After last week’s comprehensive away league win, Herne Bay were back at home for the second round of the county cup on a misty November afternoon. Their opponents were Kennington, who received a bye in the first round. Having defeated local rivals Ramsgate in the first round, the Bay were looking to take another step towards a trophy.

The home team were fastest out of the traps, pressing and harrying to win the ball, and playing out calmly from back to front in possession. Early chances fell to Blake and Freddie, both from Ethan passes, before Blake and Danny again tested the keeper’s reflexes. At the other end, Callum had to be alert to save an effort from distance as Kennington made a rare foray forward, breaking rapidly after clearing a Herne Bay corner. But it was from another Herne Bay corner that the deadlock was broken. Blake swung his delivery to the far post and Ethan was on hand to provide the finish. 1-0.

With their tails up, the home team pressed for a second and it was some intricate interplay that created it. Danny back-heeled a through ball to Freddie, running the left hand-channel. His low ball across the box was begging to be finished but Sammy, sliding in, couldn’t quite get there. Fortunately for Herne Bay, Finn had followed the action and found himself unmarked at the far post, where he side footed confidently back across the keeper. 2-0.

There was still time before the half closed for Sammy to strike the top of the bar from a Danny cross. Given the dominant opening half, one could be forgiven for expecting more of the same in the second. However, Kennington came out purposefully as the second half began and almost immediately got themselves back into the game. Some lax passing led to a turnover deep in the Herne Bay half and the away team quickly took advantage, finding a spare man at the far post to halve the advantage. 2-1.

As if stung into action, Herne Bay quickly got their two goal lead back. Charlie, advancing through midfield, found Danny with an enticing through ball, and the wide-man unselfishly crossed to the far post for Freddie to apply the finishing touch. 3-1.

The game began to get a little stretched, with both teams on the front foot trying to create openings. A Kennington player let fly from 25 yards and Callum was relieved to see it arc away from his far post. If the warning was clear, Herne Bay didn’t heed it and conceded their second of the game. A long ball down the left got Kennington’s forward behind the Herne Bay defence and he calmly slotted under Callum to leave the game in the balance. 3-2.

Once again, the home team was awoken and they regained their two goal advantage for a third time, this time Callum turned provider with a long clearance and Freddie was first to it, advancing round the keeper and slotting into an empty net. 4-2.

The away team continued to push and almost got in again with a curling ball over the top, only for Theo, covering round, to clear the ball away to the right hand touchline. Freddie latched onto the loose ball and held off the left back before crossing to Sammy to bundle home past a defender and the keeper. 5-2.

There was still time to put further icing on the cake as Blake swung a free kick over for Tom to power a header into the net. 6-2. Kennington made one last push to add to their goal tally but, after breaking through the backline one final team, Theo was on hand to make two last ditch tackles to prevent the striker getting his shot away.

So, despite some self-enforced nervous moments, Herne Bay advance to the last 16 of the county cup, hoping for another home draw and a little extra magic of the cup.

Goal Scorers

Ethan x1
Finn x1
Freddie x2
Sammy x1
Tom x1