For any neutrals inside The Belmont, Whitstable and Guernsey served up an early Christmas Cracker of a match, which ultimately saw the Green Lions return home with three valuable points.

On a heavy, rain-soaked pitch, and with two defences that had conceded more than a 100 goals between them this season, both sides put on an attacking display that yielded seven goals.

Guernsey’s lone striker Dominic Heaume opened the scoring on 28, with Ian Pulman firing home from the penalty spot on the stroke of half-time. Right-back Jacques Isabelle’s misdirected cross gave the visitors an early second half lead, before Pulman hit his second on 57.

Within 2 minutes, Whitstable took the lead for the first time in the match as Kane Rowland reacted quickest to head home, but the Green Lions hit back as Luke Watkins couldn’t keep Tom Strawbridge’s header out on 69.  The points were sealed when Marc McGrath’s shot had too much power for Watkins to handle with 5 minutes of normal time remaining.

Now with just two wins in their last 10 league matches, Whitstable’s manager Jim Ward could hardly believe how his side had lost this game.  The Scot said, “we’ve had at least 6 games like that this year.  From 3-2 up, there should only be one winner, and then we’ve given their guy a free header in the box and the last goal is just a joke.  We’ve had a couple of lads playing with injuries, but we still should be caught like that.”

“We’ve done well to come back; Pully (Ian Pulman) has slotted home his penalty then it’s a terrific strike for his second, and he’s set up the third.  If this had been a boxing match though, it would have been stopped and we’ve let four goals in.  You couldn’t do much about the second goal, except get closer on the cross, but the third has gone through the keeper’s hands.  The timing of them could have been better, but it was poor defending.”

“We’re playing one of the in-form teams next week (South Park, before the Boxing Day derby with Herne Bay) and we’ve played fairly well against most teams.  We don’t fear anybody, but we’ve got to start picking up points.  We’re not looking over our shoulder, but that was a travesty today.  I still don’t believe we were beaten 4-3.”

The first twenty minutes of the match gave little indication of what was to unfold, although Guernsey looked the more composed side, even with eight regulars missing; playing a fluid game across a difficult pitch.  They had the first effort on target, as the ball was moved quickly from left to right via Dominic Heaume and Liam Mahon, allowing Jacques Isabelle to burst into the area and put a shot straight at Luke Watkins.

All of a sudden the game burst into life and flowed from end-to-end, with both sides exchanging chances.  Joe Kennett saw a header saved by Chris Tardif, and defensive partner Aaron James’ header from Scott Heard’s corner was well blocked by the former Oxford Utd keeper at the base of the right post.

Jason Winch was proving a threat from left-back, regularly finding himself free to overlap on the left wing, and he set up a chance for Mahon, which was well blocked by Watkins’ left foot, and Josh Steel’s shot from the rebound was headed behind by Kennett.

Ian Pulman released Heard into the Guernsey box, where his cross-shot was touched goalwards by Connor Coyne – who signed from Folkestone Invicta this week – but Tardif somehow managed to keep the point-blank effort out of his goal.  Play switched to the other end, where Marc McGrath’s shot was well held by Watkins with a flying save, and Tardif had to turn Pulman’s shot over his bar, after the forward’s run had taken out both Tom Strawbridge and Jamie Dodd.

With so many chances in quick succession, a breakthrough always looked likely, and it was the visitors who were rewarded in the 28th minute.  McGrath’s left wing cross tempted Watkins off his line, and Heaume was able to glance a header over the advancing keeper.  Peter Wedgeworth did his best to hook the ball away, which was rammed home by Mahon, but the assistant’s flag had already been raised to indicate the initial effort had crossed the line.

McGrath had a long-range shot held by Watkins as Guernsey changed their formation to protect their lead, but Whitstable continued to have a certain amount of joy from set-pieces.  Kennett had another header saved by Tardif at his right post, but the Oystermen did find an equaliser just before the interval.  Pulman used his experience to shield the ball just inside the area, and having felt that Angus Mackay was too close, spun quickly drawing an ill-timed tackle from the midfielder.  Pulman stepped up to place his spot kick in the bottom left corner.

