Sam Hasler’s red card for his challenge on Jake MacKenzie reduced Herne Bay to 10 men on 19 minutes and reduced this Bank Holiday fixture’s ability to provide the bumper crowd with the entertainment they deserved.

This is always a feisty derby but the Oystermen will have the bragging rights for this season having accomplished the double over their closest geographic neighbours.

“The double doesn’t interest me”, said Town’s manager Jimmy Ward, “I always look at the performance. The first half we were fantastic, the goal that Scott Heard scored from a yard was probably one of the best goals of the season”.

It all started in true derby game cut and thrust for the first quarter of an hour with Bay’s Sam Hasler inches wide with a downward header and Town’s Kane Rowland unleashing a volley that drew a top draw safe from Jack Delo.

The sending off changed the dynamics dramatically as a tide of red surged toward the home goal. The Oystermen opened the scoring  in the 23^rd minute when Scott Heard swept home from close range.

4 minutes later, Pulman burst through only for Delo to save and Dan Johnson putting a well timed tackle in to prevent Luke Girt snapping up the rebound.

With the half coming to a close, Whitstable effectively settled the match. Luke Girt’s cross eluded Johnson and Ian Pulman made no mistake with a simple tap in.

After the break, and with a man advantage, Town went into cruise. It let Bay back in but they couldn’t unlock the final door. Substitute Kane Butler chased a ball down on 67 minutes, managed to produce a cross, but Lovell’s shot was blocked as three visitor’s defenders closed the play down and 3 minutes from time Lovell’s header was well held by Watkins.

With Whyteleafe winning, neither Herne Bay nor Whitstable Town can now make the play offs but both have had by far their best seasons in their Ryman League existence.

This is only Bay’s 3^rd term but Whitstable have never finished in the top half of the table in their longer tenure. Both will achieve those relatively lofty heights this season.

“If we’d had a bit more strength in depth we could have made the play-offs but that’s where we fell down”, said Ward, “when we lost Pulman for three games it was so crucial. I’m disappointed that we’re out of it”.

Herne Bay manager Sam Denly commented, “The red card killed the game for us, a harsh red card in my opinion as well. All of a sudden we’re struggling to score goals, it’s more or less the same team that saw us go ten games unbeaten.”

“Our football was excellent second half, we had a bit of a go. It’s been a fantastic season no matter what happens, we want to finish it strongly, we don’t want to go out on a whimper.”

“People need to remember how far we’ve come this year, we’ve been knocking on the door, we’ve worked so hard, we don’t want to finish poorly”.

 

Herne Bay: Jack Delo, Michael Turner, Gary Sayer, Dan Johnson (James Turner 83), Liam Quinn, Nathan Eastwood (Joe Nelder 54), Danny Walder, Danny Spiller, Steven Ita (Kane Butler 65), Mark Lovell, Sam Hasler.

Subs Not Used: Jordan Casey, Harry Brown.

Cautions: Dan Johnson, Michael Turner, Gary Sayer, Danny Spiller.        Sent Off: Sam Hasler

 

Whitstable Town: Luke Watkins, Ollie Gray, Jake MacKenzie, Joe Kane, Luke Doherty, Nick Treadwell, Scott Heard (Sam Callender 90), Luke Girt, Ian Pulman, Kane Rowland, Tom Loynes.

Subs Not Used: Aaron James, Josh Donnelly, Jack Healey, Harry Brooks.

Cautions: Scott Heard.              Sent Off: none

 

Man of the Match: Scott Heard (Whitstable Town)

Referee: Simon Finnigan                       Assistants: Peter Cruise & Craig Burton

 

Herne Bay (0) 0

 

Whitstable Town (2) 2

Heard 23, Pulman 44

 

Attendance: 487

 

Photo credit: Steve Barton – Mark Lovell heads wide for Herne Bay