For the second week in succession Herne Bay finished the first half, and ultimately the match, with less than eleven players on the pitch following the 42nd minute dismissal of Danny Walder for a reckless challenge in the centre circle.
So did indiscipline cost Bay their hitherto 100% away record? Manager Sam Denly was emphatic that was not the case.
“No, not indiscipline, there were some poor decisions”, said Denly, “It`s worrying that we are getting so many cards and that’s for me to address. Walder’s gone in late and he’s caught the player. The lad’s admitted himself that it wasn’t that bad, it’s a yellow card”.
Molesey, with a defence that has been miserly hit Bay hard in the early stages, opening their account as early as the fifth minute and then when McShane dispossessed Russo inside his own penalty to hammer home his and Molesey’s second seven minutes later it looked as though the visitors were in for a torrid afternoon.
A flurry of cards for both sides and half an hour later Bay prised themselves back into this match. Five minutes before the break Danny Walder crashed home a penalty awarded, perhaps harshly, for handball, then in stoppage time Sam Hasler produced a free kick of precision from outside the box that resulted in his left foot power drive finding the net at the foot of Liam Alllen’s left stick.
Buoyed by their resurgence pre-interval, 10 man Bay matched their hosts in the second 45. Making his debut, on loan Frannie Collin sent his header straight at the keeper four minutes in and a later effort eluded all and the post.
It will always be difficult playing a man short and Molesey eventually made their numerical advantage count in the 75th minute when Ollie Robinson rose unchallenged to head home from a corner.
“We were poor first half but we were so much better second half”, said Denly, “it’s frustrating to lose from a set piece even when you’ve only got ten men, that’s just schoolboy. My main concern was that we didn’t start, we gave them too much of the ball, we pride ourselves on our back four and for whatever reason we was’t at it first half. We showed great character getting back into the game”.
Molesey: Liam Allen, Ross Chalke, Luke Elliott, Craig Lewington, Rob Sheridan, Tom Windsor, Sam Robinson, Ollie Robinson, Reis Stanislaus, James Cottee (Ato Okai 72), James McShane.
Subs not used: Ashby Charles, Dre Grobler, Charlie Samuel, Joe Pratley-Jones
Sent off: None Cautions: Sam Robinson, Craig Lewington, Luke Elliott, Liam Allen.
Herne Bay: Jack Delo, Dan Johnson, Georgio Russo (Gary Sayer 55), Nathan Eastwood, Dan Parkinson (Joe Nelder 85), Danny Walder, Kane Butler (Kane Phillip 55), Mark Lovell, Frannie Collin, Sam Hasler.
Subs not used: Steven Ita, Elliot Cutts
Sent off: Danny Walder. Cautions: Liam Quinn, Georgio Russo, Dan Johnson
Man of the match: Craig Lewington (Moseley)
Referee: George Warren
Assistant Referees: Michael Hayden & Timothy Dowdeswell
Molesey (2) 3
McShane 5, 12
Robinson 76
Herne Bay (2) 2
Walder 40 (p)
Hasler 45