Mud Bath Battle

Herne Bay (2) 3
Casey 9, King 44, Walder 51

Tooting & Mitcham United (1) 1
Alimi 30

Attendance: 178

Ryman Isthmian League Division One (South)
Saturday 14th December 2013.
Winch’s Field

by Steve Barton

(Photo: courtesy of Terry Kemp – Jordan Casey heads home from Connor Sanders long throw.)

Sam Denly will be extremely proud of his team as Herne Bay put in an impressive all-round performance to beat Tooting & Mitcham United 3-1 in very testing conditions at Winch’s Field. With Joe Nelder and Ben Brown both suspended in came Danny Lawrence and Jordan Casey. Stuart King replaced Jamie O’Connell for a two-pronged attack with Casey. The match looked in serious doubt when referee David Smart arrived. A central area of the pitch was decidedly boggy with the ball barely bouncing and holding up in the wet conditions. Mr. Smart passed it fit to play with Anthony Deer working up until kick-off to lay more sand on the worst affected areas.

Both teams played some surprisingly flowing football considering the conditions and it was Bay that went ahead in the 9th minute when a Connor Sanders long throw was glanced backwards by the head of Casey past the Terrors’ keeper Paul Smith. It was inevitable, as players struggled to keep their feet, that there would be some wayward tackling and Michael Turner went into the referee’s book after previously having been warned.

On the half-hour Tooting equalised when a free-kick from Peter Wedgeworth was placed deep into the area and Rasuiri Alimi headed home. Bay resisted the temptation to play the long ball and two minutes later a Lawrence through pass found Casey surrounded by two defenders. He tussled to gain possession and went to ground. The cries by the Bay players for a penalty were turned down. King for Herne Bay and Nathan Gordon for Tooting both had chances but they came to nothing.

Danny Walder became the second Bay player to be shown a yellow and within a minute of the break Herne Bay were back in front from another Sanders projectile which bobbled in the area and was struck home by King.

Six minutes into the second half Danny Walder put the game beyond doubt. A slick passing move left Lawrence with several options; he chose Walder whose 25-yarder thumped the back of the net. Nathan Eastwood replaced Sam Hasler in a more defensive line-up, although Michael Turner, Sanders, Joe Kennett and Gary Sayer had offered ample protection to Delo despite United’s Sol Pinnock looking lively up front. King kept the Tooting defence busy with his tireless running and ability never to be knocked off the ball.

Jordan Casey was booked following a handbags altercation as emotions began to rise and Mr. Smart struggled to maintain order for the remaining minutes. With the clock ticking down James Turner replaced King and George Benner came on to make his debut in place of Casey.

There have been times this season that Bay have played well in one half and sloppily in the other, but today was a full 90+ minutes shift and no one player can be singled out for the plaudits as they were all superb. Both teams should also be congratulated for playing football the way that it should be played, and in the most difficult of conditions.

Herne Bay team: Jack Delo, Michael Turner, Gary Sayer, Danny Walder, Connor Sanders, Sam Hasler (Nathan Eastwood 59), Danny Lawrence, Stuart King (George Benner 90), Jordan Casey (James Turner 88), Dean Grant.

Subs not used: Jamie O'Connell, Steven Lloyd.