After going down 1-0 at home to promotion hopefuls Leatherhead, Herne Bay are anxiously looking over there shoulders after sliding down to 17th. More worrying is the fact only two points have been taken from the last fifteen on offer.

This game started in a similar fashion as in recent weeks, being forced back and defending for long periods. Leatherhead tested our back four as early as the 4th minute when William Cole fired in a snap shot that flew over cross bar and a minute later, Tommy Hutchings sent in a rasping shot that Luke Prentice superbly tipped over the bar.

Bay's first attack came in the 8th minute when a Rhys Lawson effort was blocked by Chris Boulter. On 16 minutes Prentice again rose well, to tip over an Elliott Thompson shot. Over the next ten minutes Joe Nelder and Billy Bennett tried their best to break through Leatherhead's defence, but balls played to Lawson and Dean Grant came to nothing.

On the half hour both Nathan Eastwood and Grant cleared balls off the goal line from efforts from Tom Bradbrook and Mark Simmons. Then five minutes before the break, following a foul by Tom Bryant on the edge of the area, Neil Jenkins fired in a free kick but Prentice,made the save look easy to send the teams in level at half time.

Early in the 2nd period the Tanners keeper, Matt Reed was brought into action for the first time in the match, punching clear Calum McGeehan's
deep cross. This was followed by Bay's best effort of the game. Grant fired over a cross/ come shot that grazed the bar. Leatherhead went in front in the 59th minute from a rather fortuitous break; Eastwood's clearance crashing into Hutchings and ricocheted away to put Jenkins behind the defence, giving him time and space to deliver a low cross to the feet of Bradbrook, who tapped in from two yards.

Jeremy Nnamani should have doubled the lead but he somehow headed substitute, Ryan Flack's cross to far post, wide of the target from close range. Jordan Agbajae replaced James Turner and Ben Brown for Eastwood Any thoughts of a Herne Bay fight back were resolutely rebuffed by a tough, no nonsense Leatherhead defence.

On 85 minutes Michael Turner replaced Grant and with his first touch of the match he just failed to get to the end of a long throw from Nelder.
With a minute left on the clock Prentice produced another fine save from Flack's shot. In reality Bay look too lightweight up front and never really threatened to score and despite missing numerous chances the one goal scored gave the visitors a deserved victory and as an added bonus Goalkeeper, Reed topped up his sun tan, having so little to do at a sunny Winch's Field.

Team; Prentice Eastwood Bryant McGeehan Campbell Nelder Grant Bennett Walker J.Turner Lawson.

Subs; Taylor Agbajae Sayer M.Turner Brown.