Herne Bay will be looking to secure their first win in five on Tuesday evening when they make the head north to face league leaders Bishop’s Stortford.

Following a hard fought draw against near neighbours Margate, a game in which the Bay felt they could have got something more from, Kevin Watson’s side were tasked with trying to bounce back against an Aveley side competing for a place in the National League South.

However, despite a valiant effort, the Bay fell to a narrow 2-1 defeat at the MBS Stadium, with Marcel Barrington continuing his fine personal form by scoring the Bay’s only goal of the game.

Tom Stephen handed the visitors the lead after nine minutes, firing into the bottom corner after the Bay struggled to clear their lines.

Barrington equalised almost immediately for the hosts when he rose highest to head home Mason Saunders-Henry’s dangerous cross.

Aveley were awarded a contentious penalty in the 67th minute, one which Siju Odelusi converted into the top corner.

But the Bay were able to respond as they did in the first, with Barrington’s near miss in the 90th minute the closest the Bay came to grabbing a point.

The Opposition

Bishop’s Stortford was formed on Thursday 28th January 1874 at the Chequers Hotel in the town. Just over two weeks later the first match was played with the East of England Non-Conformist Grammar School (now Bishop’s Stortford College) being defeated 2-1, with goals coming from Rev. R J Tomes. In that first season 15 games were played, three of which were won, with seven others drawn.

The club colours at that time were vivid crimson and olive green. After several years of playing just friendly matches the club became one of the founder members of the Hertfordshire Football Association in 1885 and played in the first ever County Senior Cup competition that same season, beating Aspley 2-1 away from home in their first match.

The club was accepted into the FA Cup for the first time in the 1924-25 season and then it was in 1929 that the next milestone was reached when the club was accepted into Division Two (East) of the Spartan League. A good start was made with the Ministry of Health being well beaten 5-0. Three years later, at the end of the 1931-32 season, the Division Two (East) championship was won and with-it promotion to Division One of the Spartan League. A year later Stortford won the Herts Senior Cup for the first time.

The 1950s saw steady progress in the club’s fortunes with the Delphian League title being won in season 1954-55. Until this time progress in the FA Amateur Cup had been nothing but a dream but in season 1962-63 Stortford found themselves only two games away from Wembley.

The Premier Division title was eventually captured in the 1969-70 season. Then, a long- term ambition was realised when an application to join the Isthmian League was accepted for the 1971-72 season. The early 1970s was also another very successful period in the club’s history, third place in the League was achieved in season 1973-74, Stortford’s best ever position, whilst six cup final victories were achieved in the space of four seasons.

In more recent times, the club was relegated to Division 1 at the conclusion of the 1991-92 term, but with ex-Arsenal star John Radford now as the Blues manager Stortford regained Premiership status by winning the Division One championship in season 1993-94.

After 18 months during which home league matches were played at Boreham Wood, St. Albans City, Hitchin Town, Dagenham & Redbridge and Ware, the club were once again relegated to Division One at the end of the 1998/99 season. But a new and eagerly awaited chapter in the club’s history began on Saturday 17th July 1999 when the new Woodside Park Stadium finally opened.

A brave new world opened for Blues in August 2004 as they kicked off their Conference South campaign with a 2-1 win at home to Eastbourne Borough. It was a journey into the unknown with league trips as far afield as Weymouth and Newport, but Blues held their own in the autumn with a position on the fringe of the play offs before finishing tenth.

In season 2009/10, Stortford again won the County Senior Cup. Simpson was replaced by ex-England and Spurs goalkeeper Ian Walker. A late three game winning run saw Walker save Blues from the drop and his side lifted the Herts Charity Cup with victory against Cheshunt. But the club where hit by a bombshell at the Conference AGM in early June when they were placed in the northern section following the demise of Rushden & Diamonds.

A return to Conference South saw a fine first half to the 2013/2014 campaign contending for a “play-off” place and reaching the 1st Round of the FA Cup once again. They were handed a tie at home to Northampton Town that was televised live on ITV and attracted a record crowd of 2,548.

The 2016/17 season was a disaster for the club and probably the worst in the history finishing in the second-from-bottom place to be relegated to the Evo Stik Southern League after 13 seasons in the Conference set-up.

The 2021/22 campaign was one of the most memorable in recent years with a settled squad setting about on a remarkable campaign that saw the club taste defeat just five times in 42 league outings, amassing 87 points to finish second behind Champions Worthing, only to fall just short in the play-off final.

Opposition so far

Currently, our hosts on Tuesday evening find themselves atop the Isthmian League Premier Division table after 19 wins, six draws, and six losses from their 31 completed league matches, scoring 50 goals while conceding 24 for a goal difference of +26.

With the single automatic promotion place seemingly going to one of three teams as things stand (Bishop’s Stortford, Aveley, or Hornchurch), regularly scoring points will certainly be on the agenda for the Blues, making Tuesday’s game particularly tough.

In their last outing against Horsham, Ryan Charles’ 54th-minute striker cancelled out Shamir Fenelon’s early opener to ensure that the spoils were shared.

Key Players

Sam Deering (Midfielder): Sam started his career as a youth player with Arsenal, Chelsea and then Oxford United, becoming a regular in the latter's first team. He then moved on to play professionally for Cheltenham Town and Barnet, before dropping down to play for Whitehawk- a big part of their success in the middle of the last decade as they came close to promotion from National League South.

Ebbsfleet United was his next port of call, before he became a big part of the Billericay Town midfield. He then spent time with Dagenham & Redbridge. Last season he helped Farnborough to promotion to National League South.

Ryan Henshaw (Defender): A Club captain Ryan joined Stortford in early November 2018. Racked up over 300 appearances for AFC Sudbury before a switch to Heybridge Swifts.

Had nine goals in 116 Blues appearances to his name heading into the 22/23 campaign having also been voted into the Isthmian Premier team of the season following a superb 21/22 season that also saw him named as Players’ Player Of The Year.

Jack Giddens (Goalkeeper): A Jack won the Isthmian League Premier Division with Billericay Town, having also played for St Neots Town, Aveley, Tilbury, and East Thurrock Utd.

Wrote his name into Blues folklore in the 21/22 season by breaking a number of records, including setting an all-time club record of 1088 minutes without conceding a goal. Voted into the Isthmian Team of The Season 21/22.

Last time we met

We last faced Bishop’s Stortford earlier in the season in the Isuzu FA Trophy Third Round. On that occasion, Rory Smith’s first half goal proved to be not enough as Herne Bay fell to a 2-1 defeat.

Smith edged the Bay ahead early in the first half with a strike which, via a slight deflection, left the visiting ‘keeper with little chance of stopping it.

Matthew Johnson levelled things up for Bishop’s moments later, rising highest to head the ball home from Darren Foxley’s left-wing cross.

Foxley got in on the act to give the visitors the lead shortly after the restart, with the midfielder slotting home from a tight angle.

And despite some late pressure from the Bay, they were unable to find an equaliser as Bishop’s held on to progress to the next round.

Ticket News

Adult: £12
Concessions: £8
Students (ID Required): £6
Under 16’s: £1

All children Under 12’s admitted FREE when accompanied by an adult.