Herne Bay Football Club's walking football team entered two teams into the Preliminary Round of the FA Peoples Cup played at Playfootball Gillingham, writes Ron Boddy. Herne Bay "Herons" were entered into Group 1 along with Eastbourne Borough, Bay City Strollers, Malling Golfers, Canterbury TTNC and Tonbridge Town "A". Herne Bay Hawks were entered into Group 2 along with Canterbury WF Club, Medway Marauders, Bexley Boys and Tonbridge Town "B".

The matches were played 5-a-side with 2 rolling substitutes, and they lasted 8 minutes each.

Herne Bay "Herons" results in Group 1 were....

Herne Bay "Herons" 0 Tonbridge Town "A" 1
Bay City Strollers 1 Herne Bay "Herons" 2
Eastbourne Borough 0 Herne Bay "Herons" 2
Canterbury TTNC 0 Herne Bay "Herons" 6
Malling Golfers 0 Herne Bay "Herons" 3

So Herne Bay "Herons" played 5, won 4 drew 0 lost 1 GF 13 GA 2 Points 12 and as a result won Group 1 with Tonbridge Town "A" the runners up. Both teams progressed to the Semi-Finals.

Herne Bay "Hawks" results in Group 2 were....

Medway Marauders 0 Herne Bay "Hawks" 1
Herne Bay "Hawks" 2 Tonbridge Town "B" 0
Herne Bay "Hawks" 1 Bexley Boys 1
Canterbury WF Club 0 Herne Bay Hawks 3

So Herne Bay "Hawks" played 4 won 3 drew 1 lost 0 GF 7 GA 2 Points 10. Herne Bay "Hawks finished runners up to Bexley Boys on goal difference.

The semi-finals threw up the "Hawks" against the "Herons". The "Hawks" came through by 4 goals to 1. The other semi-final was between the Bexley Boys and Tonbridge Town "A" which Tonbridge suprisingly won 2 goals to 1,

So the final was between Herne Bay "Hawks" and Tonbridge Town "A" .....and it proved to be one sided with the "Hawks" winning by 6 goals to 1. Neil Davey was in devastating form with 4 goals.....

Herne Bay "Hawks" now move on to the next stage of the competition in late March.

Teams:

Herne Bay "Hawks" - Nick Denly, Trevor Brown, Andy Leach, Neil Brown, Neil Davey, Harry Roberts, Steve Nolan.

Herne Bay "Herons" - Brian Wild, Malcolm Wright, Clive Parker, Gerry Allan, David Gilham, Kevin Stevens, Steven Johnson.