Penalty Draw

Herne Bay (0) 1
Danny Walder 73 (pen)

Guernsey (0) 1
Jake Andrews 48 (pen)

Ryman Isthmian League Division One (South)
Saturday 3rd December 2016
at The Altira Park Stadium, Winch's Field

Att: 161

(photo credit: Steve Barton - Bay levelled thanks to Danny Walder's spot kick)

"It's a big disappointment to dominate a game like that and not come away with all three, it's definitely two points dropped", said Herne Bay manager Sam Denly.

Ray Kelly writes: Herne Bay played out a scrappy draw in a game that was full of incident but lacked skill and class from either side. The first half promised so much but was let down by poor finishing from both sides. Herne Bay were first out of the blocks, forcing three corners in the first 6 minutes, testing the Guernsey custodian Josh Addison who equipped himself well. On 8 minutes the Green Lions’ Liam Mahon tested Jack Delo with a long range effort. As the half progressed both teams were a match for each other with neither getting on top but on 20 minutes Mark Lovell should have put the Bay in front when he out smarted the Guernsey defender but shot wide of the target when through. Both teams ‘Huffed and puffed’ with chances falling to Danny Williams and Michael Turner but neither could convert. A series of good saves by Jack Delo prevented the Green Lions from going in front in the 37/38 and 40 minutes all from Jake Andrews who was a constant threat to the Bay defence. Just before the half time whistle Danny Williams had a good chance to put the Bay ahead when he broke through but his shot was poor and Addison had no trouble in collecting.

The second half started in the worst possible way for Bay, after only 3 minutes Jack Delo rushed out of his goal and upended Jake Andrews in the box, the referee Shaun Farrer had no hesitation in pointing to the spot, Andrews converted. James Turner replaced Kane Phillip and then came a most contentious decision by the referee, following a long throw on from Connor Sanders the ball ended up in the Guernsey net, the referee gave the goal to the Bay but after being badgered by the Guernsey players he changed his mind and and awarded a goal kick to Guernsey. His first decision was correctly reversed after consultation with the assistant referee because no one had touched the ball before it entered the net. Herne Bay started to get on top for the last 20 minutes and on 62 minutes, Addison tipped over a good effort from Kenny Sanders. On 73 minutes Herne Bay restored parity when after a goalmouth scramble Mark Lovell was adjudged to have been tripped in the box, up stepped Danny Walder to fire home the spot kick.

For the final 15 minutes Bay peppered the Guernsey defence looking for a winning goal but the Green Lions held on.

"It was a poor first half, it looked like two teams at the wrong end of the table, not a lot of quality. But I thought the second half, after their goal it was all us going forward, we looked dangerous but we lacked quality in the final third. Some of our decision making wasn't good enough but when you dominate like that you've got to win games of football. It's a disappointing result", said Denly.

Herne Bay: Jack Delo, Michael Turner, Nathan Eastwood, Chris Elliott, Ben Gorham, Connor Sanders, Danny Walder, Kenny Sanders (Femi Apantaku 89), Mark Lovell, Danny Williams, Kane Phillip (James Turner 56)

Subs not used: Josh Algar, Gary Sayer, Josh Wood.

HBFCSA Man of the Match: Nathan Eastwood