Well at last we are off the bottom, after being there for the last 12 matches, although only one point clear of those below us but the consolation being Greenwich Borough are one of those as they were one of the poorest sides we have played this season.

They have a number of technically good players but they do not play as a team and this is what let them down today.

A very strange start to the came after 8 minutes Central defender, Regan Mendes passes back to his keeper without realising that keeper wasn’t in his goal. As the ball rolled toward the open goal, keeper, Taiwo Ailu, raced back and managed to scoop the ball away inches from the goal line. As this was a back pass the keeper is not allowed to touch the ball with his hands but the official allowed the play to continue. The keeper should have been cautioned and Bay awarded a free kick on the goal line.

The first real threat on goal from open play came from a Tom Carlton cross which the defender cleared with the ball falling to Connor Wilkins who shot wide of the target.

The opening goal came again from Mendes with a headed back pass. Ailu again raced back but this time scooped the ball away after it had crossed the line. This was immediately followed by a phenomenal solo run by Danny Leonard ending in a shot from inside the box but somehow Ailu produced a brilliant point blank save, diving full stretch turning the ball away for a corner. From Carlton’s corner the ball ran loose and Jake Embery was the first to react, prodding the ball over the line. Bay then seemed to ease off which allowed Boro to get back in the game. A good fast run down the right led to a cross which Bay failed to clear allowing Ryan King-Elliott to smash the ball home, giving Boro hope for a comeback in the second half.

Bay started the half well with Leonard making another solo run but his shot was well blocked. Then Andrew Dalhouse is put through after good work from Bradley Schafer but his shot goes wide of the target.

Two minutes later Boro were level Andrew Sessay heading home from a corner. This seemed to provide the needed spark to Bay’s play. From the restart Carlton fired in a superb volley from fully 25 yards but again Ailu produced another fantastic save. From the resultant corner the ball again fell to Embery and he stabbed home restoring the lead. Four minutes later Embery completed his hat-trick; this time Mulrooney-Skinner the provider; put away down the right by Wilkins, his cross to the near post was tucked away neatly by Jake.

Not finished Jake netted his fourth, and Bay’s fifth; Dalhouse holding the ball up well before putting Jake through and he made no mistake from 6 yards.

Dalhouse scores his first goal for Bay in the 72nd minute, picking up a loose ball in the box, placing his shot wide of Ailu. Then the goal of the game Tom striking a fantastic left foot volley into the top corner from 30 yards after intercepting a pass just inside Boro’s half.

This was a great result achieved on a very bobbly, tricky surface with a strong wind blowing straight up the pitch. Bay played much better in the second half, kicking into the wind, ending with five goals and totally dominating the play.

We now have two games against the top two clubs in the division so any points from these will be a real bonus.

Herne Bay: Simon Overland, Alex Mulrooney-Skinner, Raphe Brown, Ben Gorham, Danny Rumbol, Connor Wilkins, Bradley Schafer, Tom Carlton, Jake Embery, Andrew Dalhouse, Danny Leonard

Subs Used: Callum Adonis-Taylor (Gorham 65) Tahjae Anderson (Embery 70) Simon Kabamba (Mulrooney-Skinner 85)

Subs not used: Okalekan Bankole, Michael Freiter