Herne Bay took a strong squad to the Channel Islands and came back with a point after going down to ten men with 22 minutes to go.

“I thought we were excellent and dominated the first half”, said Herne Bay manager Sam Denly, “we had the better of the possession and created a few half chances but the sending off has killed us”.

Yes, Bay did have the majority of the possession but didn’t create as much as they might. Indeed, it was Guernsey who might well have gone into the break ahead. Just before the half hour mark Jack Delo pulled off a double save to deny the Green Lions. He parried Glyn Dyer’s long range effort and then foiled Ross Allen as he pounced on the rebound.

After the interval Herne Bay went up a gear and on 65 minutes Sam Hasler sent in a left wing cross that Mark Lovell misconnected with but as the ball flew across the six yard box, the final killer touch could not be applied.

Three minutes later Hasler saw red when after a strong challenge by Dyer he reacted in unacceptable fashion to the Guernsey player. A straight red in anyone’s book and certainly in that owned by referee David Spain.

It brought about a reorganisation to save a point and brought on an onslaught from the home side. Solid defending and counter attacking when possible kept the rampant Green Lions at bay.

Even so, the visitors enjoyed a large slice of luck when prolific striker Ross Allen dragged a shot wide of Delo`s left hand post from an acute angle in the 70th minute and just before the final whistle Delo pulled off a world class save to push the same striker’s goalbound shout away to safety. No 200^th goal in a Green Lion’s shirt for Allen on this night.

“Away from home to Guernsey on a Wednesday night, that`s a fantastic result”, said Denly, “on another day we could have had all three.”

“We showed a lot of resilience when we went down to ten men. It was a disappointing red card and could have ultimately cost the team. There were some superb performances tonight”.

 

Guernsey: Chris Tardif, Simon Geall, Jacques Isabelle, Jamie  Dodd, Josh Steel (Alex LePrevost 23), Guille Fernandez, Glyn Dyer (Robbie Legg 86), Ryan-Zico Black, Craig Young, Ross Allen, Matt Loaring.

Subs not used: Jakub Machlowski, Sam Cochrane, Angus Mackay

Sent off: none                   Cautions: Craig Young, Glyn Dyer, Jacques Isabelle, Jamie Dodd.

 

Herne Bay: Jack Delo, Michael Turner, Gary Sayer, Dan Johnson, Connor Sanders, Nathan Eastwood, Danny Walder, James Turner (Danny Spiller 90), Mark Lovell (Dan Parkinson 69), Giorgio Russo (Kane Phillip 58), Samuel Hasler.

Subs not used: none (only three subs named)

Sent off: Samuel Hasler                 Cautions: Giorgio Russo, Danny Walder.

 

Referee: David Spain      Assistants: Jack Owen & Christopher Hamilton

Man of the Match: Jack Delo (Herne Bay)

 

Guernsey (0) 0

 

Herne Bay (0) 0

 

Ryman Isthmian League Division One (South)

Wednesday 25th November 2015

at The Footes Lane Stadium

 

Attendance: 630

 

(photo credit: Peter Guise – Guernsey mascot Roary the Lion whips up the crowd)