First Pre Season Run Out Ends in Last Gasp Defeat

Herne Bay (0) 1
Cutts 68

Tilbury (0) 2
Richmond 74
Babalola 90

Attendance: 132

Pre Season Fixture
Saturday 11th July 2015

(photo credit: Steve Barton - Elliot Cutt opens the scoring for Bay)

A good workout as first games of the pre season go and Elliot Cutts had the honour of scoring the first goal in the new goalframes erected at Winch's Field during the close season. That goal came in the 64th minute of a math played under a broiling sun. Tilbury, who finished 14th in Ryman One (North) last season equalised from the penalty spot 10 minutes later through Neil Richmond and secured their win in the dying moments of the game when Francis Babalola rammed home from 6 yards.

Ray Kelly's Match Report now below.

Herne Bay Squad: Brad Cummings, Dan Johnson, Connor Sanders, Gary Sayer, Michael Turner, Nathan Eastwood, Kane Butler, Danny Williams, James Turner, Jordan Casey, Elliot Cutts, Mark Lovell, Danny Walder, Steven Ita, James Brown, Sam Hasler, Henry Dasofunjo, Newman Poku.

Ray Kelly writes:

Although Herne Bay’s first pre-season match ended up with a 2-1 win to Tilbury, Manager Sam Denly can take a few positives from the game. Sam took the chance of ‘blooding’ four of last season’s u21’s side, due to the unavailability of Jack Delo, Danny Spiller, Liam Quinn and Joe Nelder.

From the off both teams endevoured to to blow the cobwebs away and quickly slotted into a good competitive encounter. The first half remained a stalemate with Connor Sanders and Gary Sayer snuffing out the dangerous exploits of Tilbury's Emile Aken and Tony Martin and at the other end Kane Butler and Dan Williams examined the Tilbury defence but neither sets of forwards could find the net. Throughout the first half young Harry Brown caught the eye for the Bay side , he never stopped running.

Tilbury hit the ground running at the start of the second half also introducing Lewis Jaggs to the fray, his speed was a constant thorn in the side for the Bay side. On 55 minutes Sam Denly made the first of many changes, bringing on Steve Ita, Danny Walder, Sam Hasler and Mark Lovell for James Turner , Jordan Casey, Danny Williams and Nathan Eastwood. Steven Ita was quickly into his stride sending in a string of crosses from the left wing position.Within 10 minutes Sam replaced Kane Butler and Harry Brown with England Schoos FA international Elliot Cutts and U21 Newman Poku.

Elliot Cutts made a difference right away and was unlucky to see his header graze the cross bar after a good cross from Steven Ita in the 60th. minute.
On 68 minutes Herne Bay took the lead when a Sam Hasler free kick was met by Elliot Cutts who fired in from 10yds. A minute later Connor Sanders and Michael Turner gave way to James Brown and Henry Dasofunjo. In the 74th minute Tilbury equalised when the referee spotted some pushing in the Herne Bay area and awarded a penalty, up stepped Neil Richmond who slammed the ball past Brad Cummings. With Tilbury getting on top for the final 10 minutes Brad Cummings pulled off several good saves but he could do nothing to stop a last minute goal from Tilbury. Herne Bay failed to clear the lines following a corner and Babalola stubbed in from 6 yards.

Sam Denly must be pleased with the showing of the five youngsters who showed a lot of maturity and a good goal keeping display from Brad Cummings.