Sam Hasler’s free kicks were too much for basement Chipstead. He scored from one and then with another set up Bay’s third goal of the afternoon.

“We all know that at set pieces there’s not much better than him in the league, he’s got a wonder of a left foot”, said Herne Bay manager Sam Denly, “to be fair, Hasler’s been outstanding today, it’s been a good week for us”.

Herne Bay got off to the best possible start when straight from the kick off they set up their first advance of the match ending with Sam Hasler blasting home inside the opening 60 seconds. More was to come.

In the 6^th minute, Stojsavljevic could only parry Joe Nelder’s rasper and Lovell’s follow up was cleared off the line. Then, that moment of Hasler magic. Awarded a free kick, fully 40 yards from goal, Sam Hasler let fly with a left footed corker that fizzed into the top right hand corner. Wow, seems an understatement.

The excitement was short lived though as Chipstead, who played their neat football throughout without much reward, clawed their way back into the game when two minutes later, a goal-line occupying Joel Aitkin tapped in a right wing cross. The suspicion of offside waived away meant the next offside decision met with ironic cheers from the home crowd.

After the break Bay remained rampant. Just two minutes of the half had elapsed when Sanders blasted over at the far post and just before the hour mark another Sam Hasler long distance free kick was spilled by the visiting ‘keeper with no home forward close enough to pounce. Jack Delo, in the Herne Bay goal, had enjoyed a quiet afternoon but was on hand to pull off a superb save to tip the ball over for a corner in a rare attack from Chipstead.

But Herne Bay, and Sam Hasler, were not to be denied. In the 75^th minute another long range free kick from Hasler was nodded back from the far post for Connor Sanders to ram home. With six minutes remaining the hero of the midweek FA Trophy win, Joe Nelder, blasted home after Steven Ita’s header had been miscued into his path by Panayiiotou.

“They may be bottom of the league but we had to do our job and be professional”, said Denly, “It was a complete performance, we played some good stuff. We’ve got games coming thick and fast, I don’t think we’ve got a midweek off for a while, the squad is going to be stretched and everyone will have to play their part. It’s a pretty hectic schedule”.

 

Herne Bay: Jack Delo, Michael Turner, Gary Sayer, Dan Johnson, Liam Quinn, Connor Sanders, Danny Walder, Joe Nelder (James Turner 89), Mark Lovell (Steven Ita 78), Elliot Cutts (Kane Phillip 62), Sam Hasler.

Subs not used: Nathan Eastwood, Georgio Russo.

Sent Off: none  Cautioned: none.

 

Chipstead: Milan Stojsavljevic, Lewis Hamilton, Savvas Panayiotou, Steve Betancourt, George Murphy, Bobby Webbe, Charlie Carter, Bentley Graham, Connor French, Derek Ticku, Joel Aitkin (Kerry Kedze 61).

Subs not used: Josh Fuller, Steven Ibizugbe, Carlton Murray-Price, Tony Stone.

Sent Off: None  Cautioned: Steve Betancourt.

 

Referee:  Nick Dunn                  Assistant Referees: Stuart Marriott & Richard Joss.

Man of the Match: Sam Hasler (Herne Bay)

 

Herne Bay (2) 4

Sam Hasler 1, 26

Connor Sanders 75

Joe Nelder 84

 

Chipstead (1) 1

Joel Aitkin 28

 

Attendance: 154

 

Ryman Isthmian League Division One (South)

Saturday 7^th November 2015.

(at The Altira Park Stadium, Winch’s Field)

 

Photo credit: Steve Barton – Sam Hasler – out of picture – scores from 40 yards