CRAY VALLEY (PM) 2 WHITSTABLE TOWN 1
The Pitching In Isthmian League South East
Saturday February 5 2022 15.00

An improved display by Whitstable ultimately ended in another defeat at the hands of promotion contenders Cray Valley. This was the lowest attendance at any Whitstable match this season, by some distance, but the fair sprinkling of away supporters among the 112 crowd were given hope when a well-worked George McIlroy goal gave Whitstable an early lead. The Millers were mostly frustrated throughout the first half until Marcel Barrington poked in an equaliser just before the break after Whitstable thought a cross had drifted out of play in the high winds. A couple of injuries forced changes to the Whitstable team in the second half and the Millers were able to push forward with more purpose. The Whitstable defence came under more pressure, but It took a great, swerving shot by Hassan Ibrahiym to deny them a point.

Whitstable had led 3-1 in the October home fixture before losing 4-3 in a game of two red cards. Cray Valley had scored a dramatic late goal in another 4-3 win when the teams last played at this ground in February 2020. The two teams were playing for important points at opposite ends of the table on this chilly, windy afternoon in southeast London. Whitstable brought in former Phoenix Sports and VCD midfielder Zak Bryon for his debut and McIlroy, Callum Watts and Montrell Deslandes returned to the starting eleven. Junior Baker, Gus Barnes and Ollie Gray continue to recover from their injuries. There was a minute’s silence prior to the game in memory of Ben Jay, a young footballer who sadly passed away this week.

Whitstable manager Keith McMahon would have been pleased with his team’s performance in the first half as they limited the home team to very few efforts on goal despite plenty of possession. Whitstable almost took the lead when a Jake Mackenzie cross from the left curled just past the far post as Bryon closed in without quite being able to apply the finishing touch. Mackenzie was in the right place at the other end shortly afterwards, blocking a Barrington shot, and it was from the resulting corner that Whitstable broke quickly to score in the 17th minute. Danny Walder cleared the ball up to McIlroy who switched play out to the left where Bryon clipped it in to Watts and his pass through the legs of Matthew Warren found both Deslandes and Mcllroy unmarked on the right of the area and it was McIlroy who slotted the ball past Chris Lewington. Whitstable defended a couple of corners well before a loose pass from Denzel Gayle allowed Watts the chance to run at the home defence, but he shot wide from 20 yards. A key moment arrived in the 40th minute when Cray Valley equalised with their first shot on target. Deslandes was somewhat harshly adjudged to have fouled Gayle and the free kick was worked out to the right for Ade Adeyemo whose high cross held up in the wind. Several defenders felt the ball had gone out for a goal kick, but the assistant did not agree and the ball eventually dropped onto the head of Rory Hill who sent it back across goal for Barrington to score as Whitstable waited in vain for a flag. There was little further threat on either goal, so the teams went in level at half time.

Whitstable were forced to make a change as play restarted with Muhammed Cham replacing McIlroy who had collected an ankle injury. There was an early scare as Barrington shot just wide from 18 yards after getting past a couple of challenges. Deslandes then crossed for Watts, who was having a good game, and when his initial effort came back to him, he lifted his follow up over the bar. Bryon released Cham on the left and he cut inside before shooting into the side netting. The winning goal came in the 55th minute when Adeyemo played the ball out to Ibrahiym on the left and he moved inside before hitting an unstoppable shot from about 25 yards that swerved away from Dan Eason into the far corner of the net. A Walder free kick was comfortably saved by Lewington, then substitute Jack Sammoutis struck a free kick over the bar after Watts was penalised for a tackle just outside the box. There was an injury delay when Deslandes was caught in the head by a Warren challenge, then Harry Goodger, back defending, headed two corners away in quick succession. Deslandes was still feeling the effects of his head injury, so had to leave the field in the 73rd minute and while down to ten men, Eason was called upon to save a low Adeyemo shot before Kemo Darboe was introduced from the bench. In the 85th minute, a Nathan Green cross bounced awkwardly at the near post for Eason who recovered quickly to save the follow up header from Francis Babalola. In the closing moments, Warren was almost played in, but Eason came out to deny him and Jack Miles was on hand to clear the loose ball away from danger. The Millers saw out added time without alarm to claim a 2-1 win.

This result sees Cray Valley move up to 2nd and Whitstable down to 19th. A trip to recovering 20th placed Phoenix Sports is next for Keith McMahon’s team with another important three points at stake.

Cray Valley (PM)
Chris Lewington, Connor Dymond (c), Nathan Green, Paul Semakula, Matthew Attenborough-Warren, Cem Tumkaya, Denzel Gayle (Francis Babalola 75), Hassan Ibrahiym (Jack Sammoutis 60), Marcel Barrington, Ade Adeyemo, Rory Hill (Francis Babalola 80).
Subs (unused): Nat Blanks, Jack Beerling.
Goals: Marcel Barrington 40, Hassan Ibrahiym 55.
Yellow card: Ade Adeyemo 69

Whitstable Town
Dan Eason, Will Thomas, Jake Mackenzie, Danny Walder, Jack Miles, Tom Mills (c), George McIlroy (Muhammed Cham 46), Zak Bryon (Stephen Okoh 89), Harry Goodger, Callum Watts, Montrell Deslandes (Kemo Darboe 75).
Subs (unused): Cameron Chamberlain, Alex Gaggin.
Goal: George McIlroy 17
Yellow card: Calum Watts 64

Attendance: 112
Referee: Daniel Doyle
Assistants: Peter Georgiou & Tolga Inanc