Herne Bay suffered a second successive home defeat on this cold December evening at a windswept Winch’s Field in front of another low attendance.

They started much brighter than in the thumping by Three Bridges three days earlier and might have taken the lead in the first minute but for the agility of Leafe’s Sheikh Ceesay who turned Danny Williams’ early free kick around his right hand post for a corner.

In the 19^th minute he was at his best again to tip Sam Hasler’s dead ball kick over the visitor’s cross bar.

But promotion hopefuls Whyteleafe weathered the early storm and pounced 6 minutes later to wrestle the initiative away from the home side. The Bay defence had several chances to clear a low cross from the left, all to no avail and Ryan Fowler gleefully accepted the opportunity to power the opener past Jack Delo.

Ben Brown might have levelled soon after but, again, Ceesay was in fine form to touch his 25 yard piledriver round the post.

Bay did not fold after the break as they had done in their previous match and on the hour mark Steven Ita had the perfect chance to equalise when put clean through but, off balance, he sent his effort wide with only the ‘keeper to beat.

Two goals, though, in three second half minutes made the points safe for the visitors. The first, in the 74^th, came from another series of missed opportunities that the Bay back line had to clear the danger and Ryan Fowler rammed home for his second of the night.

Leafe’s third was a lesson in poaching. Jason Henry broke into the Bay area on the right, fired a low scorcher that Delo couldn’t hold and substitute Shawn Lyle despatched the spilled ball into the net.

Ironically, perhaps with the Whyteleafe foot off the pedal, Herne Bay enjoyed a better spell in the later stages resulting in what was, nevertheless, only a consolation goal in the 90^th minute when Jordan Casey rifled home from the right hand side of the 18 yard box to open his goal scoring account for the season.

Having lifted themselves to a creditable sixth place in the league table, Bay will have to halt this poor run if they are not to free fall with others around them having played fewer games and the points gap between them and the lower half being the difference between a couple of wins or defeats.

As it is Bay remained sixth despite this defeat and Whyteleafe maintained their play off push but extended the gap to four points.

 

Herne Bay: Jack Delo, Michael Turner, Gary Sayer, Dan Johnson (James Brown 84), Liam Quinn, Dan Parkinson, Sam Hasler, Ben Brown (Kane Butler 79), Danny Williams (Joe Nelder 66), Jordan Casey, Steven Ita.

Subs Not Used: Harry Brown, Stuart King.

Cautions: Dan Parkinson.          Sent Off: none

 

Whyteleafe: Sheikh Ceesay, Tom Pratt, Alex Penfold, Jason Thompson, Sol Patterson-Bohner, Bentley Graham, Ryan Fowler, Jenson Grant, Jason Henry, Greg Andrews (Shawn Lyle 59), Sam Clayton.

Subs Not Used: Jay May, Tommy Harper (only 3 named).

Cautions: Alex Penfold, Jason Thompson, Sol Patterson-Bohner, Bentley Graham, Jenson Grant, Shawn Lyle.

Sent Off: none

 

Man of the Match: Ryan Fowler (Whyteleafe)

Referee: David Smart               Assistants: Craig Burton & Peter Cruise.

 

Herne Bay (0) 1

 

Whyteleafe (1) 3

Fowler 25, 74

Lyle 76

 

at Winch’s Field

 

Ryman Isthmian League Division One (South)

Attendance: 115

(photo credit: Herne Bay FC – Jordan Casey scored a late consolation.)