Whoever said “cheats never prosper” didn’t know what they were talking about. Although Sevenoaks Town’s, Frankie Sawyer would be the first to disagree as his ‘blatant dive’ in the 5th minute of injury time and his subsequent spot kick goal stole the points.
Bay only have themselves to blame as they should taken the lead in the 35th minute when a clear push on Danny Leonard resulted in a penalty. Up stepped new signing Andrew Dalhouse on his debut for the club, leading the front line with leading scorer and penalty taker, Jake Embery side lined with tonsillitis, taking only a short run up he telegraphed where the kick would be placed and Oaks keeper Ben Bridle-Card made an easy save.
Sevenoaks pressed high straight from the start but despite have the majority of possession never really threatened Simon Overland. In fact Bay created the best chances of the half and in the closing minutes of the first period Brindle-Card made three good saves to deny Bay the lead.
Bay started the second half pressing the ‘oaks defence and again should have taken the lead when a quality cross found Dalhouse unmarked, a yard out, unfortunately his side foot attempt went wide of the target.
These things sometime happen and on another day Andrew probably would have taken both his two opportunities but when you are at the bottom of the league this is the sort of luck you get. The rest of Andrew’s play was very good and when playing alongside Jake he will be a good signing for the club.
Things did brighten up in the 70th minute. Danny Leonard ran with the ball into the penalty area, and was ushered right to the bye line but he managed to pull the ball back into the area where Bradley Schafer drove the ball low into the back of the net. At this stage with all three clubs sitting above us losing, we had moved off the bottom and up to 17th.
Unfortunately this sense of euphoria only lasted 14 minutes as a mistake at the back allowed substitute, Kenny Pogue to bring ‘Oaks level. Bay pressed forward trying to get the winning goal and Dalhouse nearly did this when after taking possession of a difficult cross in the area, turned his marker and fired a low shot across the face of the goal that just went the wrong side of the post with the keeper nowhere.
Into injury time with Sevenoaks on the attack, the referee awarded four ‘cheap’ free kicks in the space of a couple of minutes. From the last of these the ball went into the box and the rest is history.
We did not deserve to lose this game but lose we did so now we have to move on to Greenwich Borough and get the points we so desperately need.
Herne Bay: Simon Overland, Okalekan Bankole, Raphe Brown, Ben Gorham, Danny Rumbol, Connor Wilkins, Bradley Schafer, Tom Carlton, Jake Embery , Alex Mulrooney-Skinner, Danny Leonard
Subs Used: Miles Cornwell (Wilkins 53) Simon Kabamba(Carlton 67) Michael Freiter(Schafer 90)
Subs not used: Harry MIller
Mom: Raphe Brown
Att: 237