Lloyd Rowlatt’s late thunderbolt kept Chichester City in the FA Cup by their fingernails as Whitstable Town came within twelve minutes of knocking their second successive Isthmian Premier side out of the competition. 

The hosts had the edge early on and deservedly led when Ben Pashley could only crash a Jack Peters cross into his own net. On the stroke of half time, Peters went agonisingly close but couldn’t control his shot after a stunning through ball from Finn O’Mara and hooked the ball wide. 

The home side were then to rue Ashdon Day’s two clear cut chances around the hour that were brilliantly denied by City keeper Keiran Magee. As with just twelve minutes were left on the clock when Rowlatt sent a 35 yarder into the top corner of the Oystermen’s net and denied Whitstable’s progress into the next round for the first time since 1989. 

And it was the FA Vase winners who hit the front after a cagey start as Peters raced away down the right and his superb ball in towards Javaun Splatt was hammered into his own net by a desperately lunging Curtis Da Costa. 

Splatt then sent a teasing ball across that face of the Chichester goal that was begging for a red shirt to apply any kind of touch, before Peters almost scored an FA Cup goal for the ages as a magnificent through ball from Finn O’Mara fell to Peters on the edge of the box but he just couldn’t get enough of a contact on the ball to find the target. 

Given that Chichester are two leagues higher than Whitstable, they really struggled to put any sort of mark on the first half with Joe Clarke’s wayward header from a corner was the best chance they had. Indeed, the visitors really only looked threatening from Ethan Pritchard’s bullet like long throws. 

Whitstable then had two glorious chances to move further in front and Ashdown Day was left holding his head. The striker was played through by Mikey Dalton, and his shot was well saved by Magee. Then just moments later, Day was played through again – this time he squeezed the ball past Magee only for Ben Pashley to desperately clear the ball off the land and keep his side in the Cup. 

With just twelve minutes left, Chichester finally showed their Isthmian Premier stature as Rowlatt unleashed a magnificent unstoppable drive that arrowed into the top corner of Dan Colmer’s net giving the Whitstable keeper no chance! 

The home side were rocking for possibly the only time in the game and were indebted to Richard Thompson to clear off the line as Rowlatt’s near post header from a corner nearly crept in. That said though, Isaac Bello’s shot that cannoned off the roof of the flats behind the goal possibly summed up Chichester’s afternoon! 

And indeed, Whitstable so nearly won the game in stoppage time as Magee spilled Jake McIntyre’s free kick and was so fortunate to fall on the ball as red shirts closed in. 

WHITSTABLE TOWN – Colmer, Thompson, Thomas, Splatt (Abrahams), Osinfolarin, Peters (Cotton), O’Mara, Dalton, McIntyre, Day, Healy (Grant) 

Subs – Boulton, Peck, Wilkins, Robson 

CHICHESTER CITY – Magee, Davidson, Hutchings, Moore (Vigar), Da Costa (Bennetts), Pashley, Prichard, Dunn, Clarke, Rowlatt, Bello 

Subs – McDonald, Cahusac, Rustell, Horncastle 

REFEREE – Mr. Dunn