Herne Bay failed to score at Winches Field in the League for the first time this season as they were denied not only by the awful weather conditions but by a truly fabulous goalkeeping performance by Burgess Hill’s Taylor Seymour.
Seymour produced a series of stunning saves to keep Ben Smith’s side at “Bay” but saved the best until stoppage time as the Hillians’ keeper somehow – almost miraculously – kept out Adem Ramadan’s terrific free kick.
With an icy gale force wind blowing straight down the pitch with squally rain shows thrown in, it really wasn’t an afternoon for flowing football, but both sides are to be congratulated in producing a game was hugely enjoyable.
The home side had “first-use” of the wind and from an early Ryan Cooper cross, Harry Pollard came within inches of converting a brilliant flying header… albeit into his own net!
Kieron Campbell was always a threat for the home side and from his fine run and cross Hamilton Antonio flashed a free header wide as the Bay started to come to terms with the conditions.
Seymour pulled off the first of his many fine saves – the keeper really had a day to remember – as he superbly turned Rory Smiths drive aside, before he denied Campbell with his feet shortly afterwards.
Campbell was then denied by an even better save as he cut in from the left before unleashing a pile driver that saw the keeper go full length low to his left in palming the ball round the post.
The game was halted for several moments when Cooper went down under a challenge and was left in a crumpled heap on the floor before being carried off a stretcher clearly in some pain with possible ligament damage.
The stoppage in play seemed to help the visitors as they then had a threatening spell where Michael Campbell’s glancing header sailed past the right post and Max Miller (taking advantage of a defensive slip) drove the ball beyond Jordan Perrin in the home goal only to clip the base of the right post, whilst shortly before the break Seymour did brilliantly to beat out Smith’s viciously swerving shot that seemed to swing all directions as it flew towards the keeper.
The second half was an even affair when the home side adjusted to kicking into the wind far better than their visitors had been in the opening half. Bode Anidugbe threaded a ball back towards Antonio only for his shot to be blocked and Aaron Millbank shot just wide from Campbell’s pass as the home side searched for the opening goal.
Burgess Hill kept plugging away and eventually they themselves created good chances with the best a dipping swirling effort from Lewis Finney bring a fine block out of Perrin whilst Lewis Taylor’s brilliant dipping effort didn’t dip enough as the ball whistled over the top of the Herne Bay goal.
With the rain getting heavier, the game entered stoppage time and Ramadan really thought he’d won the game for the home side with a marvellous free kick, but he didn’t account for Seymour, who capped his own magnificent afternoon by securing his side a point with a truly stunning – almost “Ramsdale-esque” save – it really was that good!
HERNE BAY – Perrin, Cooper (McFarlane), Parter, Harvey, Johnson, Anidugbe, Smith (Ramadan), Antonio, Ansah, Millbank, Keiron Campbell
Subs – Hanley, Phipp, Naiwo
BURGESS HILL TOWN – Seymour, Moore, Cadman, D’Arienzo, Pollard, Spinks, Taylor, Ward, Michael Campbell (Masikini), Miller (Skerry)
Subs – Kirkwood, Kelly
REFEREE – Mr Scott