Herne Bay maintained their mid table position in Ryman One (South) with this draw against basement club Eastbourne Town with a spirited display that might have earned them their third win on the bounce had they converted more than the one chance that came their way in the last 20 minutes.

A nondescript first 45 was enlightened just the once when Jamie O’Connell’s header flashed wide from Eastwood’s 23rd minute free kick. Thankfully, the game picked up after the break but turned away from the Bay 5 minutes in when a manoeuvre clearly perfected on an Eastbourne training ground resulted in Town taking the lead.

A free kick awarded in the left channel some 35 yards from goal was met by the head of the impressive Ross Sutton who stole behind the Bay back four with Delo rooted to his line.

Faced with an embarrassing defeat against the bottom club, Bay picked up the pace and peppered the Eastbourne defence with consistent attack. In the 74th minute James Turner got round the right full back and drilled the ball into the six yard area.

Joe Nelder slid in only for his effort to be deflected off the line with the ball looping away for a corner. Nelder was, however, to restore parity 5 minutes later when he rose to head home Jordan Casey’s measured right wing cross.

Centre half George Benner was sent on from the Bay bench in the dying minutes to augment the attack with explicit orders to get his head on one of the many corners forced in the closing stages but none could be forced home.

Herne Bay: Delo, Turner M, Sayer, Walder, Sanders, Kennett, Phillip (Grant 34) , Nelder, Turner J, O’Connell (Casey 60), Eastwood (Benner 90)

Attendance: 110