Hythe Town continued their renaissance with this third win on the bounce to put further distance between them and the drop zone and condemn Bay to their first back to back defeat of the season, a defeat that sees their slide down the league table continue.
Alfie May made the difference for the visitors, scoring the opener and putting in the best shift of the night. Hythe might have scored in the 9th minute but for a goal-line interception from Danny Walder who hooked Frankie Sawyer’s goal-bound header off the line.
The visitors were stronger of purpose and deservedly took the lead in the 36th minute. May collected the ball outside the penalty area and let fly with a ground shot that Delo could only have seen late as it came through a crowd of players.
After the break, the home side turned the screw a couple of notches, pressing forward, and might have equalised just before the hour mark but Liam Quinn’s header from Joe Nelder’s right wing cross was gathered at the second attempt by Mant in the visitors’ goal.
Ten minutes later, Joe Mant flung himself to his right to get the tiniest portion of a goalkeeping glove onto Sam Hasler’s free kick to deflect it onto the upright and away to safety.
Herne Bay were now on top and just when an equaliser seemed more likely than not, skipper Liam Quinn diverted a looping back header over the head of his own ‘keeper: Jack Delo looking aghast as it flew into the net behind him with 18 minutes left on the clock.
The stuffing had been knocked out of Bay’s revival with this self-inflicted wound although there was no doubting that Hythe deserved to take all three points back to Reachfields.
Herne Bay: Jack Delo, Michael Turner (james Turner 79), Nathan Eastwood, Dan Johnson, Liam Quinn, Connor Sanders, Danny Walder, Joe Nelder (Danny Williams 70), Mark Lovell, Sam Hasler, Steven Ita (Kane Phillip 59).
Subs not used: Gary Sayer, Harry Brown.
Sent Off: none Cautioned: Liam Quinn, Sam Hasler, Danny Williams, Danny Walder.
Hythe Town: Joe Mant, Phil Stevenson (Michael Yianni 87), Josh Burchell, Ryan Johnson, Craig Cloke, Nick Reeves, Dave Cook, James Morrish, Frankie Sawyer (Craig Thompson 85), Alfie May, Ben Wilson (Jamie Collado 73).
Subs not used: Jordan Wells, Sam May.
Sent Off: None Cautioned: none.
Referee: Garry Maskell Assistant Referees: Orville Bentley & Alexis Stacchini.
Man of the Match: Alfie May (Hythe Town)
Herne Bay (0) 0
Hythe Town (1) 2
Alfie May 36
Liam Quinn 72 (og)
Attendance: 191
Ryman Isthmian League Division One (South)
Tuesday 27th October 2015.
(at The Altira Park Stadium, Winch’s Field)