Having seen this year’s FA Vase finalists, Whitstable Town, dispose of Lordswood AFC in mid-week, I decided to come on their next travels today, to see them play in a crucial league fixture against their Southern Counties East Football League (SCEFL) Premier Division play-off rivals, Rusthall FC.

Rusthall play at the Jockey Stadium, on the edge of Tunbridge Wells, which is a ground with a welcoming club house and some characterful covered seating and standing areas. The capacity of the ground is around 1500, with a record 813 packing in for the derby match with Tunbridge Wells in August 2024. The club has lots of free parking and there is always a warm welcome at this friendly club.

Jimmy Anderson has managed Rusthall to the edge of the play offs this season and despite his side losing their twenty match unbeaten streak last week in a 0-2 defeat to VCD Athletic, the goals provided by Charlie Clover (30 goals), Yassin Fares (14 goals) and Jack Lyons (12 goals) would have given him confidence of securing a much needed victory today.

Whitstable Town’s manager Jamie Coyle will be well satisfied with his side’s progress this season. They stand on the brink of the play-offs campaign, whilst awaiting an imminent Wembley appearance in the FA Vase final. Goals have flowed for the Seasiders this season with Josh Oliver (14 goals), Harvey Smith (12 goals), Bradley Schafer (9 goals) and Ronald Sithole (8 goals) all contributing.

After a scrappy opening half hour it was a suitably scrappy goal by Connor Wilkins on 34 minutes, which almost entirely caught my filming out, as it squirted under Serine Sanneh in the Rusthall goal, to put the Oystermen 0-1 ahead.

In the 40th minute the visitors were 0-2 ahead. Rusthall’s fans and coaches were loud in their belief that a foul had led to the goal. However, it was Whitstable Town’s Alfie O’Mara-Knapp who capitalised, to create a two goal lead at the half time break.

Just three minutes into the second half it was 0-3 when Dean Grant scored with a neat shot across the keeper from the left hand side.

On 54 minutes we were treated to the free kick of the season when Whitstable Town’s Jake McIntyre struck his shot beautifully past the keeper to make it 0-4.

With 67 minutes on the clock, an error by Serine Sanneh allowed Dean Grant in to make it 0-5, securing his brace for the match, as Rusthall heads began to sink.

With ten minutes left Rusthall’s Yassin Farrescwas sent off for a dangerous tackle, reflecting his team’s frustration, as the game slipped further away from them.

This then was followed by a dispute in the crowd between fans, which the players went in to resolve and which thankfully calmed quickly.

In the 83rd minute it was 0-6 as Bradley Schafer showed resilience at close range, to stab home under pressure from the keeper.

At fulltime it was Whitstable Town’s who took the points convincingly. Rusthall will be left with two games to play out against Tunbridge Wells and Faversham Town, which if they win, will see them securing a play-off spot. The home fans felt they had the tough end of refereeing decisions today but no one in the 410 strong crowd could really say that Whitstable Town didn’t deserve their victory.