First pre-season friendly

Saturday 13th July 2013 3pm at the Belmont
Pre-season friendly - Bruce Smith Shield

Whitstable Town FC V Herne Bay FC

Herne Bay made the short trek to the Belmont to play for the annual Bruce Smith Shield. In front of a decent crowd (255) and with temperatures in the 30’s this game was never going to be a classic derby match. Both Managers fielded strong first half teams and made many second half changes.

In the first half both teams seemed to snuff out any sort of attack with both defences looking sound. Chances were at a premium as both mid fields dicing for supremacy. The first real chance fell to Herne Bay in the 6th minute when new boy Sam Hasler combined well with Dan Lawrence and James Turner whose cross was met by Michael Turner but the Whitstable custodian Matt Lambrill gathered up easily.

On 20 minutes Bay forced several corners but couldn’t find a way past the solid Whitstable back four. Throughout the first half Whitstable tried to get behind the Bay defence but with Joe Kennett and Gary Sayer in fine form they gave Mo Takaloo and the lively looking Charlie Smith the run around.

Just on half time Herne Bay should have gone in front when Jorden Casey out stripped the Oystermen defence to go one on one with the Whitstable keeper but he shot went wide. Half Time 0-0. The players that caught the eye in the half were Sam Halser, Dan Lawrence and Joe Kennett.

The second half was a different affair with many changes being made on both sides but in saying that more chances were being created. On 50 minutes Steve Lloyd replaced Joe Kennett and Dean Grant came on for Michael Turner. Lloyd having been on for two minutes was brought into action heading off the line following a stinging cross from Scott Heard.

A minute later the game threatened to boil over when Charlie Smith put a crunching tackle on the Bay’s Gary Sayer, the Referee Ian Crouch Booked both players to defuse the situation.

Herne Bay Manager Sam Denly made several more changes over the next few minutes but it was Jordan Casey who once again should have put Bay in front when he burst through the Whitstable defence only to slide the ball wide. Two minutes later Herne Bay were left to rue Casey’s chances when the Oystermen took the lead when Dan Wells slotted past Jack Delo.

Herne Bay continually looked for an equaliser but on 85 minutes Herne Bay were thankful for a Jack Delo super save following a Whitstable corner and his clearance was picked up by Dan Lawrence who ran through before slotting the ball past Bourne for the Bays deserved equaliser. 1-1.

With the scores at 1-1 the Shield was decided on penalties. Lloyd, Lawrence and Delo scored for the Bay but Whitstable slotted in 4 to win 4-3.

Although the game was not a full blooded derby it was more a Dickensian match, Full of Great Expectations, as it were Sam Denly must have been quite pleased with his charges,

Team: J. Delo, G. Sayer, S. Hasler, J. Kennett, N. Eastwood, J. Nelder, S. Taylor, D. Lawrence, J. Casey, J. Turner, M. Turner.

Subs: Lloyd, Grant, Axford, Martin, Searle, White, Etherington.

Man of the Match: Dan Lawrence