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Whyteleafe took a well deserved victory in their first home league game of the new campaign with a fine combination of skill and graft against much fancied Ramsgate.
Manager Stuart Massey introduced two changes to the side narrowly defeated at Sittingbourne the previous Saturday with defender Mark Banks stepping in at centre-half and Sam Butler, such an impressive substitute three days earlier, preferred to Nigel Ikolodo up front.
The visitors started the brightest, but their early pressure was soaked up by a solid looking Leafe defence and the first chance fell to the home side, Paul Scott scuffing a shot from 10 yards in the eleventh minute. As a midfield stalemate set in, the hosts' experienced duo of Rob Kember and Lee Sidwell sought to create more and in the 35th minute Butler was set free down the left by a precision Kember pass, in turn setting up Scott who fired wide. In reply, Liam Quinn hit a fierce drive narrowly wide for the visitors.
The goal came in the 43rd minute when Scott had a shot blocked by Rams keeper Sam Mott, but the rebound fell to Butler 20 yards out who sweetly volleyed home.
The second half was a feast of football with the visitors starting strongly again and making a loud penalty claim on 50 minutes for handball. The referee decided it was ball to arm and waived the appeals away.
In an end to end spell of play, Lee Sidwell surged into the box on the hour and shot narrowly wide of Mott's post. Five minutes later left-back Sean Bremner got forward, delivering a fine cross from the bi-line that flashed across the goal. On 73 minutes Billy Harding turned and shot from the edge of the box, again just wide of the far post.
With fifteen minutes remaining, Ramsgate applied more pressure, including shots from forwards Mickleborough and Quinn, comfortably saved by the giant Ron O'Hara. With time running out, keeper Mott advanced up the field for a Rams corner. Scott cleared with a fine defensive header then ran the length of the pitch wide right, cut in and shot with his left foot. Somehow Mott had got back to make a fine left-handed save to prevent a wonder goal.
It was victory for Whyteleafe, reward for a committed and well organised performance full of flare and desire. Manager Massey will take great heart from such a promising start to the new campaign.
Whyteleafe: O'Hara, Goodchild, Bremner, Banks, Coleman, Sidwell, Harding, Kember R, Watson (MacLean 68), Butler (Wilson 88), Scott. Unused subs: Wardell, Kember M.