There’s Something About The Thames!

Walton & Hersham (0) 1
Andrews 87

Herne Bay (1) 2
Casey 12, Grant 82

Ryman League Divison One (South)
Stompond Lane

Saturday 22nd February 2014

Attendance 95

by Steve Barton

With two teams that have gained just one point between them from a combined 13 games and playing on a poor bobbly pitch it was never going to be a classic but there is, perhaps, something about the Thames that Herne Bay like. Five straight defeats were sandwiched in between a 6-0 thumping of Walton Casuals and this slide stopping win against Walton & Hersham. It always looked likely that the team that dug the deepest and took their chances would win and so it proved to be.

Sam Denly made three changes to the side that lost 1-0 to Worthing four days previously. Nathan Eastwood came in for Sam Hasler, who was nursing a knee injury, Danny Walder and Joe Kennett dropped to the bench making way for Joe Nelder and George Benner.

Bay could have been 3-0 up within the first 10 minutes. A miscue from Walton keeper Mo Mann sent the ball swerving across his goal and Jordan Casey, under pressure from a defender, saw his toe poke end up wide of the mark. Mo Mann tipped a Stuart King strike over the bar and a minute later the Bay striker was brought down in the box by Dan Dean. With regular penalty taker Danny Walder on the bench it was Stuart King himself who stepped up to the spot but his kick was too near the goalkeeper and easily parried.

In the 12th minute the pressure paid dividends as Ben Brown swung a free-kick over to the far post and Jordan Casey met it with a thumping header to give Mo Maan no chance. The Swans best opportunity to equalise came from Alan Bray but his header was cleared off the line by Michael Turner. The Bay defence were coping with everything that the twin strike force of Gary Drewett and Mu Maan could throw at them and Andy Lomas failed to take his chance when closing in on goal.

Stuart King had two free-kicks from outside of the box, neither which seriously troubled Mo Mann and with the clock ticking down towards the break Joe Nelder was penalised for a high foot and the resultant set piece from Mu Mann deflected, bringing a great save from Jack Delo.

The second half commenced with Dean Grant’s cross/shot skimming the bar and Jordan Casey firing high and wide. Herne Bay have been involved in some bizarre football moments this season and today was going to be no different. Walton & Hersham’s Alan Bray had already been booked following an altercation with Gary Sayer and he rose Maradona-like to prevent a long ball reaching Stuart King. As he was the last man everyone expected a straight red but referee Mr. Williams consulted his assistant and showed a yellow. The man in black then prepared for the game to continue completely missing the fact that Bray had already been booked. He waved away the protestations of Jack Delo who was pointing at his captain’s armband and booked the Bay on-pitch leader. Mr. Williams then consulted his assistant again and, realising his mistake, eventually sent Bray off.

As often happens with a side reduced to 10 men Walton & Hersham upped their tempo and pushed forward. Delo was again in fine form as he turned a great free-kick round the post from Greg Andrews 10 minutes before the end but two minutes later Dean Grant picked the ball up halfway into the Swans half and sliced through the defence to hammer a rare left-foot shot high into the roof of the net.

Nervous moments followed and three minutes from normal time Walton & Hersham were awarded a free-kick just outside of the Bay box. Jack Delo set his wall up to protect the right side of his goal as he took up his position on the left. Greg Andrews curled his shot around the wall leaving Delo rooted to the spot.

Neither team seemed happy with the referee’s performance and after a niggly last few minutes he blew his whistle to bring the curtain down on three points for the Bay and a move up one place to 15th.

Herne Bay team: Jack Delo, Michael Turner, Gary Sayer, Joe Nelder, Connor Sanders (Joe Kennett 87), George Benner, Nathan Eastwood, Ben Brown, Stuart King (Danny Walder 89), Jordan Casey (Jamie O’Connell 74), Dean Grant.

Subs not used: Harry Brown, Kane Phillip.