Whitstable Town 1-2 VCD Athletic

WHITSTABLE TOWN 1-2 VCD ATHLETIC
Kent League Premier Division
Saturday 21^st April 2007
Stephen McCartney reports from The Belmont

A crowd of 450 turned up in force to celebrate Whitstable Town’s first ever Kent League championship - but unfortunately for them, Leroy Huggins had other ideas.

The much-travelled VCD Athletic striker, who doesn’t like revealing his age, scored the two goals that meant the Kent League championship trophy, which was here at The Belmont with red and white ribbons tied to it, will be put away for another seven days.

Thanks to Huggins, and two disallowed Whitstable goals, the Oystermen need four points from their last two games, away to Sevenoaks Town (Tuesday) and at fourth placed side Thamesmead Town in seven days time, to celebrate.

But Vickers can still win the league their first ever Kent League crown if they better their rivals, at Tunbridge Wells (Wednesday) and against Deal Town at the Oakwood on another dramatic final day of the season.

VCD Athletic were, however, desperate for a win today to gate-crash Whitstable Town’s promotion party and to win the league themselves.

And they twice went close inside the opening eight minutes through Stuart Abbott’s free-kicks.

His first, from the left-hand side, was punched out by Kevin Fewell but Jack Robinson poked his 12-yard shot past the post.

And Fewell was forced into making a low save at his near post to prevent Abbott’s right-footed in-swinging free-kick finding the net.

Whitstable Town, however, thought they had eased the tension by taking the lead after eleven minutes.

Skipper Marcos Perona cut inside his marker and curled in a cross towards the far post from the edge of the penalty area and former Dartford midfielder Tommy Martin headed home from eight-yards but the offside flag had already been raised.

And Martin nodded agonisingly wide of the near post just four minutes later, when some fans thought the ball had beaten the highly-rated Christopher Conneally.

Steve Marshall’s eight-yard header brought a fine low save from Conneally following Tom Parker’s left-footed cross.

But within a minute, Fewell made a fine low save to prevent Huggins from scoring with his left-foot, after the striker latched onto Danny Penny’s bullet header from midfield.

Martin’s ball over the top was latched onto by Sam Prett out on the right hand side, but the striker’s hooked shot from eighteen-yards was comfortably saved by the former Marine and Erith Town stopper.

A cross from teenager Juan Ramirez after 26 minutes was met by a looping header from Mark Greatorex, but this was never going to trouble Fewell.

And at the other end six minutes later Martin’s cross was met by Marshall’s header but the ball bounced off Paul Foley’s shoulder and dropped agonisingly across the goal-mouth to safety.

Abbott’s right-footed free-kick from 35-yards dipped over Fewell’s crossbar after 41 minutes before his first corner of the game, was met by a towering header from Parkinson, which flew just over from six-yards out.

Tense Whitstable created the last chance of the first half when Marshall flicked on Fewell’s free-kick but Prett stabbed a shot into Conneally’s grateful arms from ten-yards.

Vickers are always dangerous from set-pieces and this was the case after 50 minutes when skipper Foley headed Abbott’s second corner of the game over from ten-yards.

Perona’s right-footed shot from 18-yards, meanwhile, rolled to Conneally as the pressure mounted on the treble-chasing hosts.

But that pressure lifted when Marshall broke the deadlock after 58 minutes, with a clinical right-footed finish from 18-yards that found the bottom left hand corner, after being played in by Perona.

Whitstable’s joy, however, was short lived as Huggins drew level within a minute.

Greatorex’s low cross from the right was met by Huggins’ left-footed shot from 12-yards that beat Fewell and broke the vocal Oysterboys’ hearts.

Martin’s right-footed driven free-kick from 28-yards took a deflection before flashing just past the foot of the left post before the hosts were again cursing their luck in the 67^th minute when Marshall turned and fired a six-yard shot into the net following Jackson Ohakam’s floated far post cross but once again the offside flag had been raised.

Then, within a minute, Marshall was thwarted by a smart save from Conneally at his near post and again, the offside flag was raised.

But Huggins turned the Kent League title race on it’s head, by scoring the winner with eighteen minutes left.

Fewell allowed Greatorex’s cross from the right by-line to sail over his head towards the far post and Huggins was on hand to bundle the ball over the line from just a yard out.

Highly-rated defender Ohakam, on loan from Nationwide Conference side Gravesend & Northfleet, headed agonisingly over from six-yards following Martin’s corner.

Alex Hossick blazed Whitstable’s last chance over from 22-yards with ten minutes remaining.

The final whistle, however, was an anti-climax with no trophy or celebration, but Sevenoaks Town look forward to attracting their largest crowd of the season to Greatness Park on Tuesday night.

Despite leading the table throughout, Whitstable will be hoping that their four league defeats during their last seven games, will not come back and haunt them.

Reaction to follow…