With the football season drawing to an unwelcomely swift conclusion I thought I would check out the most likely title challenger for next season by visiting Hayes Lane for this play-off final between Cray and Met. As both teams had progressed to the final via 1-0 wins, a similar score-line looked the most likely. And omens proved correct in a slightly nervy game between two physical and well-organised teams which was punctuated by some moments of brilliance.

The first half was evenly balanced. The Cray keeper, Knight, was the first to be tested when forced to save low to his left within 8 minutes of the start. The two teams then cancelled each other out until Cray's Lewis Wood (formerly on Thamesmead) shot narrowly over on 13 minutes. This was followed by some excellent play by the Police as Scott Forrester back-heeled from just inside the penalty area to Jamie Byatt who was steaming in from the left hand wing and who connected well forcing Knight to turn the ball past his near post.

Apart from another neat piece of foot-work by Met's Drewett ten minutes later, there were 25 minutes on the clock when Forrester squandered a golden opportunity to open Met's account when he inexplicably decided to dummy Byatt's well-placed cross by jumping over the incoming missile. As he was pretty much unmarked in the area, his decision remains a mystery, especially as there was no-one coming in from the right!

On the half hour mark, the Met central defender, Steve Sutherland - who was impressive at the back throughout - brought down a Cray player just outside the area. The free kick was laid off to Lewis Wood whose drive got the slightest of touches goalwards bound deflecting it for a corner. Cray failed to capitalise on the corner or the throw-in that followed.

Met's left-back, Cobden, who had been struggling with a knock received earlier was then replaced by Ron Edwards who for me turned out to be Met's Man of the Match. Within a minute he was spreading the ball wide right which set up a flowing Met attacking move culminating in a looping header from Dewett that floated inches over the top corner of Knight's goal.

With five minutes to go of the first half, the game became a little scrappy: the ball started spending a lot of time in the air and both sides were guilty of some wayward passing although Cray's experienced Jamie Wood wearing the No.11 shirt and seemingly playing in the hole, was having a decent game, pouncing on loose balls and floating them forwards for his runners Lewis Wood and Leigh Bremner.

On 43 minutes Knight almost let in a comedy goal after the Met keeper, Packham, launched one forwards to Forrester who passed it back to Stuart Harte in midfield. Harte shot from distance and as Knight knelt down to catch the incoming ball he seemed to lose sight of it completely as it bounced off his knee but fortunately only as a far as a Cray defender who hoofed clear.

After the restart Met had the best of the game for the first 25 minutes or so. In the first minute Sutherland set Byatt free after a Cray player missed his interception but Byatt's cross was deflected for a corner from which nothing came. A couple of minutes later the aptly named Met player, Sargent floated in a nice corner for Sutherland who headed straight at Knight.

Cray had their chances too with Bremner trying to lob the keeper from distance 5 minutes into the second half and seeing his shot deflected for a corner a minute later. On 58 and 59 minutes Jamie Wood put Bremner and Lewis Wood through twice but they both failed to capitalise. The Police too failed to capitalise on some glorious chances: on 62 minutes no less than three unmarked Met players failed to connect with a driven corner and two minutes later failed to even find the ball in a dusty goal-mouth scramble in the Cray penalty area.

On 65 minutes the Cray management made what seemed to be a very strange substitution as they withdrew Jamie Wood (117 goals in 434 appearances although only two goals this season) and replaced him with the sixteen year old Michael Power. Wood had been the best player on the park. As it turned out, Power was fantastic and for me, Man of the Match.

With 20 minutes of normal time to go, Bremner found himself just outside the area - he swivelled and shot, but tamely at the Met keeper. A couple of minutes later Lee Gledhill, the Met right full back, 'took him out' and saw yellow for his poor tackle on Bremner. Meanwhile Met withdrew the ineffectual Forrester for the nippy Jon Henry-Hayden.

The substution did not immediately have the desired effect as the next dusty goal-mouth scramble took place in the Met penalty area and with 14 minutes to go, Power grew in stature when he played some neat one touch football and set Bremner free whose effort was yet again thwarted by Knight. A minute later Cray earned a free kick after Power was brought down just outside the area. Simon Osborn took two paces, whipped the ball over the wall and placed the ball beautifully in the top near-side corner just out of Packham's reach.

And with ten minutes on the clock, Power yet again put Bremner through for a 50-50 with the keeper but Bremner bottled it.

Met then went three up front as Baitup came on as a third forward with 7 minutes to go. But it was too little too late despite four minutes of injury time and on the season's performance Cray probably deserved it (and they always thrash us so good luck!). And to prove jimmygreaves' adage that football is a funny old game, in the league Met Police beat Cray 5-0 at home and 2-1 away... and not only that, Cray lost 1-0 to Crowborough Atheltic!

Perhaps unsurprisingly, this was a very scrappy game, especially the first half. Neither team had anything real to play for. Whitstable wanted to surpass their points-tally from last season. I can't quite work out where Godalming were last season, but if they were promoted, they had already done very well. Of course, as it turns out, the game itself was eventually overshadowed by the news that Marc Seager had resigned his position as manager of the club. Everyone wishes him the best of luck in his future endeavours, and because he says his resignation is to spend more time with his family, it is to be hoped that the majority of the club's players will remain as Oystermen next season under whichever new management the club appoints.

Godalming had the best of the game. In the 7th minute they forced GS to clear off the line - not the first time I've said that this season! And a couple of minutes later Liam Quinn and Kevin Fewell had an uncharacteristic mix-up in the box which Fewelly eventually managed to clear.

