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Harvey Smith helped to fire Whitstable to the Kent Senior Trophy semi-finals with victory at Faversham on Tuesday night.
Southern Counties East League Premier Division leaders Faversham had done the double over Jamie Coyle’s men but the visitors gained a measure of revenge for those defeats, including last month’s 4-3 league loss at the same venue.
Smith put them into a half-time lead and fellow forward Ronald Sithole doubled Whitstable’s advantage. Smith converted a second-half penalty to leave a stoppage-time Danny Parish goal a mere consolation for the below-par Lilywhites.
Much-changed Faversham made the first chance in the second minute. The vastly-experienced Ian Draycott fired wide of goalkeeper Dan Colmer’s left-hand post during a largely uneventful first period at Salters Lane.
The next opportunity came when home striker Dan Thompson hammered just over with 12 minutes played.
But a minute later, the visitors scored to spark joyous scenes from the healthy away contingent that had made the short journey to make up part of the 366-strong crowd as their dream past few days continued.
Smith slotted Sithole’s right-wing delivery past keeper Archie Burford at the back post.
Makeshift left-back Jarred Trespaderne played through Johan Caney-Bryan, only for the Faversham forward to miss the target under pressure while Draycott tested Colmer as the hosts looked for a leveller.
Whitstable came close to a second just after the half-hour mark, a snapshot by right-back Jerald Aboagye going inches wide.
Smith nearly doubled his tally for the night through a free-kick, which landed on the roof of the net in first-half injury time.
Three minutes after the restart, visiting midfielder Mickey Dalton’s corner flashed across goal.
One-time Cheltenham youngster Burford then produced a crucial save to parry a shot from forward Dean Grant in the 51st minute after he had broken through.
The home side took too long to get started and nearly fell further behind as Smith volleyed just off target shortly before the hour mark.
Whitstable doubled their advantage soon after, though, with Sithole drilling underneath Burford.
That brought further action from the home substitutes’ bench, which saw top scorer Tashi-Jay Kwayie replace Caney-Bryan.
It almost got even better for the away team but Burford made a brave save to thwart Grant from yards out.
Referee Myles Hewson awarded a penalty with 72 minutes played for a foul on Sithole and, although Burford got his hand on the spot-kick, he couldn’t keep the impressive Smith’s second goal of the evening out.
Whitstable were now really turning on the style and substitute Josh Oliver hit the post in the 84th minute.
The home side pushed hard for a late consolation in four minutes of stoppage time.
They had struggled to find a way past the Oystermen’s backline, again well-marshalled by player-manager Coyle, but did in the dying embers through substitute Parish.
With Town manager Tommy Warrilow absent, No.2 Alex O’Brien made six changes from the side which earned last weekend’s 4-0 league victory at Hollands & Blair.
Recently-re-signed keeper Burford, defenders Tariq Ossai and Ben Gorham, along with midfielders Kieron Campbell and Billy Bennett, were the Lilywhites’ sole survivors.
It was a similar story for the visitors, who also rung the changes. Defender Will Thomas, midfielder Liam Gillies and forwards Smith and Grant came into their team, having missed the FA Vase shootout victory at Walsham Le Willows last Saturday.
Next up for the Lilywhites is a massive top-of-the-table match at VCD this Saturday while mid-table Whitstable face Sutton Athletic at home.
Faversham Town: Burford, Ossai, Trespaderne (Parish 72mins), Hasler, Newman, Gorham (Krzyska 68mins), Draycott (Wood 68mins), Caney-Bryan (Kwayie 62mins), Thompson, Bennett (Schafer 53mins), Campbell.
Whitstable Town: Colmer, Aboagye, Cotton, Dalton, Gillies, Thomas, Grant (Oliver 81mins), Coyle, Smith, McIntyre, Sithole. Subs not used: Ramadan, Grierson, Jeffrey, Robson.
Referee: Myles Hewson.
Attendance: 366.