The Whitstable supporters that travelled to Tunbridge Wells could have been forgiven for feeling apprehensive after defeats in their previous three league matches and with memories of the dreadful performance in the corresponding fixture last season, together with a look at the boggy pitch, this had all the ingredients of a “banana skin” for a team looking to climb the table. They need not have worried as this was a game that Whitstable never really looked like losing, although they failed to make the most of numerous chances in a goalless first half. Two goals relatively early in the second half were enough to secure a valuable three points, as Harvey Smith tucked away a penalty after a foul on Dean Grant who then crossed for Josh Oliver to head in a second just a few minutes later. Tunbridge Wells rarely looked like scoring, although they did build some late pressure, sending a number of balls into the Whitstable box, but a Ryan Hine shot that was deflected past the post was as close as they came to a consolation.

Fresh from two 1-0 cup victories, Whitstable were hoping to bring that form into their stuttering league campaign that had left them in the lower reaches of the early season table. Tunbridge Wells had accumulated one more point from one extra game, so little separated them before this game. Last season, this game was comfortably won 3-0 by Wells and the teams later drew 0-0 at Whitstable, although Whitstable did enjoy a 4-2 home success on their way to the semi-final of the Kent Senior Trophy. With Finn O’Mara returning to Hastings United and Archie Hatcher signing on dual registration for Deal Town, there were a few changes to the Whitstable team for this game, as they welcomed back three players who had been cup tied for the FA Vase and Archie Johnson was also fit to return at left back. The pitch at the Culverden Stadium looked very soft and muddy in places and had not fully recovered from the wet autumn and their FA Vase win against Pagham that had to be played midweek after being rained off last Saturday.

Whitstable managed to get behind the home defence several times in the first quarter of an hour without being able to take advantage. Josh Oliver and Mikey Dalton both had early efforts cut out by defenders before Tunbridge Wells created an opportunity in the 12th minute when Josh Nolan broke forward on the left and pulled the ball back for Festos Kamara who dragged his shot wide of the near post. A long punt forward by Dan Colmer split the Wells defence leaving Oliver with just George Bentley to beat, but his shot was too close to the goalkeeper who was able to save. Johnson then sent the ball over the top to release Dean Grant who was denied by Bentley who came out to save, but looked suspiciously outside his area when handling, although fortunately for him the officials took no action. The ball rebounded to Oliver whose shot was blocked before Mike West threaded a pass through to Harvey Smith who fired over. Following a quieter spell, West got clear on the right and found Smith who shot wide. Nolan was cautioned for a pull and a late Whitstable corner came to nothing, so the score remained 0-0 at the break.

A few minutes after the restart, a promising Whitstable move worked the ball to Oliver who unleashed a shot towards the top left corner from about 30 yards that was turned around the post by Bentley for a corner that reached Liam Gillies and his pass gave West a sight of goal, but Nolan did well to block. The breakthrough came in the 54th minute when a Gillies pass found Grant on the right and he did well to get in front of Harry Hudson who brought him down just inside the area, giving Smith the chance from the penalty spot to score his 9th goal of the season, which he calmly took. The game was effectively settled once it became 2-0 in the 58th minute when Colmer found Smith who flicked the ball forward to Grant on the right and his cross was headed past Bentley from close range by Oliver.

The next 20 minutes saw little action apart from the Whitstable captain West being replaced by a fit again Reece Gillies, bookings for Grant and Dalton and all five substitutions by the home team. The changes seemed to bring more energy to Tunbridge Wells and they almost pulled a goal back in the 79th minute when a low cross by Regan Corke picked out Ryan Hine whose shot appeared to be deflected narrowly wide off Will Thomas. Liam Gillies shot wide for Whitstable, but the last few minutes were played mainly in the Whitstable half, with balls into the box from a succession of long throws, free kicks and corners, although two of those seemed to be somewhat generously awarded by the referee. The Whitstable defence, helped by the aerial ability of Smith, repelled everything and there remained just one comedy moment when an assistant, who had the unenviable task of negotiating plenty of deep mud, failed to spot the ball going out with the touchline by that point pretty invisible. The final whistle was greeted with cheers from the away supporters amongst the 234 crowd.

Whitstable begin their November fixtures with a home game against Corinthian on Saturday, as they look to pick up more league points at the start of a busy month that contains three cup ties in different competitions.

Tunbridge Wells	Data	Whitstable
0	Shots on target	5
4	Shots off target	3
4	Shots blocked	4
9	Corners	3
6	Fouls conceded	14
0	Offside	3
0	Penalties	1

Tunbridge Wells
George Bentley, Kazzeem Richards (Ryan Moir 71), Josh McArthur-Nolan (Lewis Unwin 71), Harry Hudson, James White (c), Ryan Hine, James Shield, Jack Walder (Rory Ward 71), Jacob Feasey (Rhys Bartlett 71), Festos Kamara (Max Lambert 78), Regan Corke.
Subs (unused): none
Yellow cards: Josh McArthur-Nolan 41, Lewis Unwin 90+2.

Whitstable Town
Dan Colmer, Jerald Aboagye, Archie Johnson, Mikey Dalton, Jake McIntyre, Will Thomas, Josh Oliver (Fin Dent 81), Mike West (c) (Reece Gillies 64), Harvey Smith, Dean Grant, Liam Gillies (Fin Cotton 90+1).
Subs (unused): Jamie Coyle, Jayden Silcott-Brown.
Goals: Harvey Smith (pen) 54, Josh Oliver 58.
Yellow cards: Dean Grant 67, Mikey Dalton 77.

Attendance: 234
Referee: Daniel Tornbom
Assistants: Matthew Burchett & Simon Cuthbert