Clinical Lewes Leave with the Points

Herne Bay (0) 1
Connor Sanders 90

Lewes (2) 4
Stephen Okoh 35, 45, 47 (pen)
Kaja Egli 55

Ryman Isthmian League Division One (South)
Tuesday 10th January 2017
at The Altira Park Stadium, Winch's Field

Att: 184

(Photo credit: Peter Guise - Ian Pulman's penalty saved by Fernadez)

It had been 26 years since Bay had played a competitive match with Lewes and a 20 minute period divided equally by the half time interval supplied a victory for promotion chasing Lewes with clinical finishing. Herne Bay came into this game off the back of a thoroughly deserved win at league leaders Dorking but a penalty miss in the eighth minute didn't help their cause and set the scene for the rest of the evening. Ian Pulman broke down the right, cut in, and was dumped to the floor. Fernandez guessed correctly and saved to his right then got up quickly enough to save Pulman's follow up shot. Three minutes later Taser Hassan shot from distance but his effort flew just wide of Fernadez's left hand post. Bay dominated the first half but Lewes made the most of their limited chances. Both first half goals came from breakaways, both were finished by Okoh, first in the 35th minute and then on the stroke of half time.

The tale was much the same after the break. Lewes gained more ground with a penalty two minutes after the turnaround. A bizarre event with Bay 'keeper Toby Wood adjudged to have fouled just inside the box with later anecdotal evidence from the travelling party suggesting that Wood was the one to have been fouled. Nevertheless, it resulted in a booking for the Bay 'keeper and a hat-trick completion for Okoh. Bay surged forward time and time again but Fernadez stood firm between the visitor's sticks. Egli, again on the break, added a fourth for the visitors in the 55th minute but still Bay came forward and still were denied by Fernandez. The clean sheet was, rightly, not to be though as Connor Sanders came up with a close range consolation for the home side in stoppage time.

On this evidence, Lewes will be in the end of season play offs whilst Bay look likely to consolidate a mid table berth.

Herne Bay: Toby Wood, Michael Turner, Gary Sayer (Liam Quinn 45), Chris Elliott, Ben Gorham, Connor Sanders, Adam Woollcott, Danny Williams, Mark Lovell, Ian Pulman (James Turner 68), Taser Hassan (Kane Phillip 58).

Subs not used: Nathan Eastwood, Jack Delo.

HBFCSA Man of the Match: Adam Woollcott