Whitstable are through to the quarter-finals of the FA Vase after beating Fleet Town on Saturday.

Two goals in eight minutes early in the second half were enough to send player/manager Jamie Coyle’s Southern Counties East League team through.

Keeper Dan Colmer had to punch clear two Fleet corners in the first two minutes before Whitstable started to find their feet.

The lively Ronald Sithole cut in from the right wing but his ninth-minute left-foot shot lacked power. Two minutes later, Sithole's cross from the right picked out Ashdon Day. The on-loan striker turned and shot in one movement but Whitstable appeals for handball were turned down when his effort was blocked by a defender.

The clearest chance of the first half for Whitstable arrived on 18 minutes when a right-wing cross picked out Harvey Smith unmarked on the edge of the area but he sent his first-time shot over the bar. Then impressive debutant Robbie Rees crossed from the right but the ball just evaded the run of Day, who was a handful throughout.

Fleet had a good five-minute spell midway through the first half which included three good chances to take the lead.

Tane Caubo's snapshot from 20 yards whistled inches past the upright and Dean Rule's header also landed the wrong side of the post after Colmer never got near a deep cross.

Caubo then beat the offside trap but, probably in two minds whether to shoot or cross, he rolled his right-foot attempt well wide of the far post.

But, thereafter, Whitstable were in control. The hosts hit the bar just past the half-hour when Smith's speculative effort from a long ball over the top came back off the woodwork.

The breakthrough arrived just three minutes into the second half when Whitstable left-back Jayden Boulton was afforded space down the left wing and he took full advantage, advancing to the corner of the penalty area before shooting low beyond keeper Finley Purcell.

Smith's free-kick was deflected just wide and Fleet were in danger of losing their heads with a flurry of bookings.

Whitstable extended their advantage on 56 minutes when a right-wing cross was half-cleared and the onrushing Mikey Dalton slotted home an unstoppable left-foot finish via the inside of the post from the edge of the box.

Combined Counties League Fleet had only an off-target Ryan Case free-kick to show for their efforts in the second half before a tactical injury to keeper Purcell gave them a chance to regroup and change to three at the back.

They immediately got back into the contest with 17 minutes left when Josh Stepney's corner was headed in by Ross Stepney.

Fleet hit the bar from a header with three minutes remaining and a vital defensive block turned a goalward effort wide as the visitors pushed for an equaliser which would have taken the tie to a penalty shoot-out.

They were reduced to 10 men in the 90th minute when substitute Kai Tanner's foul on Sithole saw referee Jack Willmore show a straight red card.

There were eight minutes of stoppages indicated, enough time for Fleet to nearly grab a leveller from a corner.

The excellent Fin Cotton had a chance to seal it on the counter when he went through on 97 minutes but the Whitstable midfielder put his shot wide of the upright with just Purcell to beat.

Whitstable go into Monday’s draw knowing they are just two rounds away from a Wembley final in May.

Whitstable: Colmer, Aboagye, Boulton, Dalton, Coyle, McIntyre, Sithole, Rees (O’Mara 90+8mins), A Day (Dada 84mins), Cotton, Smith. Subs not used: Robson, B Day, Mandry.

Fleet: Purcell, Medcraft (Hakeem-Habeeb 54mins), Smith, J Stepney, Pestle, R Stepney, Caubo (Bone 63mins), Rule, Case (Tanner 66mins), Kandi, Dean. Subs not used: Surmon, Pound.

Referee: Jack Willmore.

Attendance: 1,121.