In a game between two sides going well in the league and having scored 28 goals between them in the opening 6 matches of the season it was odds on that this would be a goalless draw although a bore draw it certainly wasn’t.
“It’s a good point, they’re a good side but I think it is two points dropped”, said Herne Bay manager Sam Denly, “I thought we were really good today, a good nil nil game but we had by far the better chances and again that little bit of clinical finishing has let us down”.
That’s a fair assessment from Denly, although he might also have alluded to two top class saves from Wanderers’ goalkeeper, Gary Ross that maintained the visitors’ unbeaten league record.
The first of those was when the match was 25 minutes old. Sam Hasler drove fiercely from 22 yards out and Ross, arching backwards, tipped the ball over the bar. The second kept his side in the game 11 minutes from time when somehow he managed to divert second half substitute Kane Phillips effort from a narrow angle away to safety.
In between times Dorking played neat football and showed good husbandry of the football whilst Bay created more chances, ultimately not taking them cost them a win, but were prone to giving the ball away cheaply. Jack Delo, between the home sticks, was a virtual spectator with his shot stopping talents not called upon.
The closest Wanderers came to troubling the big ‘keeper was a less than strong back header from Nathan Eastwood that Page almost pounced on before Delo arrived at the last minute to snatch the ball off his head on the edge of the area.
Dorking should have taken the lead on the half hour but Kevin Terry spooned his effort high over the bar. Similarly, Hasler powered wide on the hour when put through following a surging run from Russo and good inter play with Ita.
On balance a point a piece was probably fair. It extends Herne Bay’s stalemate sequence to three matches whilst Dorking Wanderers remain one of only two unbeaten sided in the Division. Both slipped a place in the table as a result.
“We’re still sitting seventh in the league in touch with the top five”, said Denly, “we look strong and we’re a good side. We need to work on our quality in the final third because that’s what is costing us at the moment. The signs are good”.
Herne Bay: Jack Delo, Georgio Russo, Nathan Eastwood, Dan Johnson, Liam Quinn, Connor Sanders, Danny Walder, Danny Williams (Kane Phillip 63), Mark Lovell, Sam Hasler (Dan Parkinson 81), Steven Ita (Joe Nelder 61).
Subs not used: Kane Butler, Elliot Cutts.
Sent Off: None Cautioned: Steven Ita, Kane Phillip
Dorking Wanderers: Gary Ross, Jake Hill, Harry Shipton (Luke Hackett 70), Chris Boulter, Ben Dyett, Anthony Oaks, Jerome Beckles, Tom Davis (Daryle Coleman 76), Kevin Terry, Phil Page, James Duff (Shaun Findley 65).
Subs not used: Elliot Thompson, Jordan Willis
Sent Off: None Cautioned: Ben Dyett, Jerome Beccles, Kevin Terry.
Referee: Ricky Adams Assistant Referees: Peter Cruise & Craig Burton
Man of the Match: Gary Ross (Dorking Wanderers)
Herne Bay (0) 0
Dorking Wanderers (0) 0
Attendance: 214
Ryman Isthmian League Division One (South)
Saturday 5th September 2015.
(at Winch’s Field)
Picture supplied by Steve Barton.