Gaffer Miles Rutherford, Dabba & Co made two changes to the side that amazingly beat Lewes 1-0 away with ten men last time out. Da Costa replaced Jamie Horncastle in the heart of the Chi backline with sitter Joe Moore, who came on at halftime mid-week, joining Ethan Prichard, Emmett Dunn, Isaac Bello, Rowlatt and Joe Clarke, the No9 on this occasion. Kieran Magee lined up in goal alongside full backs skipper Rob Hutchings and Ryan Davidson.
The two teams have faced each other a number of times over the years – Chi famously won 2-0 in the FA Vase back in 2017-18 thanks to goals from Josh Clack and Scott Jones but lost 1-0 at the Belmont ground in the season the Oystermen got relegated from the Isthmian South East division. That campaign Chichester beat the Kent-based side in the FA Trophy 4-0 and 2-1 in the league at home.
Here, it was the hosts, winners of the Vase at Wembley last season which was proudly on display in their clubhouse, who shaded the first period.
Joe Healy set Ashdon Day up for a cross in the opening minute that Hutchings headed away before a move involving Bello and Prichard earned the visitors the first corner of the match from which Davidson’s header forced Whitstable keeper Dan Colmer to gather.
Referee Nick Dunn didn’t think Rowlatt was fouled when captain Jake McIntyre and Day broke but the final pass was too long anyway.
Prichard had a shot in the fifth minute which went out for a Chi throw off a Seasiders’ defender which Bello launched long and the home side headed clear.
Another Lillywhites’ corner a minute or so later was also headed away, and at the other end Day kept the ball in play and the much-travelled Javaun Splatt had a go that was turned out for a Whitstable corner which came to nothing.
Clarke had a wild swing moments later but it was off-target and Rowlatt got caught for a Chichester free-kick.
Then Clarke had another opportunity after a nice Bello cross before Prichard won a third corner for the visitors that Hutchings once again delivered and it went off Clarke for a goal-kick.
Splatt carved a second chance on 13 minutes as the away team conceded a corner only for Magee to claim when the influential Jack Peters fizzed one into the penalty area.
Another Oystermen corner was cleared by Moore this time before Magee held Peter’s header.
A linesman flagged Splatt offside a couple of times in the 17th minute and Bello got fouled by No16 Mikey Dalton.
And then Da Costa misdirected the ball past Magee at the mid-point after Peters whipped a cross over to put the hosts in the lead.
Five minutes later they won won another corner when Splatt delivered a ball in and it nicked off a Chi player.
Moore headed this away without any trouble and Magee gloved the ball clear after a further Whitstable corner.
McIntyre played in a decent cross on the half-hour mark before Bello was felled by Will Thomas who received the game’s first yellow card of four.
Prichard took the resulting set-piece which was cleared easily enough and then Bello hit one high over the bar.
Next, Day crossed invitingly although no one could get on the end of it; Clarke headed over after Colmer made a hash of things; Splatt got caught offside again; Clarke placed a Bello bomb into the side-netting; Colmer then palmed clear; and the hosts struck an attempt over the woodwork.
The game ebbed this way and that as we headed towards half-time before Dunn headed over and Moore saw his shot blocked as the whistle for the break went.
Theo Bennetts came on for Da Costa with Chi rejigging for the second 45.
Hutchings blocked a pass by McIntyre a minute in and Davidson hacked the ball out for a corner that Clarke headed away before Bennetts tried his luck from some distance only for Colmer to save with ease.
McIntyre tidied up after Dunn, Bennetts and Bello sprayed the ball about before Bello’s hit was deflected for a Chichester corner.
Hutchings delivered this as usual but it was punched away for another on the same side.
Then Rowlatt had a shot cleared off the line ten minutes in and Hutchings’ subsequent cross missed out everyone.
Then Healy’s long-ranger was blocked awkwardly by Pashley following Magee’s poor clearance and Davidson picked up a sixth booking of the season for impeding Day this time just ahead of the hour.
Spaltt was exchanged for Jake Abrahams and a poor Kent-side cross went out for a Chi goal kick.
Striker Billy Vigar replaced Moore as the visitors rolled the dice before a wicked cross from the hosts’ skipper somehow drifted out for another goal kick.
The home side ramped things up in a spell of pressure as Magee miraculously denied Day with his feet who was also repelled on 65 after good work from the Whitstable substitute.
Peters was adjudged offside a minute later and Vigar’s cross was diverted for a Chichester throw.
With 20 minutes to go Prichard’s pass was too long for Bello before Prichard and Davidson one-twoed and the hosts’ keeper intervened.
Next came a period of Chi pressure with no end product but a thunderbolt from Rowlatt following a lovely move got the Sussex side level in the 78th minute.
60 seconds later Dunn shot just wide as the visitors cranked it up and Prichard fired a shot high and wide as both teams sought a winner with time added on approaching.
Rowlatt spurned another opportunity late on before Hutchings was booked with little choice but to take Abrahams out.
The Oysterboys behind the goal chanted loudly “Oh Whitstable, Oh Whitstable, Is wonderful…’ hoping McIntyre’s free-kick would beat Magee but the Chichester custodian saved comfortably.
He had another corner to worry about deep into the sixth minute of additional time but Chi held on and the teams will go again in the replay at Oaklands Park on Tuesday 16th September (Kick Off 7:45pm).
Chichester – Magee, Davidson, Hutchings, Moore, Da Costa, Pashley, Prichard, Dunn, Clarke, Rowlatt, Bello (Bennetts, McDonald, Vigar, Cahusac, Rustell, Horncastle).
Photos to follow.
