Whitstable made it fifteen games unbeaten, thirteen of them wins, with a big home win against mid table Holmesdale. Bradley Schafer with four clinical finishes was the star performer, but the whole team played well and the result was never really in any doubt. Two early goals by Schafer and a good finish by Ronald Sithole gave Whitstable a three goal lead at half time. Schafer added two more after the break and although Mecca Samuels grabbed a late consolation for Holmesdale, substitute Nathan Jeche then added another for the Oysters to make the final score 6-1.

Holmesdale had looked set for maximum points when the teams met at Bromley in mid-September, but Whitstable scored two late goals to claim a point. Whitstable's current form had pushed them up to sixth, within sight of a play-off spot. Holmesdale, managed by former Oysterman Andy Constable, were already on 42 points, so were looking to build on their good 4-3 away win at Larkfield & New Hythe in their previous game to push higher up the table. Ronald Sithole and Fin Cotton returned to the Whitstable team, although Jake McIntyre, Will Thomas, Jayden Boulton and Connor Wilkins were all out due to suspension or injury. It was a chilly evening on the north Kent coast, but 313 spectators were there to watch the game.

An early corner almost brought Whitstable a goal in the opening minute when a couple of headers sent the ball towards goal where a stretching Dean Grant was unable to apply the finishing touch. Another Whitstable corner in the 5th minute was just cleared by Ayo Lugboso and a Holmesdale break caused some miscommunication between Dan Colmer and Dapo Olugbodi, which presented an opportunity to Mecca Samuels, but he failed to make the most of it and the ball was cleared for a corner that was caught by Colmer. Whitstable opened the scoring in the 11th minute when a Colmer goal kick was headed on by Smith and Schafer burst between two defenders to lift the ball over Cameron Hall into the net. A long ball forward by Finn O'Mara reached Grant in the box, but his effort lacked power and was safely gathered by Hall. The busy Mikey Dalton found Smith on the left and he curled the ball past the far post. A Schafer corner was headed back by O'Mara into the box where Ronald Sithole's shot on the turn was saved.

Sam Bayford's shot at the other end struck a defender and when the ball came out to Nat Murray, he sliced a long range effort well wide. In the 23rd minute, Whitstable doubled their lead as Smith headed the ball on for Schafer who stepped inside Joe Horlick before finding the far corner. Whitstable looked in the mood for more and Sithole hit a rising left footed shot over the top. Holmesdale perhaps should have scored in the 32nd minute when Bayford's corner was met by Wale Odedoyin at the back post, but his header went across goal and wide. It was 3-0 in the 38th minute when Smith won a header from a Holmesdale throw and Schafer helped the ball on for Sithole who took a couple of touches before firing a low, right footed shot into the left corner from about 22 yards. Whitstable won a couple of late corners and Olugbodi shot wide, but would have been happy with their comfortable lead at the break, although conscious that Holmesdale had fought back from 3-1 down to win their previous match.

Schafer had a deflected volley saved at the start of the second half and then Callum Taylor hooked the ball wide from a cross at the other end, as Whitstable looked for an offside flag. Sithole headed wide before Holmesdale made the first two of their five substitutions. Just before the hour mark, a Schafer corner was cleared back to him and his cross was headed against the bar by Grant before Smith volleyed over the top. Odedoyin then talked his way to the sin bin, leaving his team temporarily with ten. Smith tried a shot from distance that was pushed away by Hall and Grant followed in to put the ball into the net, but he was adjudged offside. The home crowd did not have long to wait for the fourth goal however as Dalton sent Sithole away on the right and his cross was headed back across goal by Smith where Schafer arrived to plant his header into the net in the 69th minute. Smith appeared very unfortunate to be cautioned for a collision, but having made assists for three of the goals, he was then replaced by Ashdon Day. A clearance by Hall went straight to Cotton who passed to Sithole and he slipped the ball through to Schafer to find the far corner for his fourth of the night to make it 5-0 in the 74th minute.

The substitutions continued and with the contest effectively over, the visitors had their best spell of the evening. Substitute Lewis Heywood brushed off several challenges on the edge of the box to make space for a shot that was saved by Colmer, but Samuels was able to nod the ball over the goalkeeper to get a consolation goal in the 82nd minute. Coyle got in the way of a shot by Oghoso Williams, but Whitstable soon restored their five goal lead. In the 87th minute, a long diagonal pass by Sithole picked out Nathan Jeche who took the ball around the goalkeeper and a covering defender before slotting the ball into the corner. A speculative shot by Oghoso Williams was caught by Colmer as Whitstable claimed another three points to keep their impressive run going with their biggest win for just over two years.

Whitstable are back on their travels on Saturday when they visit Larkfield and New Hythe for another SCEFL Premier Division fixture before they have a free week ahead of the FA Vase semi-final.

Whitstable	Data	Holmesdale
10	Shots on target	3
7	Shots off target	3
4	Shots blocked	4
9	Corners	3
8	Fouls conceded	8
4	Offside	0
0	Penalties	0

Whitstable Town
Dan Colmer, Jerald Aboagye (Luke Mandry 90+1), Adedapo Olugbodi, Mikey Dalton, Jamie Coyle, Finn O’Mara (c), Ronald Sithole (Albie O’Mara-Knapp 88), Fin Cotton, Dean Grant (Nathan Jeche 79), Bradley Schafer, Harvey Smith (Ashdon Day 72).
Sub (unused): Robbie Rees
Goals: Bradley Schafer 11, 23, 69, 74, Ronald Sithole 38, Nathan Jeche 87.
Yellow card: Harvey Smith 70

Holmesdale
Cameron Hall, Ayo Lugboso, Jonny Harris (Deandre Williams 56), Tony Musoke (Emmanuel Yeboah 76), Callum Taylor (c) Micquelle Murray 72), Joe Horlick, Nat Murray, Sam Bayford, Mecca Samuels, Wale Odedoyin (Lewis Heywood 76), David Boateng (Oghosa Williams 56).
Subs (unused): none
Goal: Mecca Samuels 82
Yellow card: Wale Odedoyin (sin bin) 61

Attendance: 313
Referee: Matthew Jackson
Assistants: Tyler Diminieux & Kayden Abnett