Report from First Team Vets manager Scott Kennett.

Herne Bay Vets 12 - 1 AFC Westgate
M Groom (3)
M Lovell (2)
C Thompson (2)
S Hetterley (5)

After a no show from Baypoint in the opening game of the season and a bye in Round One of the Kent cup, Herne Bay Vets finally got their season underway at home to AFC Westgate, last season's 4th placed team in Division 1. Herne Bay started with an untried experimental 3-4-1-2 formation which attempted to accommodate the players Scott had available. Bay started brightly and were 1-0 up after just two minutes when a corner from Simon Webb was headed in by Mark Lovell after some expert movement in the box to lose his marker. The second followed soon after when the lively Sean Hetterley squared to Mike Groom who opened his body up and put it into the top corner. Hetters again was causing problems and made a run down the left and squared to Lovell to tap in his second. Westgate were probably wishing they had gone to the beach on what was a hot Saturday morning as another good move, which started with Clive Stace, was smashed in the bottom corner by Sean Hetterley to make it 4-0 with only fifteen minutes on the clock. Goal 5 and the goal of the game so far was assisted by a ball over the top to the powerful figure of Craig Thompson, teaming up with former teammate Sean Hetterley and making his competitive debut for Bay, to rifle home from a tight angle. Westgate got a consolation goal before a neat 1-2 between Hetterley and Lovell was finished coolly by Hetterley. Goal six came from Mike Groom after rounding the keeper to make it 7 right on half-time. 8-9-10 were scored by Groom, and Hetterley and Hetterley again for his 4th goal in the game. Goals 11 and 12 followed shortly after scored by the impressive Thompson and Hetterley again to make the final score 12-1 and take his personal haul to five in the game.
Man of the match today was Clive Stace who looked fit and mobile in the centre of midfield and put in a 90 minute display that was full of strength and craft as he drove his team to victory.

Overall this was a solid result in our delayed season opener and one that came despite the absence of a numbers of players most teams in Kent and SE London would bite their arm of for. This bodes well for October when Bay face a difficult run of fixtures (2nd v Baypoint, 9th in the Kent Cup and 16th in the London Cup). This will test the depth and quality of the squad and provide some insight in to the kind of season we will enjoy.