Paul Barnes’ first game in charge of Greenwich Borough ended in a hard fought victory over Herne Bay.

The new Cannons manager made two changes, one enforced, to the team that had beaten Hastings one week earlier. Tom Beere, who has left the club, was replaced by Ali Fuseini and Danny Fitzsimmons came in for Ryan King-Elliott.

Chinedu McKenzie muscled his way through in the opening minutes but Ben Hunter got down well to save before a Richard Ishmail header drew an easy save out of George Kamurasi.

Jack Barham headed wide from a Kaka Dembele cross before finding McKenzie whose shot was blocked by a great intervention by Ben Gorham.

Both Barham, with a hooked shot, and Dembele from a free kick, fired over as the hosts had the better of the first half.

However, without a goal to show for their possession, there was always a danger that they could pay for it and that almost happened when Bradley Schafer headed just over from Ishmail’s cross.

Dembele hit a free kick through a crowded penalty area and it went just out of the range of Travis Gregory. Then Dembele had a shot blocked and it fell to Sam Corne whose first time volley flashed just wide.

If the first half ended with the Cannons on top, the second half did not and John Embery’s team came out strongly.

Nassim Dukali sent Junior Aikhionbare away but Danny Fitzsimmons made an excellent block then Jack Steventon’s cross came out to Danny Leonard whose shot rocketed back off the crossbar.

Kamurasi had to come out quickly and time his tackle perfectly as Jake Embery got in behind before Greenwich had their first chance of the half when Nathan Paul’s exciting raid down the right wing and pull back ended with Barham’s first time shot flying over.

Tom Carlton received a short free kick and let fly with an effort that was deflected towards the bottom corner but was well turned around by Kamurasi.

Leonard led a swift Herne Bay break and sent Shafer away but his shot was deflected over then Josh Wisson went just wide as the visitors looked for the opener.

They then had a shout for a penalty when Aikhionbare went down under a challenge from Kamurasi but referee Neil West was unimpressed and waved play on.

Having weathered the storm, Greenwich came back into the game and Jack Sammoutis, who had replaced Fuseini, had an effort that was saved comfortably.

Sam Corne then linked with Gregory before his skills created a chance that brought a great save out of Hunter. It came out as far as Sammoutis whose hooked shot flew just wide.

Finally, the deadlock was broken with just over fifteen minutes remaining. Dembele again got down the wing and crossed for Barham to rise and head beyond Hunter and into the back of the net.

Barham almost repeated the trick moments later when meeting a Sammoutis free kick with another goal-bound header but Hunter made a great diving save to tip over.

Once more Barham was involved when turning provider with a cross for Gregory to send a diving header just wide.

Although Greenwich managed the remainder of the match well, Herne Bay did manage to create one more chance when Aikhionbare squared for a first time Carlton attempt but it went wide and the Cannons claimed the points.

 

Greenwich Borough: Kamurasi, Paul, Dembele, Pritchard, Fitzsimmons, McGeehan, Gregory, Corne, McKenzie (Babalola 63), Fuseini (Sammoutis 52), Barham.

Unused substitutes: King-Elliott, Skinner, Shonibeare.

 

Herne Bay: Hunter, Ishmail, Steventon, Gorham, Wisson (Deverson 80), Leonard, Schafer, Carlton, Embery, Aikhionbare, Dukali.

Unused substitutes: Richardson, Mezaine, Myers.

 

Greenwich Borough:

Goalscorers: Barham (72)

Yellow cards: None

Red cards: None

 

Herne Bay:

Goalscorers: None

Yellow cards: Schafer

Red cards: None

 

Referee: Neil West

Assistants: Kane Woods and Andrew Simmonds

 

Attendance: 100

 

Man of the match: Bradley Pritchard

Pictures supplied by Dave Budden.