Max Miller Has Last Laugh

Burgess Hill Town (2) 3
Kirkwood 3, Harding P. 17, Miller 87

Herne Bay (0) 2
Hasler 73, Turner J. 81

Ryman Isthmian league Division One (South)
Wednesday 9th April 2014.
At Leylands Park
Attendance: 178

by Peter Guise

The hard graft of a second half fightback by Bay was undone three minutes from time to deny the Kent side a deserved point on their midweek travels to West Sussex. Without the services of the three players who came off through injury in the first half of the momentous victory over promotion challenging Leatherhead on Saturday, Bay gave a start to Joe Kennett at the back and in a reshuffled side Jamie O’Connell partnered Jordan Casey in the front two.

Herne Bay were slow to start though with the Hillians racing in to a 2-0 lead inside 17 minutes. The opening goal came with just 3 minutes on the watch. Scott Kirkwood nipped in at the near post to head past Delo. Pat Harding followed this up with a mere quarter of the match gone, blasting home from close range, with the visitors’ defence standing still, arms raised, appealing for an offside decision that was not forthcoming. Two minutes later it might have been worse but for a full stretch Jack Delo save, from Lee Harding’s dive, pushing the ball round the right hand post for a corner.

Slowly, Bay clawed their way back into the game. The emerging talent that is Harry Brown has his 22nd minute effort cleared off the Burgess Hill goal line, Sam Hasler’s shot curled wide 2 minutes before the break and right on half time, Joe Nelder’s shot was spilled by the home ‘keeper who grabbed it at the second attempt.

Herne Bay continued to take the fight to Burgess Hill after the turnaround with Ben Brown’s forceful run and shot from 35 yards not dipping quite enough in time to creep under the home side’s crossbar. On the hour mark, Bay manager Sam Denly made a bold, and ultimately proven to be inspired decision, a double substitution that included sacrificing the undoubted central defensive talents of George Benner in a bid to reclaim the game. Joe Nelder lifted a shot over the bar before in the 73rd Dean Grant picked out Sam Hasler whose driven thunderbolt flew into the net to pull a goal back. Eight minutes later, Bay were level, substitute James Turner slotting home an equaliser that surely ought to have secured a point and was rightly celebrated by players and bench alike. Sadly, it was not the case.

Three minutes from time, Herne Bay succumbed to the proverbial sickening blow. Max Miller, off the bench for Hillians, grabbed the winner with the Bay defence chasing shadows and the ‘keeper rooted to his line.

Burgess Hill Town: Tom Beadle, Neil Watts, Sam Fisk, Darren Budd (Toby Pointing 89), Lee Denyer, Danny Curd, Chris Breach, Scott Kirkwood (Dan Perry 86), Pat Harding, Greg Luer (Max Miller 70), Lee Harding
Subs not used: Paul Armstrong, Curtis Gayler

Herne Bay: Jack Delo, Michael Turner (Kane Butler 90), Gary Sayer, Harry Brown, Joe Kennett, George Benner (Dean Grant 63), Sam Hasler, Ben Brown, Jamie O’Connell (James Turner 64), Jordan Case, Joe Nelder.

Subs not used: Elliott Cutts

Referee: D Boneywell Assistant Referees: D Keating & C Myatt