Bay battle with high flying Hythe to share the points

Ryman Division One South
Herne Bay 0-0 Hythe Town

Herne Bay fought out a very creditable 0-0 draw at the Safety Net Stadium Wednesday night against play-off chasing, Hythe Town.

For long periods of the game Herne Bay were on the back foot but the back four of Nathan Eastwood, James Campbell, Calum McGeehan and Tom Bryant were superb.

With only 5 minutes on the clock Bay’s keeper Luke Prentice was in action, saving well from a Brendan Cass close range header. Bay counter attacked with Rhys Laws on outpacing Hythe’s defenders down before shooting from 20 yards; his shot just wide of the upright.
Lawson and Byron Walker looked dangerous on the counter attack but Pat Kingwell and Craig Cloke cleared the Hythe lines well.

McGeehan, headed Darren Winfield’s free kick off the line and minutes later Cass should have done better, but his shot from 10 yards out went tamely wide. Similarly, Jake Hobbs failed to get the ball on target from 1the same range after bursting through the Bay’s defence.
Herne Bay started the second half well and could have taken the lead after some good inter play between Ben Brown, Walker allowed Bryant a shot which went just wide of Eason’s goal.

Walker followed this with a mazy run across the defence but was a little slow getting the ball under control, allowing Craig Cloke to intercept and clear the danger.

Cass again had a good chance but he missed with his header in front of goal after a superb cross from Hobbs Hythe replaced John Walker with Craig Thompson. Further chances fell to Hobbs and Thompson but Prentice was in fine form, saving well on both occasions.

As the half wore on Herne Bay started to impose themselves more and more on the game, and on 67 minutes they were unlucky not to go ahead when Walker was crudely brought down by Kingwell in the Hythe area but Referee Nigel Bond waved play on. A Hythe counter saw Bryant head a shot from Cass shot off the line again. This was followed by a great save from Prentice at the feet of Michael Yianni.

James Turner was replaced by Jordan Agbajae in the 77th minute and five minutes later Dean Grant replaced Michael Turner.

With fresh legs Herne Bay upped their game and only timely collections from former Herne Bay keeper Dan Eason prevented Hythe from going behind
Further chances came with Campbell just heading wide following a Brown’s free kick.

Then with only minutes left on the clock, Prentice blocked a point blank Dave Cook shot There was still time for Eason to thwart another Bay attack saving Bryant’s header but it was Hythe hanging on when the Referee blew for time.

Good result for Bay and for the first time this season Hythe became the only the second team not to score against us in the two league games.

Team Prentice Eastwood Campbell McGeehan Bryant Bewick M.Turner Brown J.Turner Walker Lawson