Herne Bay V Tooting & Mitcham

On an evening when the rain lashed down throughout the game, Herne Bay made an

absolute dream start to their first ever League Cup game going two up after 7 minutes of play. Tunji Abgajae opened the scoring with the very first attack of the evening, heading in Joe Nelder’s cross. George Landais followed this up six minutes later tapping in from close range after the Tooting & Mitcham’s defence stood still expecting the referee to stop the game for an apparent infringement. Golden rule of football play to the whistle.

Bay with a much changed line up looked very good for the first 45 minutes but were distinctly second best for most of the 2nd half.
Tooting & Mitcham played some superb one touch football and Bay were having all sorts of problems in getting possession of the ball. Even when they did the visitors closed them down forcing Bay to produce hurried clearances.

It came as no surprise when they scored in the 61st minute. Taureen Roberts was given a free run through the midfield and followed this with a stunning strike from 22 yards giving Dan Eason absolutely no chance. Three minutes later it was Roberts again with a copy of his earlier goal. Again Eason given no chance.

The visitors were firing on all cylinders and even Bay’s most ardent supporters couldn’t see how Bay could hold out against this continuous onslaught. But they did and took the game into penalties, which they won 7-6.

For the record this is how the shoot out went.

Penalty 1 - James Campbell scored, 1-0 Lawrence Missed 1-0
Penalty 2 - Josh Sergeant scored 2-0 Hall scored 2-1
Penalty 3 - Calum McGeehan scored 3-1 Pinnock scored 3-2
Penalty 4 - Dan Wisker scored 4-2 Yao scored 4-3
Penalty 5 - George Landais missed 4-3 Wilson scored 4-4
Penalty 6 - Marvin Okundalaiye scored 5-4 Simpson scored 5-5
Penalty 7 - Rhys Lawson scored 6-5 Roberts scored 6-6
Penalty 8 - Tunji Abgajae scored 7-6 Bechett - Eason saves.

Bay go through to the 3rd round.

Att: 133

Team: Eason, Nelder, Kettle, Campbell, McGeehan, Sergeant, Okundalaiye, Wisker, Landais, Agbajae, Grant

Subs used: Lawson (Grant 51 min)
Not used: Williams, J Turner, M Turner, Lloyd

MOM: Dan Wisker