Bay Back In Business

Chatham Town (0) 0

Herne Bay (1) 2
Danny Walder 45 (pen)
Dan Parkinson 90

Ryman Isthmian League Division One (South)
Tuesday 23rd February 2016

at Maidstone Road

Attendance: 131

There were smiles and sighs of relief all round among Bay supporters as after 576 goalless minutes Danny Walder's spot kick hit the back of the Chatham net and Bay got their season back on track in what Herne Bay manager Sam Denly had described as a 'must win game'.

"We've had quite a few chance second half and I was thinking surely not again", said a beaming Denly, "but we were professional, we got the job done and it was important to get back to winning ways".

Ray Kelly writes: A rather excitable Chatham side could find no way past the superb Herne Bay defence and a goal at the end of each half saw the Bay home. For the first 15 minutes Herne Bay took control of the game with Sam Hasler and Dan Parkinson catching
the eye , making good runs into the ‘Chats’ defence but tidy defending by Joe Vines and Jon Difford prevented any threat on goal.

On 20 minutes Chatham’s Ricky Grundy got behind the Bay defence but shot well wide of the target. Further chances fell to Herne Bay’s Sam Hasler with a string of free kicks as the ‘Chat’s’ started to lose their discipline and right at the end of the first half Danny Walder was brought down in the box by Richard Davies. Danny Walder thumped in the spot kick sending Jack Bradshaw the wrong way.

Soon after the game was brought to a halt ,following a foul on Herne Bay’s Dan Parkinson ,a fracas ensued that involved most of the players (to be honest it was only ‘hand bags’ ) and once tempers cooled the referee proceeded to book four Chatham players with the Bay’s Nathan Eastwood.

Within a minute of the halftime restart Chatham were reduced to ten men when Joe Vines crudely brought down Herne Bays James Turner, he was shown a second yellow card and sent to the dressing room although until he had consulted a linesman the referee was at first intent on booking the wrong Chatham miscreant.

With a man advantage Herne bay took total control of the match . On 56 minutes James Turner went close when he burst through the ‘Chats’ defence only to see Jack Bradshaw pull off a good save at his feet. In the 67th minute Sam Hasler went close following a twice taken corner that Jack Bradshaw saved well on the line. The Chatham defence held out well until the final minute of the match when the tricky Lee Browning scooted through them before threading the ball to Dan Parkinson who fired in from 6 yards to make the game safe for the Bay.

This was a well earned victory for the Herne Bay side and keeps them in the hunt for a play off place, but every game until the end of the season will be like a cup tie, with teams around them doing the same.

"We've had a lot of chances, we've created chances which is a positive and we've kept a clean sheet and the last goal was real quality. Lee Browning's gone through, a little bit of composure and squared it for a tap in. Now that's what we've got to be doing in front of goal, a bit of quality and composure. But listen, it was all about getting back to winning ways and that's what we've done. Now we can look forward to the next game and carry that momentum on", said Denly.

Chatham Town: Jack Bradshaw, Richard Davies, Reece Butler, Jon Difford, Joe Vines, Liam Hickey, Ricky Gundry (Jack Jeffery 86), Joe Loft, George Humber, Kwabena Osei, Luke Medley (Khari Oriogun 66).

Subs not used: Austin Edwards, Laurence Collins, Josh Bray.

Sent Off: Joe Vines Cautions: Richard Davies, Joe Vines, Ricky Gundry, Joe Loft, George Humber

Herne Bay: Jack Delo, Michael Turner, Gary Sayer, Dan Johnson, Liam Quinn, Connor Sanders, Danny Walder, Nathan Eastwood (Joe Nelder 57), James Turner (Lee Browning 71), Dan Parkinson, Sam Hasler (Kane Phillip 78).

Subs not used: Elliott Cutts, Danny Williams.

Sent Off: None Cautions: Nathan Eastwood, James Turner.

Man of the Match: Danny Walder

Referee: Graeme Ions Assistants: Orville Bentley & Leigh Judd