It was third time lucky for Herne Bay in their opening fixture of the season earning a point at Carshalton Athletic!

In their two previous Step 4 season openers, since promotion from the former Kent League, Herne Bay have let their first fixture losing by the only goal of the game to Tooting & Mitcham United and Guernsey.

In this their third attempt they again failed to score but came away with a creditable away point against recently relegated Carshalton Athletic.

They might have had all three had a close range effort from Casey not been blocked early on, a Joe Nelder toe poke two minutes after the interval not been pushed round the post and what seemed like a certain penalty award not been denied when Nelder was upended fully five yards inside the Robins’ penalty area. But on such things are matches won or lost, or in this case, drawn!

The first 45 belonged mostly to Herne Bay whose neat possession keeping passing put them in control of the game and restricted Athletic to a single chance at either end of the half. In the eight minute Bay ‘keeper, Jack Delo made a regulation save from Paul Scott.

Four minutes before the break Bobby Price received the ball on the far right, put in a precision pass along the 18 yard line to Jordan Higgs, whose swept shot was palmed away by the alert Delo.

Sandwiched in between that were two chances for Bay striker Stuart King and that blocked Casey effort. King’s first chance on 18 saw him fire wide under pressure. The second, on the half hour mark, looped over the bar after a smart shot on the turn from the edge of the area.

Carshalton had more of the ball in the second period and would have spoiled the Bay’s endeavour had they converted a free kick in the 51^st minute after Connor Sanders had been adjudged to have fouled Bradford on the edge of the visitor’s box, an action he was carded for despite his protests. The resulting free kick, with cheers of ironic justice from the travelling few, sailed harmlessly over wall and bar.

“I would have taken a point before the game,” said Herne Bay Manager Sam Denly, “but I do feel it’s two points dropped. I thought we were excellent today. I’m happy with a point but we could have taken all three. It was a penalty. I don’t think Lady Luck was with us today. It’s a good start for the boys.”

 

Carshalton Athletic:

Jack Eden, Bobby Price (Jason Henry 46), Sean O’Toole (Robert Carrick 65), Adriano Moraes, Dawayne Campbell, Rhys Coleman, Dane Moore (Paris Hamilton-Downes 65), Jordan Higgs, Paul Scott, Tommy Bradford, Nick Greene.

Subs not used: Kingsley Aikhionbare, Mickel Miller

 

Herne Bay:

Jack Delo, Dan Johnson, Gary Sayer, Nathan Eastwood, Liam Quinn, Connor Sanders, James Brown, Joe Nelder (Stephen Ita 74), Danny Walder (Michael Turner 60), Stuart King, Jordan Casey.

Subs not used: Ben Kitcherside, Harry Brown, Kane Butler.

 

Referee: Ollie Davies

Assistants: Tim Hatt & Ronald Albert

Man of the Match: Joe Nelder (Herne Bay)

Attendance: 183

Picture supplied by Steve Barton – Joe Nelder (left of picture) sees his close range effort saved at the foot of the Carshalton post.