Tashi-Jay Kwayie scored a hat-trick as title favourites Faversham won an enthralling derby with Whitstable on Saturday.

Faversham came from 2-0 down inside just six minutes to lead 4-2 at one stage before they had to hold on at the death to secure three points in the Southern Counties East Premier Division.

A bumper crowd of 1,193 at Salters Lane saw The Oystermen go ahead after just three minutes when Ashdon Day did well to keep the ball alive and Dean Grant crossed for Liam Gillies to convert at the second time of asking.

The visitors were in dreamland just three minutes later when Josh Oliver turned home the second after Grant flicked on a right-wing cross.

Faversham thought they pulled a goal back on 20 minutes when an excellent one-two saw Tariq Ossai cross in the box but Johan Caney-Bryan’s celebrations were cut short after excellent referee Matthew Pollington correctly spotted a handball by Kwayie.

But once the hosts reduced the arrears, there was to be no stopping them as they scored three times in seven minutes to turn the game on its head.

A long Bradley Simms throw-in was helped on at the near post for Kwayie to turn in on 31 minutes.

Three minutes later, Danny Parish turned in a low cross by Nathan Wood to level the scores and then when a left-wing corner was only half-cleared, Parish’s blocked shot was converted by Kwayie.

Not surprisingly the second half failed to live up the goal-laden first 45 minutes although Whitstable keeper Daniel Colmer was grateful to see the offside flag come to his rescue as he fumbled Parish’s cross-shot before the loose ball was turned into an empty net.

Whitstable appeared to be given a helping hand when Wood was sent to the sin bin for dissent but Faversham scored just as his 10-minute spell off the field was coming to an end. The visitors failed to clear a right-wing cross and the ball fell perfectly for Kwayie to clinically convert on 68 minutes.

There was another twist with seven minutes left when player/manager Jamie Coyle’s right-wing centre was kept alive by substitute Adem Ramadan and Grant found the bottom corner to make it 4-3.

But there was to be no late equaliser, despite chances for substitute Harvey Smith and Grant, as Faversham held on during more than eight minutes of stoppage time.

Faversham: Russell, Ossai, Simms, Newman, Davies (Collin 71mins), Gorham, Wood, Parish (Trespaderne 90+1mins), Caney-Bryan (Schafer 86mins), Kwayie, Hasler (Campbell 83mins). Subs not used: Bennett.

Whitstable: Colmer, Aboagye, Boulton, L Gillies (Sithole 71mins), Coyle, Thomas, Day (Ramadan 71mins), Cotton (Grierson 90mins), Oliver (Smith 46mins), Dalton, Grant. Sub not used: Jeffrey.

Referee: Matthew Pollington.

Attendance: 1,193.