James Collins left his first afternoon as Herne Bay boss will more questions than answers after watching on as his new charges were deservedly beaten at Winches Field by rock bottom Phoenix Sports. 

The visitors always held the upper hand, and it was a surprise that Darren Anslow’s side only had Jake Goodman’s thumping header to lead by at the break.

The second period began in similar fashion, but the Sports were left to rue missed chances, when Michael Salako reacted quickest to drive home from an acute angle after a fine save from Sam Freeman in the Phoenix goal. Bay though hadn’t learned anything and with their very next attack, Phoenix won another corner, and Goodman powered home another header leaving the home fans staring on in disbelief as Sports belied their league position and held onto the points with alarming ease. 

The home fans would have been hoping for a new manager “bounce” but it was almost as if the exact opposite happened as Collins looked on as Phoenix belied their position at the foot of the table and in truth bossed the game for long periods. 

Only Richard Pingling will know how he didn’t hit the target after a terrific run from Tyler Anderson as Phoenix had the only early chance and the home fans had to wait twenty minutes for something to cheer as new man Jordy Ndozid’s shot was tipped over by Sam Freeman in the visitor’s goal. 

Phoenix thought they’d taken the lead as Ahkeem Belford nipped in and lifted the ball over keeper Harley Earle only for skipper Liam Friend to somehow manager to head the ball off the line and behind. Sadly, for the Bay, they didn’t heed the warning and from the corner, Phoenix skipper Goodman thumped a header home to give the strugglers a deserved lead. 

And it was a lead that was almost doubled on the stroke of half time – Perri Iondolo robbed a dwelling defender on the edge of the box only to be brilliantly denied by Earle as he looked set to score. 

Phoenix had loud cries for a penalty just after the break but referee Donnelly waved away the protests after Pingling had gone down, before almost out of nothing and against the run of play, the Bay levelled. 

One of their first corners was only half cleared to sub-Folarin Awoleke who was superbly denied by a Freeman save. But the ball ran from to Salako who was able to hammer home his seventeenth goal of the season. 

You would have hoped for the home side that that would inspire something for the new boss, but three minutes later, from another corner, another powerful Goodman header re-grabbed the lead for the visitors, and it was a lead that they did not look like losing! 

Bradley Pritchard who was magnificent in the middle of the field throughout drove a chance a yard wide of the Bay goal before after a great one-two with Will Efambe, Pingling blazed over when he had the chance to seal the points.  

It didn’t matter though as the win lifts Phoenix off the bottom of the table – their place being taken by Hythe Town after the game at Reachfields against FA Trophy Quarter Finalists Sittingbourne was rained off.

Sport rise three places and are now just three points from potential safety, whilst for the Bay and their new manager they do currently have a nine-point cushion, but with ten games still to play.

Collins will be looking for an instant response in midweek as his new side travel to Beckenham – 9-0 winners over Lancing on Saturday! And so, it begins the Collins era… 

HERNE BAY – Earle, Osinfolarin, Roberts (Awoleke), Carrington (Salmon), Friend, Reid, Christie, Smith, Salako, Haysman, Ndozid 

Subs – Hill, Kuchkov, Bowman 

PHOENIX SPORTS – Freeman, Belford, Grieveson, Goodman, Morgan-Griffiths, Pingling (Elliott), Brissett (Efambe), Pritchard, Anderson, Griffin, Iandolo 

Subs – Clarke, Quintyne, Martin 

REFEREE – Mr. Donnelly