Battling Bay Humble League Leaders at Westhumble

Dorking Wanderers (1) 3
Matthew Briggs 45, 51
Guiseppe Sole 62

Herne Bay (3) 4
Ian Pulman 29
Mark Lovell 41
Danny Williams 43
Connor Sanders 90

Ryman Isthmian League Division One (South)
Saturday 7th January 2017
at Westhumble

Att: 157

(picture credit: Steve Barton)

Denly had said before this encounter that Herne Bay could play with freedom and no fear as they weren't expected to get too much out of the game. The manager added extra firepower to the starting line up and came away with all three points and deservedly so with this exhilarating win against top of the table Dorking Wanderers.

"I thought we were outstanding today especially in the first half", said Herne Bay manager Sam Denly, "that's up there with the best they've ever given me. To get a win away to the league leaders is fantastic".

It doesn't get much better than this, writes Peter Guise. Well, alright, perhaps there could be less of the heart stopping moments but to win in stoppage time by the odd goal in a seven goal thriller away to the league leaders is worth the admission money in itself. In truth Bay could have been out of sight by half time and Dorking ensured the match remained a contest by pulling a goal back just before the interval whistle. Pulman might have had two in the pocket, one effort coming back off the inside of a post, before he opened his account for the club, sliding in to divert Taser Hassan's searching cross passed the excitable Slavomir Huk just before the half hour was up. Pulman turned provider for Mark Lovell to net and Danny Williams let fly with a scorcher and Bay where romping across the Surrey Hills. Cool heads were now called for and when Briggs pulled one back just on the break the visitors knew they would be in for a tough opening th the second forty-five.

The expected rush duly arrived after the turnaround as Bay defended their two goal league in the face of Wanderers' onslaught. Briggs again then Guiseppe Sole, a man with much higher league experience, leveled the match with just less than half an hour to go. Both sides went in search of a winner. Jack Delo came to Bay's rescue on more than one occasion and Walder, Lovell, Williams and Hassan, the latter with one rasping drive from 20 yards that was finger tipped round his right hand post by Huk, all had their chances. But this game demanded a dramatic finish given all that had gone before. Connor Sanders provided it deep into stoppage time, a powerful header from Williams cross that Huk could only claw at. There was barely time to restart the game. Bay had pulled off a cliff hanging, barn storming victory that had the team manager purring and the supporters dancing.

"It's been a fantastic performance. We've scored four goals away from home and beaten the league leaders. We knew they were going to come at us second half, they were a little more direct but we still created a lot of chances. We're looking strong now. I'd have liked to have this squad at the start of the season. It's a really strong dressing room, a lot of quality and we're in a good place at the moment", said Denly.

Herne Bay: Jack Delo, Michael Turner, Gary Sayer, Chris Elliott, Ben Gorham, Connor Sanders, Danny Walder, Danny Williams, Mark Lovell (Adam Woolcott 80), Ian Pulman (James Turner 90), Taser Hassan.

Subs not used: Kane Phillip, Nathan Eastwood, Kenny Sanders