Whatever Ward might have said to his men at the break went out of the window, as Guernsey regained the lead just 36 seconds into the second half.  Isabelle was granted too much space on the right corner of the box and his cross, aimed initially towards Heaume and McGrath, deceived Watkins and dropped over the keeper, off the left hand upright.

Ward replaced Coyne with Kane Rowland on 53, and this change seemed to give Whitstable a more direct attacking threat.  Tom Loynes’ deep cross was knocked back into the middle of the area by Pulman, where Nick Treadwell was arriving at pace to direct a header on target.  Somehow, Strawbridge managed to twist his body backward to head the ball wide for a corner.

On 57, Whitstable, and Pulman, found their second equaliser.  A poor backpass forced a hurried clearance by Tardif, which hit Rowland.  The ball flew high into the darkening sky, and the spin deceived Strawbridge, allowing Pulman time to slot his shot past the keeper and recovering defenders.

Less than 120 seconds had past when Rowland gave the Oystermen the lead for the first time.  Pulman was given space to turn in the ‘D’, and his exquisite chip defeated Tardif, and came back off the bar perfectly for Rowland, reacting quickest, to head home.  Tardif got a hand to the header, but could only push the effort into the corner.

Loynes cut inside from the right wing to fire a shot straight at Tardif, as Whitstable continued to press, but the home side was pegged back on 69.  James did well to block a Steel volley at the back post, which appeared to wind the defender.  From the resulting corner, Strawbridge was left unmarked to put a header on target, where Watkins couldn’t keep the ball out.

The Whitstable keeper did better a few minutes later to keep out a Steel header, but the game was delayed by a serious-looking injury to Isabelle, which eventually led to TWELVE minutes of stoppage time.  As Guernsey tried to reorganise, Loynes directed a header over, and Rowland went on a mazy run, which ended with Dodd deflecting his shot wide.

With five minutes of normal time remaining, McGrath scored the vital goal.  Mahon was allowed time and space to run at the Whitstable defence.  As the ball was played back to Mahon on the right wing, his deep cross was headed down by Heaume, and McGrath connected with a left foot shot that was too powerful for Watkins to hold.

As Whitstable committed men forward looking for a third equaliser, Guernsey had two clear chances to score a fifth.  Heaume rounded Watkins as the keeper charged from his area, but could only scoop his shot over as the angle narrowed.  Then McGrath burst past Jake Mackenzie’s tired challenge, but also saw his shot hit the netting behind the goal.

In the 9th minute of stoppage time, Whitstable did create their chance, but Loynes’ ball fell to substitute Ollie Lee, rather than one of the forwards, and his stabbed shot flew over.  The home side continued their pressure after Winch was dismissed for a second caution, and both Kennett and Matt Martin had shots blocked as Guernsey’s defenders threw themselves in front of every effort.

WHITSTABLE TOWN: Luke Watkins, Jake Mackenzie, Peter Wedgeworth (Matt Martin 90), Aaron James (Ollie Lee 90), Joe Kennett, Nick Treadwell, Scott Heard, Luke Girt, Ian Pulman, Connor Coyne (Kane Rowland 53), Tom Loynes.
Subs not used: Reiss Crimmen, Joshua Connelly.

Goals: Ian Pulman 45 (pen) & 57, Kane Rowland 59.

Booking: Aaron James 72.

GUERNSEY: Chris Tardif, Jacques Isabelle (Etienne Le Prevost 75), Jason Winch, Jamie Dodd, Tom Strawbridge, Angus Mackay, Josh Steel, Ryan Zico-Black (Paris Peaeira 60), Dominic Heaume, Marc McGrath, Liam Mahon.

Goals: Dominic Heaume 28, Jacques Isabelle 46, Tom Strawbridge 69, Marc McGrath 85.

Bookings: Angus Mackay 66, Jamie Dodd 70, Jason Winch 90.
Sent Off: Jason Winch 90 (2nd booking).

Attendance: 190
Referee: Mr Peter Yates
Assistants: Mr Ricky Adams and Mr Steve Perry