was all about coming over here and getting a result,” he said. “It weren’t about the performance, it was all about getting three points.”

With his opposite number, VCD Athletic’s caretaker manager Dean Frost, giving it large following their 2-1 win at the Belmont on Saturday, Seager believes his club holds the upper hand in the title dual.

“A clean sheet on Saturday and we’re champions,” he pointed out. “The pressure’s all on VCD now.

“They’ve got to go to Tunbridge Wells tomorrow, they’re players will see this result tonight and they’ve got to sleep on that and they’ve got to be at work all day tomorrow, knowing they can’t drop any points.

“If they drop anything tomorrow, it’s ours. I’m sure Tunbridge Wells want to finish on a high note and it’s up to VCD to go there and do a job.”