With the league programme drawing to a close, attention turned to the Thanet Cup. Holders HBV were granted an away win walkover when Eastry couldn’t field a side. That left the 35s as the only side in action as they faced Canterbury University of Kent away on their grass pitch.

A number of players were missing. Craig Gilpin daughter surprised him by having her birthday on the same date as she did last year, and the other Gilpin was ill on the day of the match. Like London buses, you seem to get either two Gilpins or none at all. Also unavailable were Simon Smith after a close brush with the younger Gilpin’s boney arse, and Richard Parker, possibly celebrating his 50th, an event that seemed to totally bypass manager Kidd.

Back in to the foad came Lee Fold and Simon Bates after missing the game to boost the back line and Haydn’s training ground injury meant a rare start for Mark Kidd at left-back. Tom Powell resumed his excellent work in front of Matt Boyce in the nets.

A midfield three of Munday, Close and Betts boasted creativity and destruction in equal measure and, in an effort to accommodate the twin talents of Curtis and Walter,
Matt Huckstep tucked in behind the strikers in a narrow formation.

The pitch, although grass, was decent enough but the very first pass of the game from kick off surprised the Canterbury winger with a huge bobble and the tone was set for a reasonably scrappy first half. Bay coped with the unpredictable pitch but it appeared to make them hurry their passes and in general lacked a bit of quality.

The pitch itself was small and the game plan was to press the opponents and use the compactness of the pitch to hurry the opponents, something which worked to an extent.

The visitors were creating the better of the chances and forced a number of corners, one from the right whipped into the near post from left footer Kidd to Betts who ran to meet it but directed it just over.

Sharp came on half-way through the first half in part to deal with the pace of the home winger who looked the brightest spark in the opposing team and Kidd took a rest. Defensively, even before the change, Bay dealt well with whatever attacking threat was thrown at them. Canterbury did have a couple of breaks but the final pass was wayward and the attack broke down.

For Bay, Huckers and Munday switched positions in an effort to get more of Stu’s creativity in the final third and to an extent it worked as the visitors carved out a number of small chances.

Overall it was a scrappy first half of few opportunities and as the second half kicked off both teams knew they were only 45 mins away from the lottery of a penalty shoot out if a break through could not be found.

It was Bay who looked the most likely, and with Kidd back on and Sharp switched to the right, the visitors looked the more threatening as he took on his full back.

The opening goal came from a Boyce goal kicked that Scott Curtis deftly flicked into the path of the on-rushing Gary Walter and with the offside trap well and truly sprung he raced on finished past the keeper. The home linesman dutifully put his flag up but referee John Haddock was having the none of it, as he saw Gary start behind Scott when the ball was played. It was controversial and saw the goalie sin binned for protesting too much.

The man less allowed Bay a little breathing space but the score didn’t change until the home side had their full complement of players back on the pitch. With around 15 mins remaining, Matt Huckstep picked the ball from Gary Walter on the left hand side of the pitch, worked his way into the area and fired an unstoppable shot in the bottom left for his first goal of the season.

In the final stages Canterbury pushed on a little, forced a number of corners but Bay were comfortable and saw the game out.

The win sets up an away tie against Real Socialdads on 1 April while Herne Bay Vets face Betteshanger at home, a repeat of an early Kent Cup tie that Bay won 6-0.

Two wins puts both sides through to the semi finals and if we can avoid each other gives us a chance at an all Herne Bay final.

Here is how we lined up at the start:

M Boyce

S Bates T Powell L Foad M Kidd

S Munday D Close M Betts

M Huckstep

G Walter S Curtis

Bench: C Sharp

Result: Canterbury 0-2 HBFC O35s
Man-of-the-match: Player's vote: L Foad
Man-of-the-match: Opposition vote:
Referee: John Haddock [80]