Kent Senior Trophy football takes place in the RTL Group Stadium, Bromley, on Wednesday evening when Holmesdale host Whitstable Town.

Both teams have started the season well. The Dalers sit in second place in the Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division, one point behind Erith and Belvedere with a game in hand. However, the top of the table is so tight that twelfth placed Fisher are only eight points behind the leaders having played four games fewer.

Amidst the pack, Whitstable have had joy in the FA Cup so have only played nine league matches, five matches fewer than the leaders, and they are just five points behind. Although the league is their priority, they will be looking forward to starting their defence of the FA Vase in the second round. 

On Saturday, their excellent FA Cup run was ended in the fourth qualifying round by National League side Wealdstone. Sam Cox’s ruthless Stones wracked up five goals in the first half. Although Dean Grant pulled one back immediately after the restart, there was to be no miracle or any further scoring.

Meanwhile, Holmesdale had no match. Andy Constable’s team were last in competitive action last Wednesday at Stansfeld where they won one-nil in a league match courtesy of an early goal by Lewis Heywood-Oriogun.

In the two meetings between Holmesdale and Whitstable last season, Jamie Coyle’s Oystermen came out on top. In September 2024 the spoils were shared. Heywood-Oriogun gave the Dalers a half time lead and they looked like they were on their way to victory when Donald Macauley put them two up. However, the visitors pulled one back through Omotunmise Akanni with fifteen minutes remaining and Harvey Smith equalised eight minutes later.

Then, in the return match, Bradley Schafer scored four times in a six-one Whitstable win. Ronald Sithole and Nathan Jeche were also on target with Mecca Samuels claiming Holmesdale’s consolation.

When they meet on Wednesday, both managers may choose to shuffle their teams and give squad players some minutes in their legs as this particular tournament may not be a priority. However, both managers will believe that it is a trophy that they can win so it should be a competitive encounter.