First Pre Season Encounter

Margate (4) 7

Herne Bay (0) 1
Hasler

Pre Season Fixture
Tuesday 12th July 2016

Attendance: 249

at Hartsdown Park

(photo credit: HBFC library photo - Sam Hassler)

Steve Barton writes: Margate were on the back of a three-day training session and showed themselves to be well ahead of Herne Bay in their pre-season preparations. With several regulars unavailable or injured Bay were made to pay, going four down in the first half. Two more followed early in the second period before a trademark Sam Hasler screamer pulled one back. The final scoreline flattered the National South side but more importantly it was the opportunity for Herne Bay to get some match minutes under their belt. On paper a heavy defeat with more to be known when the full squad is finalised.

Ray Kelly writes: For Herne Bay’s first pre-season friendly ,they made the short trip to Hartsdown Park to take on National league
South, Margate , last Tuesday evening. It must be said that the gulf in class was plainly obvious ,with the young Bay lads going down by a 7-1 score line. Missing from the Herne Bay line up were key players with Jack Delo, Liam Quinn, Dan Johnson and Stuart Zanone, the spine of the team, all absent. For the first 10 minutes Bay chased and harried Margate and forced a corner on 7 minutes, Danny Walder played it short to Sam Hasler who blazed over from 25 yards. On 11 minutes Margate went ahead following a deep cross from Adam Cash that Harry Barrow in the Herne Bay goal mis-judged and the ball settled in the top corner. Margate continued to press forward with Michael Thalassitis, Matt Fanimo and Elliot Buchanan all going close and only timely interventions from Gary Sayer and Connor Sanders kept the score down but on 22 minutes Luke Moore burst through the Bay defence and lobbed the oncoming Harry Barrow to make 2-0.
Within two minutes Margate increased the lead when Bay keeper Harry Barrow could only parry a Luke Moore shot into the path of Elliot Buchanan who slotted in with ease. Herne Bay came close to scoring in the 31st minute when a Sam Hasler free kick from 30 yards was superbly saved by the Margate keeper Sam Sargaent. Two minutes later Danny Williams tested the Margate custodian but his headed effort was also well saved by Sargeant. Just before half time Margate increased their lead to 4-0 when Elliot Buchanan fired in from the edge of the box. From the second half kick off another 30 yard free kick from Sam Hasler was once again saved by Sargeant. Margate gave second halves to Marcel Barrington, Scott Donelly and Dan Akindayini . Both Barrington and Akindayini were soon into their stride and on 50 minutes Barrington had the ball in the net after Harry Barrow failed to hold a shot from Akindayini. 2 minutes later Marcel Barrington made it 6-0 , smashing in from close range. Give credit to the Bay side they kept plugging away and were rewarded in the 75th minute when SamHasler fired past Sargeant. Margate continued to batter the Herne Bay defence and with only a few minutes left on the clock Marcel Barrington completed his hat trick with a rasping shot from the edge of the box to make it 7-1 to Margate. Make no mistake this was a very strong Margate side but the Bay never stopped playing .Good work out for Margate but a bit of a downer for the Bay.

Herne Bay squad: Harry Barrow, Michael Turner, Connor Sanders, Gary Sayer, Harry Brown, Danny Walder, Joe Nelder, Danny Williams, Sam Hasler, Mark Lovell, James Turner, James Hunsley, Kieron Owen, Elliot Cutts, Joe Halford, Sam Hallett, Adam Woollcott.