Whitstable's first real attack saw Tom Parker shoot tamely towards goal after the trademark 'switch throw' on 11 minutes. This led to an immediate counterattack. Jack Tanner tried to shield the ball out of play at the other end, but a pacey No.11 dribbled round him and got his cross in for Campbell to clear. Soon thereafter, Dave Cory handballed but somehow the ref saw a corner from which Whitstable failed to capitalise.

The first half half continued in similar scrappy vein and no-one really seemed up for it. Only Tanner put in some dangerous looking runs and crosses and Campbell looked tidy at the back.

The game became a little better in the second half even if Godalming continued to have the best of the play. However, on 70 minutes Whitstable scored a well-worked goal after Cornhill and Cory played some good one-touch football. Cory eventually crossed for his strike-partner who was unmarked at the far post and headed home his 20th goal of the season in all competitions.

Five minutes later, Fewell was forced to make an excellent stop. Considering he was playing with a dodgy ankle he had yet another fantastic game between the sticks. However, despite making a fabulous double save some three minutes before the end, he could not keep out the rebound as Godalming equalised. Probably a fair result in the end and Whitstable end the campaign on 50 points, the same total as last year.

In a game in which neither side had much to play for and after a gruelling Cup Final against Welling United on Thursday, a fairly low tempo opening was perhaps not that unexpected. But it was also heartening to see that Seags decided against fielding a team made up exclusively of fringe-players. Many who started against Welling also played on Saturday, and surprisingly played with an unexpected level of energy for which they should be commended.

There was an interesting lesson to be learned from Saturday’s game, a trait which has been apparent for some time now: Whitstable is a very ‘reactive’ team – it often responds to the quality put before it. This is great against the better teams, but not quite as welcome against poorer sides. And Walton Casuals were surprisingly poor given their recent run of form. The net result: a very scrappy affair, especially in the first half.

Of course, the lesson that should be drawn from this is the fact that Whitstable needs to concentrate on playing their own game rather than taking their cue from the opposition. As suggested in the last match report, and echoing the point made by Seags made time and again, Whitstable can be a very good team, and they need to put that realisation consistently into practice.

Despite a low key opening on Saturday, Whitstable took the initiative and opened their account within 10 minutes of the start. From memory, the goal slotted calmly past a mouthy Casuals keeper by Pullie was set up by Dan Wisker playing on the left wing.

Wisker saw a lot of the ball on Saturday, but he is some way off making the left wing his permanent berth and he was clearly short of confidence on Saturday given the number of questionable decisions he made. But like the manager, I think Wisker has great potential once he finds his best position. I suspect it’s a roving attacking midfield role behind a solitary striker and between two out and out wingers.

Within a minute of Whitstable’s goal, Casuals came close to equalising but Quinn put in a good last ditch tackle. Wisker continued to see much of the ball and on 14 minutes, he inter-changed well with Tanner who in turn crossed for Cory who headed just over. 

The game then became quite uneventful apart from some pretty shocking play by Tom Parker who was partnering Gooding in the middle of the park. The only redeeming feature of Parker’s game was his willingness to tackle hard and his constant encouragement to his team-mates.

With 25 minutes on the clock Tanner got off a shot, perhaps testing his range. But repeating the pattern of the game, within minutes of a good Whitstable attack, Casuals responded in like manner.

Three minutes after Tanner’s effort and Fewell was forced to make a good double save which ironically caused the Casuals players to argue with each other.

OK, Casuals weren’t exactly looking that threatening, but the kind of personal abuse that they were meting out to eachother was a little uncalled for.

Whitstable seized on their apparent psychological advantage and on 41 minutes Jack Tanner netted his fourth of the campaign with yet another good free kick from distance.

Whitstable came close to getting their third a minute into injury time after Pullie shot hard at the keeper who could but spill. He saved Cory’s rebound.

Because Whitstable looked so comfortable, there was a risk of complacency entering their play in the second half, and that complacency duly manifested itself.

Cornhill had replaced Perona before the break (I assume an injury) and he was guilty of a couple of poor touches towards the beginning of the second half. It would seem it is taking him a bit of time to regain that certainty of touch that characterised his impressive start for the Oystermen. Fortunately, both Quinn and especially Campbell were having very solid games alongside him.

Just before the hour mark Pullie shot weakly at the keeper. He followed this with a better shot 30 second later, but his effort skimmed the bar. Not to be outdone, Cory took a leaf from his strike-partner’s book and also shot over a couple of minutes later. A minute later Cory came closer forcing the keeper to tip his shot over the bar.

One of the best moves of the game came on 68 minutes when Cornhill passed to Pullie who flicked the ball over his head to set up Cory breaking through. His shot bounced off the keeper and hit him in the face.

5 minutes later, Wisker dribbled through the middle of the park (he clearly feels much more comfortable there) and set up Pullie who in turn put the ball wide.

With a quarter of an hour left to play, Walton earned a penalty and Fewell was sent the wrong way yet again. The goal galvanised the Casuals, but it wasn’t enough to spur the Casuals along despite Whitstable’s apparent inability to finish and Cory’s comedy attack (running with the ball in acres of space down the right hand side he somehow managed to trip himself up to the merriment of all concerned).

A good solid win, and as has been pointed out elsewhere, 3 points against Godalming on Saturday will see us with more points than last season – surely evidence of progression?

It is to be hoped that Seags can keep the bulk of the team together next season – even better with an addition or two – with a view to building on the achievements to date. A solid enough season, with an unexpected Cup Final.

Looking forward to Saturday and am gutted that the season is almost over! You Reds!