Ten Man Chats Destroy Bay’s 100% Start

Herne Bay (1) 1
Danny Walfer 4 (pen)

Chatham Town (1) 2
Kieron McCann 30
Jack Jeffrey 75

Attendance: 201

Ryman Isthmian League Division One (South)
Saturday 22nd August 2015.
(at Winch’s Field)

(photo credit: Steve Barton – Danny Walder fires Herne Bay ahead from the penalty spot)

Chatham Town brought Herne Bay’s 3 match winning start to the season to an abrupt halt at Winch’s Field despite having been reduced to ten men after just 4 minutes. Danny Walder opened the scoring putting Bay ahead from the penalty spot. Kieron McCann equalised on the half hour mark and Jack Jeffrey scored what proved to be the winner 15 minutes from time.

Herne Bay might have had a dramatic equaliser in the closing stages but Ryan Nicholls somehow managed to tip Connor Sanders top corner bound acrobatic effort over the bar.

Ray Kelly writes:

Herne Bay surrendered their 100% league record with a 2-1 home defeat against ten man Chatham Town, who deservedly won this clash by playing superb football throughout. In truth this was a below par Herne Bay performance being out fought and out thought by a determined Chatham side.

On a baking hot day Chatham found themselves down to ten men and a goal down in the first 4 minutes when Corry Holder was sent off after a hand ball on the goal line, from the penalty Herne Bay’s Danny Walder fired in to put the bay ahead. Over the next 15 minutes the Bay huffed and puffed with Elliot Cutts and Steven Ita both going well down both flanks but with no end product.

On 21 minutes James Turner picked up an injury and was replaced by Danny Williams. Chatham Town settled down and adjusted to playing with 10 men with Saio Blackwood and Keiron McCann giving the Bay defence a torrid time down both flanks and on 30 minutes Blackwood surged down the right , cut in, wrong footing Dan Johnson, before crossing to McCann who calmly slotted the ball past Jack Delo from 10 yards for the equaliser. Danny Spiller and Danny Williams both went close for the Bay but found the Chatham goalkeeper Ryan Nicholls in great form.

The second half started with a more determined Bay and following a Danny Walder corner in the 48th. minute Liam Quinn was unlucky to see his header just graze the crossbar. Sam Denly put on Kane Phillip for an out of salts Elliot Cutts and Chatham put on Jack
Jeffrey for Andrew Dalhouse. Within 2 minutes both Kane Phillip and Mark Lovell both had chances well saved by Ryan Nicholls in the Chat’s goal. More changes were made with Dan Parkinson coming on for Danny Spiller and George Humber replacing Saio Blackwood for the Chat’s.

Chatham continued to look dangerous on the counter attack with McCann and Joe Bingham both giving the home defence some anxious moments and on 75 minutes following a foul on the edge of the Herne Bay penalty area Jack Jeffrey curled the free kick over the wall past a startled Jack Delo. For the last 15 minutes Herne Bay surged forward in search of an equaliser but good defending and smart goalkeeping thwarted efforts from Connor Sanders and Danny Walder.

The same frailties as last season arise in that the Bay must be more clinical in front of goal , that's the difference between topping the league and a mid table place.

Herne Bay: Jack Delo, Michael Turner, Connor Sanders, Dan Johnson, Liam Quinn, Danny Spiller (Dan Parkinson 70), Danny Walder, Elliot Cutts (Kane Phillip 60), Mark Lovell, James Turner (Danny Williams 21), Steven Ita.

Subs not used: Giorgio Russo, Kane Butler.

Sent Off: None Cautioned: Michael Turner, Danny Williams

Referee: Peter Killip Assistant Referees: Elad Amir & Manny Nketiah.

Herne Bay Man of the Match: tba