Erith Town 1
Herne Bay 2 (Kasinga-Madia 17’, McFarlane 45+3’)
Bookings: Tyrie, Smith, Procopi, Wyborn, Rogers
Player of the Match: Liam Friend
Attendance: 111

Herne Bay Line-Up
Starting XI: 1 Coleman, 2 Procopi, 3 Wyborn, 4 Christian-Law, 5 Friend, 6 Tyrie, 7 McFarlane (15 Sessegnon 90+4’), 8 F Smith, 9 Bloomfield, 10 Brand (17 Rogers 76’), 11 Kasinga-Madia (12 Saunders 55’)
Unused Subs: 13 Will Underwood, 14 Jamie Lartice

Referee: Stuart Smith
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Summary
Herne Bay travelled to The Stanmore Stadium looking to continue their recent form. A first-half display of excellent quality was complemented by a solid defence in the second, bringing home maximum points.
Bay continued with the same defence that kept a clean sheet against Sheppey in midweek and moved Frankie Smith to midfield in place of the suspended Scott Heard. A debut was handed to Deese Kasinga-Madia in place of Monty Saunders.
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First Half: Herne Bay 2-0
Erith Town started with determination and had the best of the opening minutes. Jacob Connor robbed Louie Procopi, and a timely interception by Liam Friend prevented any further threat. Bay was put under pressure from a few long throws and long free kicks into the heart of the defence, but that was easily dealt with.
Tyler Christian-Law worked very hard chasing down opponents, and a succession of fouls on him was a sign of what was to come in a game that rarely flowed because of the regular stoppages.
After 13 minutes, Alfie Bloomfield was fouled out on the touchline by Thomas Ash, Smith took a quick free kick to Kymani McFarlane, and he cut inside towards the centre of the pitch. Smith had followed McFarlane inside and laid the ball back to Smith. Smith spotted a gap appear in the defence and drove into the penalty area. Jayaguru’s mistimed tackle on Smith left the referee with no choice: penalty to Herne Bay.
Up stepped McFarlane to take the spot kick, but although it was directed to the post, it wasn’t struck with enough power to beat the outstretched goalkeeper Harrison Firth.
A wasted opportunity for Bay was soon forgotten as the opening goal came four minutes later. Erith’s long clearance was headed away by Friend and flicked on by Smith to McFarlane. He quickly spotted the run of Deese-Kasinga Madia and threaded the ball through to him, and he calmly rolled it past the keeper, who was trying to close him down.
Wyborn started a promising move by Bay when he fed Christian-Law, and in turn, he played to Madia. He hit a delightful pass across to McFarlane on the other side of the pitch, but the move then broke down as McFarlane, for once, didn’t beat his marker.
Bay was thankful that Erith’s centre forward, Elliot Duncan, shot wide from a good position when he may have felt he should have done better.
After 37 minutes, Smith was given a yellow card, which seemed to be the catalyst for a flurry of free kicks and cards. Bay received five, and there were nine in total in the match.
Herne Bay took a two-goal lead into the break thanks to an additional-time goal. Procopi cleared an Erith Town corner towards McFarlane. He outpaced the two Erith defenders from within our own half and kept control to about 8 yards out and unleashed an unstoppable shot into the roof of the net.
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Final Score: Herne Bay 2-1
Erith Town made two half-time substitutions to try to get back into the game. Play was regularly disrupted, and some fouls were punished with yellow cards, others with lengthy discussions with the offender.
From one of such fouls on Harvey Brand, Christian-Laws free-kick was won by Bloomfield who nodded down for Friend to have his shot deflected wide for a corner.
Madia was taken off after an injury to his back and replaced by Saunders.
Erith did get a goal back in the 56th minute. Out of nothing, one of their substitutes Lorenzo Lewis’s unexpected low cross along the ground, reached Duncan, who placed it first-time in the goal, catching everyone flat-footed.
In the 62nd minute, Coleman made an excellent double save at his near post to thwart Tom O’Connor, keeping Bay ahead.
From a Smith corner, Bloomfield flicked on a Friend header, which was deflected into the arms of the keeper, possibly off the arm of a defender.
In the 79th minute, a spectacular overhead kick by Rogers was unlucky to go straight to Erith’s keeper.
Bay closed out the game without too many concerns.
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Upcoming Fixtures
• Monday 25th August, 15:00 – Deal Town (Home- Isthmian League)
• Saturday 6th September, 15:00 – Ashford United (Home – Isuzu FA Trophy)
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