It was Herne Bay that came out on top in the local clash against Sittingbourne in the Ryman South on Saturday afternoon.

“The difference was, they had Stuart King”, said Sittingbourne manager Nick Davis, “he had no right to shoot from there and they’re one nil up.”

He was referring to King’s wonder strike from 30 yards in the 34^th minute that punctuated an otherwise stalemate first half.

Having already had the ball in the visitor’s net twice in the opening 20 minutes but been adjudged as coming back from an offside position, Herne Bay’s top scorer, held off his marker 30 yards out, swivelled and struck a looping left foot shot over and past the off the line Bazell for his 16^th league goal of this campaign.

After the break, with the moisture on the pitch surface rising to form a mist, players regularly disappeared from view and back into sight.

Herne Bay had now learned to hold runs to defeat the Sittingbourne high defensive line and on 53 minutes Parkinson was released on the left and from his cross King flicked the ball goalwards at the near post to bring out an acrobatic save from the visitors’ goalkeeper.

Now Bourne & Bay traded chances. Hasler drove wide on 71 for the Bay, whose second half substitute, Steven Ita missed a golden opportunity 8 minutes later angling a tap in wide with the whole net at his mercy. Almost immediately Stephen Okoh stabbed wide for the Brickies.

With the lady of ample proportions warming up, Herne Bay sealed the points. Ita’s skilfully threaded pass released Parkinson who was upended by ‘keeper Sean Bazell and the home side had a penalty.

Danny Walder made no mistake from 12 yards to send his side up to 10^th in the table just one point behind Sittingbourne and only 3 points off a play-off position.

“It’s disappointing, there was nothing in it really”, said Brickie’s manager, Davis, “we need to be more of a threat, but it’s difficult to get that balance right of not conceding too many but being enough of a threat in that final third.”

“We’re finally getting to where we want to be as a team, it wasn’t going to be an overnight thing”, said Herne Bay manager Sam Denly, “win or lose we do it together, there’s a real togetherness in the dressing room. We’ve been outstanding, we fully deserved the win again today.”

 

Herne Bay: Jack Delo, Michael Turner, Gary Sayer, Dan Johnson, Liam Quinn, Dan Parkinson, Danny Walder, Joe Nelder (Steven Ita 72), Danny Williams, Stuart King (Ben Brown 72), Sam Hasler (Harry Brown 90).

Subs Not Used: Nathan Eastwood, Jordan Casey.

Cautions: Danny Williams, Liam Quinn.              Sent Off: None

 

Sittingbourne: Sean Bazell, Tom Brunt, Jono Richardson, Matthew Harden, Oliver Brown, Ole Bankole, Brendan Cullen, Brett Milham, Ellie Kayembe (Jo Nwoko 54), David Abe (Stephen Okoh 66), Hitcham Akahassan (Ellis Izokun 84).

Subs Not Used: Bryan Bell, Reece Gallagher.

Cautions: Sean Bazell, Oliver Brown      Sent Off: None

 

Man of the Match: Dan Parkinson (Herne Bay)

Referee: Philip Rowley   Assistants: Richard Butler & Adam Steele.

 

Herne Bay (1) 2

King 34

Walder 89 (pen)

Sittingbourne (0) 0

at Winch’s Field

 

Ryman Isthmian League Division One (South)

Saturday 15^th November 2014.

 

Attendance: 206

 Photo credit: Steve Barton – Herne Bay on the attack v Sittingbourne