Herne Bay secured their second win of a busy pre-season schedule on Tuesday evening with a 3-2 win at Addlestone Moor against Abbey Rangers.

The visitors took the lead early in the first half through Kymani Thomas, who finished well from the centre of the home penalty area.

Abbey Rangers levelled the score after the break, with their forward turning the ball home into an empty net after intercepting Jordan Perrin’s pass.

The hosts then took the lead just under 10 minutes later with another close-range finish which left the Bay trailing for the first time this pre-season.

However, Ansah brought Herne Bay back into the game, clipping the ball past the home ‘keeper, before Aaron Millbank thumped the ball home with 20 minutes left on the clock to put the visitors ahead once again.

Abbey Rangers had one or two late chances to tie the game up, but the Bay defence held firm to make it two wins from two.

Wasting no time in getting into the game, Ansah almost found the back of the net after only two minutes, but his low angled shot dribbled agonisingly wide of the bottom corner.

It didn’t take long for Ben Smith’s side to edge ahead when five minutes after Zak’s attempt, Thomas went one better with a cool finish that left the ‘keeper with no chance.

Herne Bay were hammering on the door at this point, with Ansah, Thomas, and Kieron Campbell all inches away from doubling the visitors’ lead. However, the hosts were beginning to warm into the game, with a deep corner in the 23rd minute almost resulting in an equaliser.

As the game approached half time, the visitors had two golden opportunities to score. In the 41st minute, Campbell’s ferocious shot was spilled by the ‘keeper, who recovered in time to deny Ansah a simple finish. Then, with the seconds left on the clock, a wonderful ball from Mike West was almost stabbed home by Zak at the far post, but the cross was just beyond his reach.

Whatever the Abbey Rangers coaching staff had said to their players during the break certainly worked as only three minutes after the restart, they were level. Reacting quickly to close Perrin down, the home forward intercepted the ball before passing into an empty net.

Herne Bay struggled to respond and before long, they were trailing when an Abbey player was played into space, leaving him to slot the ball beyond Perrin’s reach from inside the area.

Going behind seemed to spark Smith’s side into life, with KC’s speculative long-range effort crashing against the crossbar on the hour mark.

The momentum had fully swung in our favour and in the 64th minute, Ansah levelled things up with a well-taken finish, one which was made possible by Hamilton Antonio’s defence-splitting pass.

A moment danger for the Bay soon followed when an Abbey player burst through on goal in the 68th minute, but his shot was sliced well wide; a welcome reminder that the hosts posed a real threat going forward.

Having just come on moments earlier, Millbank soon made his mark on the game when he gave Herne Bay the lead with only 20 minutes to go. Another trademark KC shot was fumbled by the ‘keeper but he wasn’t quick enough to react this time, with Aaron blazing home from close range.

Another substitute almost played a role in putting the game to bed in the 80th minute but having rounded the Abbey Rangers number one, Jack Parter fired into the side netting from a tight angle.

Thankfully, three goals proved to be enough to see off our impressive hosts as the Bay’s unbeaten pre-season run continues.

Final Score: Abbey Rangers 2 Herne Bay 3

Starting XI: Jordan Perrin, Frankie Morgan (Jack Parter 55’), Daniel Johnson (Laurence Harvey 67’), Joe Denny (Troy Williams 55’), Dan Carrington, Bode Anidugbe, Mike West (Lanre Azeez 61’), Kieron Campbell, Zak Ansah (Aaron Millbank 65’), Marcel Barrington (Eddie Allsopp 65’), Kymani Thomas (Hamilton Antonio 61’)