Erith & Belvedere 0-4 Herne Bay - We couldn't be where we are without 20 players, says Simon Halsey

ERITH & BELVEDERE  0-4  HERNE BAY
(Herne Bay win 7-1 on aggregate)
Macron Kent League Cup Quarter-Final Second Leg
Tuesday 24^th January 2012
Stephen McCartney reports from Park View Road

HERNE BAY eased their way into the semi-finals of the Kent League Cup as their second string humiliated Erith & Belvedere at Park View Road.

Herne Bay manager Simon Halsey started with only five players who started Saturday’s heroic 2-1 win at Northern League side Newcastle Benfield in the fourth round of The FA Carlsberg Vase but tonight’s 4-0 win proves that there is plenty of strength in depth at Winch’s Field.

Leading 3-1 from the first leg at Winch’s Field thirteen days’ ago, a controversial penalty, converted by Tom Parker, sent unbeaten Kent League leaders Herne Bay on their way in the 32^nd minute, before Dave Soutan capped an impressive performance alongside Parker in the middle of the park, by doubling their lead on the night and ending the game as a contest.

Rhys Lawson – the hero on Saturday when he scored an 88^th minute winner to seal their place in the last sixteen of the FA Carlsberg Vase - made it three before Parker converted his second penalty of the night as Herne Bay joined Corinthian in the last four.

Unfortunately, Erith & Belvedere manager, Micky Collins, declined to comment after the game, the first time in 31 league and cup games this season that his side have failed to score.

Halsey, who gave their Newcastle heroes, Dan Eason, Nathan Eastwood, Tom Bryant, Michael Turner and Lawson a start, highlighted the strength in depth available to him as his side can claim a potential treble – FA Vase, Kent League and Kent League Cup.

“I did tell you and I told the papers down my way that there wouldn’t be any changes tonight but I knew straight away after Saturday’s game that they’d be severe changes,” said Halsey, whose side have now extended their run to eight successive wins.

“I just said to the lads before I couldn’t be in this position that we’re in now, 13 points clear (at the top of the Kent League with 12 games remaining), in the last sixteen of the Vase, in the semi-finals of the Kent League Cup without twenty players.  I couldn’t do it with thirteen or fourteen and full credit to the ones who have been a bit frustrated, not getting in every week.

“I will mix and change things up and the good thing is when I do mi it up it doesn’t weaken the side by anything.  It just strengthens things as the boys want to take their shirts and they put that little extra in and I’ve got a great combination here.”

Halsey admitted he now faces a selection headache, not only for their next two away games, against VCD Athletic and Tunbridge Wells, but their FA Carlsberg Vase last sixteen clash against Western League side Larkhall Athletic at Winch’s Field on 11 February.

He said: “I’ve brought Rob Lawrence, he’s a regular with me, he’s not been in the side, and I’ve brought him along tonight because I know he’s a good player and he’s come on and given me another problem.

“Michael Jenner has gone in there, again at right-back, another problem.

“They can all play and they just want to play.  Yes, severe headaches but they know I will pick what is the right side for that game.  It won’t be anything personal, it’s literally for Herne Bay Football Club to win the next game that comes our way.”

Erith & Belvedere started well and called visiting keeper Eason into making a comfortable save inside the opening six minutes.

Central defender Allan Matthews left a free-kick for his goalkeeper Richard Stroud to pump into the opposite penalty box where Andy Constable glanced a header from ten-yards straight at Eason, who made a comfortable catch.

Herne Bay’s first chance came in the eleventh minute when Parker swung in the first of his six corners into the penalty area and Steve Hanson headed the ball across to left-back Bryant, whose shot on the turn was comfortably saved by Stroud.

But Erith & Belvedere squandered an excellent chance to make a game of it when right-back Adrian Deane joined an attack and whipped in an excellent cross towards Constable at the far post and his shot flicked off Hanson and fell to Badar Mohamed some eight-yards from goal.

But the striker showed a complete lack of composure and instead of placing his shot across Eason into the bottom far corner, he went for the near post, but smashed his shot into the side-netting with only the keeper to beat.

Soutan’s aerial presence is now a weapon in Herne Bay’s armoury, and Halsey was pleased with the midfielder’s contribution.

He said: “Dave gets on the end of a lot of stuff.  We were very neat and tidy on the floor, everyone knows that, but perhaps anything that we have been lacking is scoring from balls that have been put in to the box at high levels at set-pieces and corners.

