Things Can Only Get Better

Things Can Only Get Better

Herne Bay (1) 1
Grant 27

Walton & Hersham (0) 2
Onieva 66, 81.

Wednesday 20th November 2013
Ryman Isthmian League Division One South
Att: 111

By Peter Guise

With the Redhill defeat firmly etched on minds, Sam Denly promised a selection shake up for the visit of Walton & Hersham. Delo returned between the sticks, although in fairness, no blame can be levelled at Luke Prentice for the Redhill debacle, indeed, Prentice is a more than able ‘keeper. Michael Turner filled the right back position in place of Nathan Eastwood and once again displayed his attributes for making that position his own. Danny Lawrence came into the midfield with Danny Walder dropping to the bench, Jamie O’Connell headed the strike force, Dean Grant started and there was a debut for the young Elliot Cutts.

The wholesale changes served up a delightful opening passage of play. Those inclined to get carried away might have mouthed, “it was just like watching Brasil!” Well, maybe not quite and Brasil is uppermost in the minds of many at the moment, but the transformation from four days previous was exponentially exceptional. On a sticky surface, Bay played five yard football and at pace. The interchanges between Lawrence, Nelder and O’Connell ripped through the visitors and Joe Nelder was aghast to see his looping header cleared off the line as early as the 4th minute. Nelder was again close in the 13th when his shot on the turn went straight at the ‘keeper. Sandwiched in between those was an effort from Jamie O’Connell. This was stirring stuff and just the response that Denly had been looking for. No surprise then when Bay took the lead in the 27th minute. A quick pass from the half line set Joe Nelder on his way down the left side, he spotted Dean Grant’s well timed run, in what those old enough to remember would term the inside left channel, played the ball early and Dean Grant hammered home on the run. Oh Happy Days! This was Herne Bay at their best, always a positive, purring performance when they play the ball on the deck. It was a complete surprise then to see that game abandoned at half time.

Or was it? Walton & Hersham had seen how effective Bay had been in the first period. They closed Bay down quicker after the break, employed the close passing game themselves and never let a blue shirt dwell on the ball. This became a game of two halves. An awful cliché that is too often true. Bay dominant and rampant in the first should have put the game to bed, Walton & Hersham purposeful and prominent in the second. There was little answer to it, Delo’s familiar shouts of “away!” booming into the night at every visitors attack. Indeed, away, went the ball rocketing straight back to a Walton & Hersham red shirt encamped in the Bay half for another assault to be worked.

With 66 minutes on the clock Juan Onieva pulled the visitors level with an accomplished top corner placement then snaffled all the points with his deserved second 9 minutes from time.

At one point in this game, Herne Bay were sitting ninth in the live league table, yes ninth. Expectations are always high at Winch’s Field, rightly so, and there were a number of positives to take forward; Michael Turner at right back, the midfield powerhouse of Nelder and Lawrence, the short ball game. All good. Denly’s task now is to transform that into 90 minutes of winning football.

Professor Brian Cox once sang, “Things Can Only Get Better!” The meagre crowd, and those that stayed away,this was the lowest attendance of the season, will be wishing and hoping! Now there’s another song to hum along to.

Herne Bay team: Jack Delo, Michael Turner, Gary Sayer, Danny Lawrence (Danny Walder 72), Steven Lloyd, Joe Kennett, Sam Hasler, Joe Nelder, Elliot Cutts (Stuart King 61), Jamie O’Connell, Dean Grant (Kane Phillip 52).

Subs not used: James Turner, Nathan Eastwood.

Bay Man of the Match: Joe Nelder