Ryman League Division One South
Whitstable Town 3 Redhill 2
DESPITE taking a two goal lead within five minutes, Redhill fell to defeat in Kent after playing much of the second half with nine men.
Niall Egan was sent off for a handball in the box just before half-time, and with injuries mounting and substitutions used, the Lobsters were left a man short when Charlie Holness pulled up.
Redhill traveled to Whitstable Town on Tuesday and were beaten in the 90th minute having battled through most of the second half with just nine men.
Despite the terrible weather conditions, Redhill had something of a dream start when after just three minutes home keeper Matt Boyott dropped the ball at the feet of Matt Robinson who made no mistake from close range.
Just two minutes later Whitstable failed to clear the ball properly and Marcus Elliott was on hand to ram the ball home from 20 yards to put his side 2-0 in front.
Although the home side heaped pressure on the Redhill defence they looked fairly comfortable with Max Huxter dealing well with anything that went beyond the back line.
Things looked to be going Redhill's way when on 35 minutes the home sides centerforward missed a golden opportunity with the goal at his mercy as his header flew wide of the upright.
With half time approaching on 43 minutes a Whitstable shot flew into a crowded goalmouth before being cleared, however the linesman's flag signaled an infringement. Following a discussion, the referee, who apparently had seen nothing, awarded Whitstable a penalty adjudging Egan of handling the ball on the line and decided to further punish Redhill by sending the defender off. Baverstock scored to make it 2-1 and Redhill were down to ten men.
For the second 45 minutes Redhill were up against a rampant Whitstable side which piled the pressure onto the visiting defence that now faced further problems. With Matt Robinson already replaced through injury, they were forced to bring on Barney Abbott, who soon took a knock to be replaced by Jeffrey Addo Dankwa. It didn't end there either because shortly after Sebony was replaced by Julian Owusu, disaster struck when Holness pulled up with a bad hamstring forcing himt leave the field leaving just nine to battle it out.
This they did with remarkable fortitude but on 57 minutes the inevitable equaliser arrived again through Baverstock and Redhill were now sretched beyon the limit.
The nine men fought bravely and it was looking as though a richly deserved draw was on the cards but hearts were broken seconds from time when young Max Huxter failed to reach a deep cross in the swirling wind and left Morrison to nod into an empty net.
Chairman John Park praised the efforts of his players after the game, saying: "A brave effort with great credit in particular to captain John Difford, Sean Kelly and the tireless Marcus Elliott and really the whole 'nine' for nearly grabbing that vital point."
