An exciting climax to this delayed FA Vase tie saw two late Whitstable goals complete a dramatic turnaround after an early goal had looked like it might be enough to preserve the impressive unbeaten record of Jersey Bulls and secure their passage to the FA Vase Fourth Round for the third successive season. Whitstable had started promisingly before falling behind in unusual fashion when a lofted effort from a tight angle by Francis Lekimamati somehow drifted into the net at the back post. Both teams subsequently had a couple of opportunities to score in a tight game, but increasing late Whitstable pressure led to the award of a penalty for handball that gave Josh Oliver the chance to equalise. Young substitute Nico Grierson then sparked noisy celebrations around the ground by finding the top corner with a great strike shortly afterwards. The referee, who had not been slow to get his cards out, then sent one Jersey player off and sin binned two others, leaving Whitstable to see out the remaining few minutes against just eight men to reach the last 32.

This game was played one week later than scheduled due to Storm Darragh grounding all flights from the Channel Islands, but this time it was a calmer and increasingly sunny afternoon on the north Kent coast. The early kick off probably led to a slightly lower than expected gate of 367. Whitstable had entered the competition earlier than their opponents, having won four games to reach this stage. Jersey Bulls were exempt until the Second Round because of their record last season, and in fact they had reached the Fifth Round for the past two campaigns. Whitstable had only progressed further than this once, in 1996-97. Jersey came into this game still unbeaten this season, having won 15 of their 19 games in the Combined Counties Premier Division South, their last game being an 8-1 win at Chipstead. Both teams had to make changes for this match. Whitstable were without Dean Grant, Liam Gillies, Jake McIntyre and Jayden Silcott-Brown for various reasons, but recent signings Adem Ramadan and Ashdon Day started in a very young squad that contained nine players aged 21 or under. Harvey Smith was named captain for the first time and there were awards given to Will Thomas and Josh Oliver who were making their 150th and 100th appearances. The Bulls were without Jonny Le Quesne. Fraser Barlow and Kieran Lester and named only four substitutes.

There was an early chance for Jersey when a ball into the box reached Francis Lekimamati and his shot was blocked by a defender’s leg. The first opportunity for Whitstable was a right wing cross by Fin Cotton that was headed over by Smith. Then it was the turn of Smith to send over a good cross that was put behind for a corner. Whitstable’s bright start however was cut short when they fell behind in the 13th minute. Dan Colmer came out to clear the ball and after a couple of miskicks, it was put out by the right corner flag for a throw that was taken quickly by Harry Curtis to Lekimamati and from the goal line by the edge of the penalty area he floated over what looked like a cross, but it sailed over the head of Colmer and into the net at the far post.

A good run from left back Jayden Boulton carried him past several opponents before his low shot went just wide of the far post. More good play by Whitstable led to an Oliver cross from the right, but goalkeeper Pierce Roche did well to prevent Smith heading an equaliser. Whitstable continued to press and a Ramadan cross was headed wide by Oliver. At the other end, a low shot by Rai Dos Santos was easily held by Colmer. In the 35th minute, a loose pass gave Toby Ritzema a good opportunity to test Colmer, but his shot was also comfortably saved. Mikey Dalton then received the first of a number of yellow cards shown by referee Richard Joss and manager Jamie Coyle, playing again in the back four, soon followed Dalton into the referee’s notebook for a foul just outside the box, but the free kick by Lekimamati went straight into the Whitstable wall and the score remained 1-0 to Jersey at half time.

Whitstable went close to an equaliser right at the start of the second half when a long ball by Coyle reached Oliver on the right and his cross was just too high for Smith. A few minutes later, Thomas found Smith on the left and he cut in, but shot tamely wide of the near post. There was a good opportunity for Jersey shortly afterwards when the referee allowed play to continue after a foul by Ramadan, who was subsequently booked, and a series of good passes put Joe Kilshaw through on goal, but his shot was saved by the foot of Colmer. Curtis and Dalton then each made good interceptions to prevent goalscoring chances at both ends. Thomas and Jerald Aboagye were added to the card count before Dos Santos limped off to be replaced by Will Yates. Smith and Day released Boulton on the left and his low cross was just cleared by James Carr, with Oliver awaiting a tap in at the back post. Whitstable introduced Ronald Sithole for Ramadan in the 65th minute. Ritzema made a good run to the 18 yard line, but was unable to keep his shot down, while at the other end Cotton found Smith whose shot was just kept out by a combination of Roche and James Queree.

Under 23 player Nico Grierson replaced Day in the 79th minute as Whitstable searched for a way back into the game and they found it in the 84th minute. A throw was cleared as far as Thomas who hooked the ball back towards goal and it seemed to strike Sammy Sutcliffe on his right arm that was by his thigh and the referee had no hesitation in pointing to the spot, although the Bulls were not convinced it was the right decision. Some didn’t want to look, but Oliver stepped up and found the bottom right corner, just beyond the reach of the diving Roche to score his 50th goal for the club. Under two minutes later, Whitstable were in front. Sithole chased the ball down the right and passed to Smith whose initial effort was blocked, but he battled to regain possession and eventually Cotton collected the ball and found Aboagye whose cross was headed out to Oliver who rolled the ball back for Grierson 20 yards out and he struck it sweetly into the top left corner out of the reach of Roche. It was a “goal of the season” contender and the atmosphere around the ground changed dramatically.

Jersey made two more substitutions and the referee sharpened his pencil for a crazy last few minutes. A tired looking tackle by Sutcliffe on Dalton brought a straight red card, swiftly followed by a trip to the sin bin for a complaining Luke Campbell. Grierson then latched onto a weak clearance and went past three defenders before his shot was saved. Things got worse for Jersey when Mr Joss got his yellow card out again and when Curtis showed his displeasure at the award of a free kick by aggressively bouncing the ball, he too was on his way to the sin bin and his team were down to eight. Roche kept out a Smith shot, but it didn’t really matter as the final whistle followed and Whitstable were through to travel to Walsham le Willows in the Fourth Round.

Whitstable have one more game before Christmas, which is a home league fixture against Kennington on Saturday.

Whitstable	Data	Jersey Bulls
6	Shots on target	5
5	Shots off target	3
2	Shots blocked	2
3	Corners	1
15	Fouls conceded	10
0	Offside	0
1	Penalties	0

Whitstable Town
Dan Colmer, Jerald Aboagye, Jayden Boulton, Mikey Dalton, Jamie Coyle, Will Thomas, Josh Oliver, Adem Ramadan (Ronald Sithole 65), Harvey Smith (c), Fin Cotton, Ashdon Day (Nico Grierson 79).
Subs (unused): Tagan Kray, Josh Robson, Kai Jeffrey.
Goals: Josh Oliver (pen) 84, Nico Grierson 86.
Yellow cards: Mikey Dalton 36, Jamie Coyle 41, Adem Ramadan 54, Will Thomas 59, Jerald Aboagye 61.

Jersey Bulls
Pierce Roche, Harry Curtis, James Carr, James Queree (c), Sammy Sutcliffe, Luke Watson, Francis Lekimamati (Seaney McColgan 88), Joe Kilshaw (Luke Campbell 88), Rai Dos Santos (Will Yates 63), Toby Ritzema, Karl Hinds.
Sub (unused): Adam Lester
Goal: Francis Lekimamati 13
Yellow cards: Luke Campbell (sin bin) 90+2, Harry Curtis (sin bin) 90+5, James Queree 90+6.
Red card: Sammy Sutcliffe 90+2

Attendance: 367
Referee: Richard Joss
Assistants: Grant Steele & Michael Corderoy