There's lots to build on, says Lane

Sunday 18th July 2010

WHITSTABLE TOWN adopted an unusual approach to decide who would take the penalty that defeated Kent League side Corinthian at Gay Dawn Farm yesterday, writes Stephen McCartney.

Manager Mark Lane fielded over twenty players with a mixture of reserves, trialists and a number of last season’s first team for the club’s opening pre-season game.

Gary Sayer and Dan Wisker were the only players that got through the 90 minutes and after being awarded a penalty in the 81st minute, three Whitstable players chose an unusual way to decide who would tuck home the winning penalty.

Wisker, Dave Cory and Joe Smith were involved and after a quick round of ‘scissors, paper, rock”, Wisker won by choosing ‘rock’ and he slotted away the spot kick in some style.

All of the players looked sharp, the new the fitness regime Lane was keen to impart looks to be paying dividends, its early days and a long season ahead but this was a good start for Whitstable’s management team.

Assistant manager Clint Gooding told www.whitstabletownfc.co.uk: “In a perfect world we would have played like we did after twenty minutes of the first half for the whole game, we kept the ball and denied them space.

“In the second it was almost a complete team change but there were still plenty of positives to take from the match.

“We know it will be a harder fixture on Tuesday when we are away to Hythe and will probably trim the squad to less than twenty but that’s no reflection on who we take on the night.

“We have games twice a week now until the start of the season so they will all get their chance to show us they are good enough .

Manager Lane, who took charge of 10 league games last season and put on a good run of form to maintain the club’s Ryman League Division One South status, added: "Can’t complain about not conceding so that was pleasing, there was some that I was not pleased with, but there was also lots to build on.

“So we are still a work in progress, I would like to congratulate Corinthian for the way they approached the game, firm but fair which is how it should be and I think they might well have a half decent season in the Kent League, we wish them well.”

Meanwhile, an unstoppable strike from Craig Thompson and a late winner from Jamie Pickering got Hythe out of jail against a hard working and fit looking Lydd Town side on Saturday.

With eight first team players unavailable to Hythe boss Scott Porter, several reserves made their first team debut, for what was Hythe’s opening friendly.

Along with ex-Hythe reserve team manager Dave Johncock fielding several former Hythe men there was air of familiarity amongst a large amount of the players.

It was actually an ex-Hythe Town centre-forward, Scott Bouvier that struck after five minutes to secure the lead for the home side, before a long delay after another ex-Hythe man Luke Giles was hostiplaised after taking a knock to the head.

Highlights for the Hythe support were the return of the lively Gary Mickelborough and the debut of Brendon Cass, who has arrived from Ryman Premier League side Folkestone Invicta.

But this day belonged to some of the young reserves that may now have forced themselves into appearing in more than one of Hythe's pre-season games.

Quotes courtesy of www.whitstabletownfc.co.uk and www.hythetownfc.co.uk

Hythe Town v Whitstable Town

Pre-Season Friendly

Tuesday 20th July 2010

Kick Off 7:45pm

At Reachfields Stadium, Fort Road, Hythe CT21 6JS