Richard Styles was thrilled with Whitstable’s win over his old club - but conceded the performance was not yet perfect.

The Oystermen bounced back from their FA Cup exit to earn a 2-0 success on Saturday as manager Styles and several of his players made a quick return to Tunbridge Wells.

Both goals came after the restart to give Whitstable a second successive Southern Counties East Premier Division win.

“There’s things to work on, it was not perfect,” said Styles.

“But for the second league game of the season, it was really positive. The work-rate was second to none.

“We are a new team but there’s a lot of other new teams about.

"Our togetherness and work ethic to put in everything myself and Dan [Morrin, his assistant] had asked for was excellent.”

Josh Oliver and Kyron Lightfoot were the Whitstable scorers in front of a 279-strong crowd.

On his scorers, Styles said: “Josh has come in after having a hard time at Margate.

“He worked his socks off on Saturday and was the best player on the pitch, I’m thrilled to work with him.

“Kyron, I know him from last year. He started against his old club and I know he was absolutely delighted to score against them.”

Harry Stannard was suspended and will serve the rest of his three-game ban during Whitstable’s next two fixtures after the club’s appeal against the suspension last week proved unsuccessful.

Having been knocked out of the FA Cup, Whitstable are without a game this weekend and have to wait 14 days for their next competitive action when they visit Westside in the FA Vase.

Asked if the break had come at the wrong time for them, Styles replied: “A little bit, we actually said we want a game on Saturday. But we have to wait 14 days.

“Then we have the Vase and Canterbury [the following Wednesday].

"We will just make the schedule as positive as possible - whether that’s training on Saturday or giving the boys a rest.”

Whitstable have been drawn away to Greenways in the Challenge Cup Second Round.