Whitstable Town 1
Croydon FC 1
Time had virtually run out for the Trams as they struggled to get the equaliser that would give them a decent chance of qualifying for the knockout stages of the Kent League Cup.
But as the referee raised his whistle to blow for full-time, Lee Kirby struck and gave his team the lifeline their performance merited.
Whitstable have won seven out of eight league matches and top this group.
Neil John missed three glorious chances to give the Trams the lead before Rhoderique Davis hit the post.
But poor defending by Ollie Young forced Chris Hill into conceding a free-kick that Stuart King finished with aplomb to give the hosts the lead.
Croydon never gave up and two minutes into stoppage time Matt Fowler played a cute ball into Kirby lying deep outside the box.
Kirby hit an unstoppable drive and gave the Trams the chance of progression.
Group rivals Greenwich Borough need to beat Sporting Bengal by six goals to snatch the last qualification spot, leaving the Trams favourites for a quarter final place.
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