Saturday 27th April 2024.
Isthmian League Division One South East
Herne Bay 3 Chichester City 3
Attendance. 665
Herne Bay: Harry Brooks, Dan Carrington (Tom Hanfrey 63) Frankie Smith (Finlay Whitton 73), Harrison Pont, Liam Friend, Scott Heard, Gil Carvalho, Archie Burnett, Michael Salako, Kane Rowland, Theo Osinfolarin (Sam Wright 74).
Scorers: Salako 2 (81, 89), Burnett (88)

Since Chichester City had gained promotion to the Isthmian League for 2019/20 the two sides had met five times, with two games lost due to Covid-19, and Herne Bay had won four of them. There was added pressure on Chi this time out as they had qualified for the play-offs and a win could mean that they might avoid the runners-up. It was a chance for them to build momentum before Tuesday.

Dan Carrington and Archie Burnett returned to the starting line-up with Finlay Whitton and Bola Dawodu dropping to the bench.

Harry Brooks came out to intervene from a Joe Clarke pass and easily prevent Jimmy Wild from an attempt. Another half chance saw Rob Hutchings cross but Josh Clack could not capitalise. At the other end Dan Carrington hooked into the net but was adjudged to be offside.

Chichester stopper Kieran Magee, who had won the Golden Gloves for the Division on three occasions this season, saved from Theo Osinfolarin and Ethan Prichard cut inside but his effort was blocked by Frankie Smith with ball ballooning into the air to be punched clear by Brooks. The keeper was on hand twice more to thwart Pritchard.

Herne Bay were mainly building from the back whist the visitors were relying on long punts from Magee. Wild spurned a further opportunity, which headed skywards from a Pont block and again Brooks fisted clear. Kane Rowland struck past the post and Friend set up Gil Carvalho but the keeper got down to his shot. As half-time loomed a Smith free-kick deep on the right was punched out by Magee to find Scott Heard who blasted wide.

The first period ended goalless with the ball having gone from end to end but nobody could find the decisive moment. The game had 0-0 written all over it and nobody could have expected what was to follow.

Within seconds of the re-start a speculative cross/shot from Prichard sneaked in just under the cross bar, with Brooks slightly off his line, and the visitors were in front. Seven minutes later Clack set Wild through and from the edge of the six-yard box he slid past Brooks. Two goals down and Bay looked dead and buried. But Bay have been resilient this season and never give up.

Chances came and chances went with Bay substitute Sam Wright looking to open his season’s account. With nine minutes left on the clock Prichard was dispossessed and Archie Burnett broke to set up Mike Salako who went through and beat Magee to give Herne Bay hopes of a comeback. But within three minutes hopes were dashed when Prichard scored his second.

Did someone say that Bay were resilient? They certainly are. A Tom Hanfrey centre found Heard in space but his shot struck the bar. The hosts were on top as they surged forward and three minutes before the end of normal time, the defence wasted possession, Rowland found Burnett and his drive from the edge of the box went up and over Magee. And then the seemingly improbably became possible as Harrison Pont swung the ball in and the fox in the box let the ball bounce, and rose to impressively head in the leveller. It was Salako’s 27th goal of the season.

As referee Billy Woods added on five minutes it was still the home side who were on top and looking for the winner, but to no avail; but what a last ten minutes as a Rowland diving header went narrowly past the upright.

It was a thrilling end to the season; a campaign which started with worry following last season’s debacle, but ended with entertaining success showing what can happen when the right people are in place. A mouth-watering finale which left everyone positive to what may lie ahead.