Player-boss Jamie Coyle hailed Whitstable’s FA Vase quarter-final victory on Saturday as the biggest win of his career.

The Oystermen came from 2-0 down inside 20 minutes in front of a club-record Belmont crowd to see off Whitchurch Alport 3-2 as their best-ever Vase run continued.

Coyle, 41, has twice helped England Veterans enjoy Seniors World Cup success, as well as managing Welling and Ramsgate, and being in joint-charge of Dartford alongside Adam Flanagan.

But he said: “As manager, I think this tops everything that I’ve achieved.

“Although I was in the management team at Maidstone when we won the play-offs to go into the National League, for this to be my team and with the way they have battled, I just feel really proud.

“For everyone that has come through the turnstiles and supported us, giving something back to them, this is most definitely the biggest highlight so far - but we’ve not achieved anything.

“We have got to prepare for the semi-finals now, do our homework and give ourselves a real opportunity to get to Wembley.”

FA Vase report: Whitstable 3-2 Whitchurch Alport

The play-off chasing Southern Counties East League Premier Division Oystermen trailed to goals from Callum Knowles and Harry Bower - sent off in stoppage time for a second booking - only for striker Ronald Sithole to reduce the visitors’ lead.

And as Whitstable took control in the second half, debutant Nathan Jeche equalised before Harvey Smith sealed their victory at the death, converting after his penalty had been saved.

“It’s brilliant,” noted Coyle. “I’m just immensely proud of the whole squad.

“It was an unbelievable turnaround. To be 2-0 down after 20-odd minutes and turn that into a win, that’s testament to the players.

“I’m, obviously, very emotional and really pleased.”

A packed-out attendance of 2,656 at The Belmont surpassed Whitstable’s previous record crowd, which had stood since 1987.

Coyle said: “They deserve it.

“The board and the other volunteers around the place, they put in so much hard work behind the scenes.

“They have been really patient with us because we started the season really poorly. But they have stuck with us and we’re kind of reaping the rewards now.

“It was a top performance.

“I thought we were a bit nervous in the first 20 minutes and they were on top - they’re a very good side - but to turn it around and nick the winner at the end, that’s absolutely unbelievable for everyone involved at the club.”

Defender Coyle, himself at fault for Whitchurch’s second goal, selling goalkeeper Dan Colmer short with an attempted back-pass header, felt the youthfulness of their side showed early on.

“Our age and inexperience showed in the first 20 minutes,” he explained. “They started like a house on fire. They really came at us with their two goals.

“But I think the key was getting that goal before half-time, just to knock the stuffing out of them slightly.

“The experience for the youngsters, like Fin Cotton and Ronald, and even Nathan Jeche, for them to go through the emotions of being down early in the game and then turning it around, that’s only going to benefit them and us as a squad, moving forwards.

“The players have been absolutely unbelievable.

“A young team could have folded and rolled over, but they didn’t.”

Forward Jeche, who has arrived on dual registration from Isthmian Premier club Cray Wanderers, impressed on debut, rounding the on-rushing away goalkeeper Jack Sheward for Whitstable’s equaliser.

Coyle said: “We changed it slightly.

“He was playing out wide at the start of the game and we could see he [Sheward] was kind of coming off his line so, at half-time, we put him through the middle of the pitch. We just felt, with his pace and his movement, he might get an opportunity - and that happened.

“Their goalie did really well, to be fair to him, for the majority of the game.

“It was just that one time where we have got that little bit of mobility through the middle of the pitch where Nathan has nicked it and scored a brilliant goal. Outside of his goal, I felt he was a constant threat.

“He was getting in behind, showed really good movement and, potentially, he could have scored a couple more goals.”

Coyle was left unable to watch as, having seen his team awarded a late penalty, Jeche stepped up - only to then pass the ball to substitute Smith.

His spot-kick was saved by Sheward, but Smith followed up to spark wild home scenes.

Coyle said: “I was confident when Nathan Jeche had it - and then, when I looked around again, Harvey Smith had it. He had missed his last couple so I was nervous!

“But fair play to him, following it up, getting the goal and scoring the winner.

“He deserved it.”

Whitstable, now one tie and two games from a potential Wembley final, will find out next week who out of AFC Whyteleafe, Hartpury University or Andover New Street they will face in the final four.

They then will return to league action at leaders VCD on Tuesday.