The fixture computer must have been having a chuckle to itself when it decreed that Sittingbourne’s first home game of the campaign would be a visit from Herne Bay. Sittingbourne are one of only eight sides that Bay will have met in all of their six seasons in the Isthmian League and there has rarely been a dull match, although 2012/13 came close with two draws, 0-0 at home, 2-2 away (Jordan Agbajae and Sam Bewick, from the spot, scoring the goals). For 2013/14 the Brickies moved from Bourne Park to Woodstock Park and the 2-4 away defeat was scientifically described by the Herne Bay faithful as the worst performance of the season with goals from Stuart King and James Turner. To increase the pain Jack Delo was sent off just before the final whistle with Sam Hasler donning the gloves and picking the ball out of the net as his first goalkeeping duty after being beaten from the penalty spot. The return at the Field of Dreams in April 2014 was yet another draw, 1-1, Sam Hasler for Herne Bay and a certain Jono Richardson for Sittingbourne.

Onto 2014/15 and a further visit to the Woodstock, and a further draw, Stuart King netting in the 1-1 stalemate. Come November 2014 and Bay secured their first win at the sixth attempt, with Stuart King, again, and Danny Walder (penalty) securing the 2-0 victory. 2015/16 opened with a brace from England Schoolboy International Elliot Cutts and one from James Turner to give Bay the ideal start to the campaign. When Bay travelled up the A2 four months later Steven Ita had swopped blue for red and Jack Delo had not conceded in 602 minutes, just 65 away from breaking Efrem Ebbli’s record set in 1997/98. And it was Ita who saw that Delo fell 26 minutes short, with Danny Williams and Danny Walder completing the season’s double in a 2-1 win.

Last campaign the self-proclaimed best supporters in the league came to Winch’s Field in November in large numbers and were vociferous but could not cheer their team to victory as Mark Lovell’s pair and a contender for ‘Goal of the Season’ from Chris Elliott gave Herne Bay a simple 3-0 win. After two postponements due to a frozen pitch, the temperatures rose for Valentine’s Day 2017 and after a 13th minute lead from Danny Williams in front of a home crowd who were as quiet as a church mouse, Gary Sayer was unjustly sent-off, for a foul in the area, but Delo was up to the task, covering the goal and the penalty hit the post. The Brickies levelled early in the second period and Connor Wilkins (!) gave the home side the lead. With the seconds ticking down Michael Turner, who had taken over the dead-ball duties from the departed Walder, curled a 25-yard free-kick round the wall and in off the upright to salvage a point. The 10 Isthmian League games between the two teams thus far has seen four wins, five draws and just one defeat, with 18 goals scored and 12 conceded. Despite Bay’s obvious superiority head-to-head, Sittingbourne have finished above Herne Bay for three of the five past seasons.

Going back in time, when Herne Bay moved from the Athenian League to the Kent League for the 1974/75 season (Sittingbourne had been resident there since 1967/69 after they had been relegated from the Southern League), the two sides met every campaign until 1990/91 when the Brickies won their third league title and were promoted back to the Southern League. These 17 seasons were the dark ages in the illustrious 130-year (131 this season) history of Herne Bay FC and out of the 34 encounters between the two sides Bay won 3, drew 6 and lost 25. There was also a goal difference of -50 with Herne Bay scoring 27 and Sittingbourne 77! By the next campaign, 1991/92, the Todds had taken over Herne Bay and installed Trevor Gowan as manager and the Kent League was won, seven points ahead of second-placed Faversham Town.

This time around the Herne Bay squad will consist of a multitude of ex-Brickies following last season’s Under 18 and Under 21s joint-bosses John Embery and Jermaine Darlington in making the move down the A2 to Winch’s Field. Sittingbourne’s squad could include Ben Gorham and Kane Phillip, both who appeared for Herne Bay last time out, although close-season signing Chris Elliott has debunked to Ashford United. There could also be a first outing for new mascot ‘Billy the Brickie’ who apparently is a dragon. His full name is Sir William Wyvern. He is The Wyvern on The Towns Badge.

The opening day’s fixtures saw Bay stunned by a time-added on winner from Lewes in a match that we deserved a share of the spoils. Sittingbourne won 2-1 at Chipstead and ended the day in 7th place with Bay down in 20th. Still no Herne Bay manager has managed in an Isthmian League win in their first game in charge. Herne Bay’s record without a win is now extended to eight matches (seven under Sam Denly and one under John Embery and Jermaine Darlington) and must now beat the Brickies to stop the chance of equalling the worst run without a win since joining the Isthmian League in 2012/13.