Herne Bay FC 2
Tonbridge FC 1

Sunday we hosted Tonbridge with a number of players unavailable due to a variety of reasons, Will suspended and another pulling up injured in the warm up.

Tonbridge started strongly and were on top for the beginning of match forcing a number of corners that the bay were finding difficult to clear.

Eventually the pressure told and Tonbridge scored from a corner right under the bar.

Tonbridge continued to dominate the game and were winning possession all over the pitch with strong challenges, one of which saw Alex’s match come to an end with an injury.

Then against the run of play and as Herne Bay started to get a foot in the game, the home team manufactured a great team goal out of nothing.

Strong defending resulted in Owen coming away with the ball and he travelled across the halfway line. Zac made a run out wide off the ball and Owen slid the ball through to him. As the Tonbridge keeper raced off his line, Zac took a touch and clipped the ball delightfully over his head and into the goal.

Half time 1-1

The second half saw Herne Bay just start to get in their stride before they then lost their captain Henry, also through injury. George replaced Henry having been unfit to start himself due to an injury of sorts.

Herne Bay began to get on top and the game was a much more even affair. As the game became more even and challenges tougher, disaster struck as Zac came off worse in a challenge and couldn’t continue, meaning Herne Bay were down to 10 players for the remaining 30 mins.

Herne Bay defended resolutely through Ethan, Ollie, Charlie and Owen, with Cieran making numerous saves confidently.

The Herne Bay midfield of Max, George, Barnaby and Ashdon were working tirelessly with Jack doing well holding the ball up and making threatening runs as a lone striker.

With a couple of minutes remaining, Jack went on a rampaging run at the heart of the Tonbridge defence and with a drop of the shoulder, and a side step he created a space and released a thunderbolt of a shot into the roof of the net from 20 yards!

Herne Bay held on for the remaining few minutes to gain a well deserved 3 points.