A Brace for a Brace

Walton Casuals (2) 4
Jeremy Cheadle 28 (pen)
Dominic Ogun 45
Jack Sammoutis 64
Kevant Serbonny 67

Herne Bay (1) 4
Liam Quinn 40, 88
Mark Lovell 77, 78

Ryman Isthmian League Division One (South)
Saturday 25th February 2017
At Church Road, Whyteleafe FC

Att: 41

"I've started so I'll finish" could have been the motto for Liam Quinn today having equalised the Stags opening goal then rounding it off with a second equaliser two minutes from time to seal a draw in an eight goal thriller. Mark Lovell also weighed in with his third successive brace.

There’s never a dull moment when Bay play away, writes Steve Barton. This match had it all – a niggly opening, a bizarre moment when the match was delayed as the home side searched for a ball that was not underinflated, although the hot air emanating from the Stags’ players and bench was enough to blow up all the footballs in the country, a penalty opener on the half hour and an equaliser from Captain Fantastic Liam Quinn five minutes before the break, hand bags, a great save from Jack Delo, Casuals going ahead, a horizontally laid-back referee and some harsh words exchanged on the way back to the dressing room from members of each side’s management team, and still with 45 minutes to go. By 67 minutes Walton Casuals were 4-1 up and looking likely to score more but the resilience of the boys proud to wear the blue and white came to the fore. Sam Denly introduced Umaku Mansaray and Darnell Weise and the Casuals’ defence began to stutter under the freedom of expression that the changes allowed the Bay offensive line. Denzel Gerrar denied Herne Bay on three occasions before it once again became the Mark Lovell show, as he headed in, first an Adam Woollcott corner and then a Connor Sanders cross. Two minutes before the end a pinpoint Woollcott cross was met by Quinn and the scores were level. One point was so nearly three when, with seconds left on the clock, Lovell headed back to Sanders, four yards out, but his blast was deflected over the bar. Herne Bay had the majority amongst the 41 crowd and the visiting fans went home knowing that they had received full value for money.

What a game, writes John Bathurst. With five U21s in the 16 man squad and two in the starting eleven the hardy travelling Bay supporters might not have expected to get anything out of this game but how wrong they were. Williams, Nelder, Kenny Sanders all injured or unavailable, Femi Apantaku and Izzy Adebayo were drafted into the team. The outfield players on the bench were all U21s; Caleb Afoke, Darnell Weise and Umanu Mansaray. All of the these featured in the game and they can be really proud of their
performance in the Bay shirt.

The first half was a pretty even affair with the speed of the Casuals forwards causing problem for the defenders, not helped by an official who reacted to the continual screaming every time they were tackled. Casuals took the lead from the penalty spot after Malachi Hudson was adjudged to have been fouled in the box. Jordan Cheadle made no mistake from the spot. Liam Quinn levelled 9 minutes later only for Dominic Ogun to walk his through a static defensive line to restore the lead just before half time.

It looked like it was going to be a cricket score when Casuals scored two goals in a three minute 2nd half spell. Only a couple of blinding saves from Jack Delo kept the score to four. Weise and Mansary came on for Adebayo and James Turner and this seemed to spark some life into Bay. Two great saves in the space of a minute from their 'keeper Denzil Gerrer ensured the three goal lead was maintained but Bay were not to be denied. A double strike from Mark Lovell in the 77th and 78th minute brought new hope. Adam Woollcott had flighted a brilliant free kick to Lovell at the far post for the third goal and his even better delivery of another free kick in the 86th minute was expertly headed into the bottom corner of the goal by man of the match, Quinn to bring Bay level.

A fantastic half of football; coming back from being dead and buried Bay showed their resilience with the players giving everything to the cause. At the end of the day it was only a point, which we probably would have gladly taken at the start of the day.

(photo credit: Steve Barton - thumbs up from the Turners to the faithful on the way to the pitch)

Herne Bay: Jack Delo, Michael Turner, Gary Sayer, Ben Gorham, Liam Quinn, Connor Sanders, Adam Woollcott, Femi Apantaku (Darnell Weise 67), James Turner (Umaku Mansaray 67), Mark Lovell, Isiag Adebayo (Caleb Afoke 85)

Man of the Match: Liam Quinn

Sub not used: Toby Wood