Professional Point for Bay

Tooting & Mitcham United (0) 1
Jake Baxter 75

Herne Bay (1) 1
Sam Hasler 9

Ryman Isthmian League Division One (South) Tuesday 26th January 2016
at the KNK Stadium, Imperial Fields

Att: 132

(photo credit: Herne Bay FC Library photos – Sam Hasler who scored a 30 yard screamer)

Herne Bay cemented their third place in the league with this draw and they might have grabbed all three points but for a calamitous slice of luck 15 minutes from time.

“I'm disappointed with the way in which we conceded”, said Herne Bay manager Sam Denly, “but it was an immense performance against a very good footballing side”.

Ray Kelly writes: A gritty second half performance earned Herne Bay a point on Tuesday night. It is true to say that the Bay were out played for much of the game and only a great defensive display prevented this new look Tooting side from taking all three points. Liam Quinn and Gary Sayer , in the heart of the Bay defence were outstanding.

Both teams played entertaining football from the kick off with Chace O’Neill being the king pin for the Tooting, and on 6 minutes he was unlucky to see his 20 yard shot rebound off of the cross bar and away to safety. On 9 minutes Herne Bay took the lead when Sam Hasler won the ball in mid field, jinking his way through the Tooting defence before unleashing a thunderbolt of a shot from 30 yards that left Sheik Ceesay totally beaten.

Tooting surged forward looking for an equaliser and on 22 minutes Liam Quinn threw himself in front of a Anton Moraes goal bound shot to clear the ball. Herne Bay were being pegged back and further chances fell to Moraes in the 27th. minute when he fired over when well placed and Jack Delo saved well from a Chace O'Neill effort a few minutes later. The same player had a glorious chance
to equalise in the 40th. minute when he could not get a touch on a cross from Jordon Wilson ,with the goal at his mercy.

For the first few minutes of the second half Herne Bay looked like extending the lead , first with a Sam Hasler free kick , that was cleared by Moraes and then Elliot Cutts was played through but his shot hit the side netting. Gradually Tooting started to get on top ,forcing the Bay back to defend deeply and Chace O’Neill giving plenty of good balls to his forwards but thankfully their finishing was woeful .

Counter attacks by the Bay were quite rare but on 70 minutes Elliot Cutts broke down the right wing ,cut in and chipped the advancing Ceesay but his effort went agonisingly wide of the goal. Tooting continued to pile forward with O’Neill and Jake Baxter both going close , they were rewarded in the 75 minute when a Liam Quinn back pass was miss kicked by Jack Delo and Jake Baxter had the simple task of tapping the ball into an open net.

On 77 minutes the Bay should have regained the lead ,against the run of play, Kane Phillip found himself in space and with only the keeper to beat he fired low and Ceesay put the ball round the post. With only 2 minutes left Herne Bay were indebted to Jack Delo when he saved a point blank ball at the feet of Jordon Wilson. This game in retrospect was a point gained rather than two points lost as this Tooting and Mitcham are one of the best sides Herne Bay have played this season in saying that we have a good chance to beat them at home next Saturday.

“It's very frustrating but as I've said to the lads it would have been a smash and grab if we'd got all the points”, said Denly, “they (Tooting & Mitcham) played some very good football and deserved something out of the game. For all their possession Jack only had one real save to make all night. It was a tough game and we`ll take the point. For a lot of the season we've had it our own way, tonight we had to grind the result out, it was a professional performance”.

Tooting & Mitcham United: Sheikh Ceesay, Sol Patterson-Bohner, Taiwo Tenny, Adrian Moraes, Antonio Simeone, Kurtis Pykes, Jordan Wilson, Ashley Robinson (Matt Price 66), Jake Baxter, Chace O’Neill, Serge Makofu (Marcel Barrington 66)

Subs not used: Matt Pearson, Owen Roberts, Gavin Quintyne

Sent Off: none Cautioned: Jordan Wilson

Herne Bay: Jack Delo, Michael Turner, Gary Sayer, Dan Johnson, Liam Quinn, Connor Sanders, Danny Walder (Nathan Eastwood 46), Joe Nelder (Elliot Cutts 45), Mark Lovell (Kane Phillip 68), Lee Browning, Sam Hasler.

Subs not used: James Turner, Danny Willams

Sent off: None Cautioned: Dan Johnson

Referee: Jamaal Horne Assistants: Garry Heron & Alexis Stachinni

Man of the Match: Connor Sanders (Herne Bay)