Whitehawk Net Five

Herne Bay: Robb Budd, Simon Kabamba (George Crimmen), Laurence Harvey, Stuart West, Malachi Robinson, Chris Saunders, Tushaun Tyreese-Walters (Ryan King-Elliott), Jordan Johnson-Palmer, Zak Ansah, Bola Dawodu (Ricky Freeman), Keiron Campbell.

Robb Budd returned in goal, Malachi Robinson replaced Gary Sayer and Bola Dawodu came in for Ricky Freeman.

“Speechless, a spineless performance” was manager Ben Smith’s verdict. Looking bright in the opening minutes Keiron Campbell curled his shot just past James Broadbent’s upright, but on 14 the rout started when ex-Dover striker, 6’ 7” Duane Ofori-Acheampong rose to head home a cross from Connor Tighe. Six minutes later Tighe unleashed a powerful shot from 20 yards and Herne Bay were two down. The visitors were reduced to long range attempts and both Zac Ansah and Chris Saunders saw their shots rise well over the bar.

Eleven minutes into the second half Ofori-Acheampong netted his second after a cross from Fintan Walsh. Just after the hour Campbell gave Herne Bay a glimmer of hope with a 20-yarder. Bay, at last, came alive but their temporary superiority came to nothing and 11 minutes from time substitute Rob Deda burst through the penalty area and slotted past Rob Budd. Had it not been for heroics from Budd the Hawks tally could easily have been in double figures. Ofori-Acheampong secured his hat-trick in added time after beating Budd from close range.

Ben Smith continued, “The way we are conceding goals is embarrassing, utterly embarrassing. You can’t play for ten minutes in football, that’s what we have done today. A ten-minute spell with eight or nine shots and that’s it from us. That’s the final straw and they’ll be some big changes in personnel and the way we do things. We’ve all got to take a look at ourselves, including me. The good thing is that we are only five games in, and we can change things now, rather than change things in a month’s time.”