“He’s added to us and he gives us another goalscorer.  I don’t have to rely on Byron (Walker), Bavers (Ashley Baverstock), Luke (Harvey) and Ben Brown.  I’ve got another one who has come in and putting his fair share of goals so we’ve got balance through the side.”

But a controversial decision by referee Peter Cruise gifted Herne Bay a 32^nd minute penalty after  Matthews was harshly penalised for his body check on James Turner just inside the box.

Erith & Belvedere defender, John Wilfort, was booked for his protests, but Parker kept his composure and sent Stroud the wrong way with his left-footed penalty.

Halsey said: “No! It weren’t a penalty but the one just before half-time (when Rhys Lawson was brought down by Adrian Deane) was.  I don’t know what the referee and linesman has seen but the second one definitely was!”

Soutan issued the home side a warning when he headed Parker’s corner wide, before he doubled Herne Bay’s lead in the 43^rd minute.

Parker floated in a left-footed free-kick towards the far post and the ball dropped to Soutan, whose powerful right-footed drive smacked into Stroud’s legs, looped up and over him, caressed the crossbar and dropped down and over the goal-line.

Erith & Belvedere now faced an uphill struggle as they were now 5-1 down on aggregate and staring elimination in the face.

But Constable was in Hanson’s pocket throughout and Halsey was pleased with the big number five’s contribution.

“Steve Hanson has been in and out of my side and he’s had a sticky 12 minutes but after that he didn’t let Andy Constable win a thing and he was powerful and strong and that’s what I expect of him.”

Herne Bay had the first chance of the second half when Michael Turner’s glancing header found Ashley Baverstock unmarked inside the box but he hooked the ball wide from twelve yards.

A snap shot from Erith & Belvedere midfielder Huseyin Budak sailed over Eason’s crossbar from 20-yards, before Lawson flashed a right-footed 25-yard drive past the far post at the other end.

Herne Bay almost increased their lead on the hour-mark when Baverstock released his strike partner James Turner, who cracked a right-footed drive from 25-yards, which swerved and dipped just in front of Stroud, who did well to get down low to block at his near post to grasp the ball at the second attempt.

Herne Bay scored from a trademark slick attacking move in the final fourteen minutes.

Michael Turner and Luke Harvey combined before substitute Harvey flashed a low cross across the face of the penalty area and Lawson turned and drilled a right-footed shot past Stroud from eight-yards.

Halsey said:  “I tell you what, that was identical that goal to Saturday, but you don’t have too many shouts or people running on the pitch!

“The celebrations were a little bit different from Saturday.  It’s still important.  His got into the right areas and Rhys has got on the end of it.  A superb Herne Bay goal.

“Rhys is getting stronger every game he’s playing.  His direct approach when he gets the ball at his feet and runs at pace is getting stronger and stronger every week.”

Herne Bay wrapped up the comfortable victory just three minutes later when Harvey was fouled by Michael Abnett.

Parker stepped up once again and blasted a low left-footed penalty through Stroud’s legs to find the bottom left-hand corner.

Halsey wants to win the Kent League Cup for the third successive year.

He said: “We want to win every game of football I go into.  We’ve won the Cup for the last two years so we’re going to have a two-legged semi-final against tough opposition.   We just have to take those two games when it comes and see what happens.  We’ll be going to win the Cup for the third year running without a doubt.”

Erith & Belvedere: Richard Stroud, Adrian Deane, Karl Knight, Huseyin Budak, Allan Matthews, John Wilfort (Richie Davies 76), Michael Abnett, Paul Springett (Luis Regis 61), Andy Constable, Badar Mohamed, Lee Radford.
Subs: Luke May, Eamon Gaughan, Micky Collins

Booked: John Wilfort 32

Herne Bay: Dan Eason, Ollie Bartrum (Michael Jenner 61), Tom Bryant, Nathan Eastwood (Rob Lawrence 68), Steve Hanson, Dave Soutan, Michael Turner, Tom Parker, James Turner (Luke Harvey 73), Ashley Baverstock, Rhys Lawson.
Subs: Ben Brown, Bradley Ashmore

Goals: Tom Parker 32 (pen), 79 (pen), Dave Soutan 43, Rhys Lawson 76

Booked: Steve Hanson 48, Tom Parker 67

Attendance: 62
Referee: Mr Peter Cruise (Darenth)
Assistants: Mr Martin Cook (Sidcup) & Mr Scott Rudd (Dartford)