New kit, beautiful pitch, but a nightmare start to the new season.

Given a football lesson in the first 45 minutes; we were totally out-classed. Apart from the first 10 minutes Bay were just not at the races in that first period. A glorious chance fell to Anthony Edgar in the 6th

minute but his shot from close range was well block by ‘leafe, keeper, Tyler McCarthy. If we had scored would it have been a different story?

From the following break down the right, the winger cut inside and as he entered the penalty area Bola was adjudged to have brought him down; the referee pointing to the spot. Up stepped Ryan Gondoh to power the ball past George, despite George diving the right way.

This gave ‘Leafe the incentive to push forward and they did this with aplomb, forcing Bay deep in their own half. Then in the 19th minute down the left flank this time and the same result as Ryan Cooper brings down the forward. Gondoh again made no mistake and the visitors were 2-0 up.

Whyteleafe were pressing really hard, forcing Bay to defend in numbers and only having fleeting glimpses of ‘Leafe’s goal. Their passing was very slick and their defenders closed us down at every time we went forward; always two on one. This made us look very ordinary and not the team we were, leading up to the season start.

Forward, Omari Hibbert then scored a brace inside a 6 minute spell; both with good passing moves ending with the ball finding him on both occasions un-marked on the edge of the area and he made no mistake drilling the first into the bottom corner and smashing the second high into the roof of the net.

Going in at the break with a four goal lead the game was all but over.

Two substitutes immediately at the start of the second half saw Bradley and Dean enter the fray.

Bay looked positively better in the second half with Kieron Campbell going close with a stunning volley which McCarthy did well with a fingertip save to push it around the upright.

Bola headed in a consolation goal midway through the half but the damage done in the first half was far too much for Bay to overcome as this very good Whyteleafe side saw the game out.

Manager, Ben Smith admitted after the game he set the team up the wrong way and this was the reason the team failed so badly. He added the players followed his instructions so he couldn’t fault their effort. He did thank the supporters for continuing to sing throughout.

A very disappointing start to the new season.

Herne Bay: George Kamurasi, Ryan Cooper, Laurence Harvey, Dan Johnson, Tushaun-Tyreese Walters, Tom Carlton,Zac Ansah, Antony Edgar, Kieron Cambell, Mobolaji Dawodu, Zach Fagan,

Subs Used: Sam Bewick (Fagan 22) Dean Grant (Edgar 46) Bradley Stevenson (Carlton 46)

Subs Not Used: Kyron Lightfoot, Danny Lawrence.

Attendance: 368