Herne Bay 1-0 Hythe Town - Morgan's defence leaves Porter speechless

Saturday 03rd October 2009

HERNE BAY 1-0 HYTHE TOWN
FA Carlsberg Vase First Round
Saturday 3rd October 2009
Mike Green reports from Winch’s Field

A GOAL 12 minutes after half time from young Herne Bay substitute Mike Turner sent Barry Morgan's side into the next round of the FA Carlsberg Vase, and condemned Steve Porter’s Hythe Town side to their second Cup exit of the week.

Yet whereas at Kingfield on Tuesday, Porter’s side were unfortunate to lose 5-1 to Woking in the FA Cup, at a gusty Winch’s Field, it seemed as though Hythe simply run out of steam and ideas well before the final whistle.

Indeed it was a huge disappointment for the Hythe boss, who earlier in the week had claimed on this website that his side were capable of going some way in the competition.

Indeed such was the level of his disappointment that he declined our request for an interview as he trudged away from the game.

Morgan on the other hand was delighted to speak to www.kentishfootball.co.uk and had specific praise for his defence.

He said: "Back end of last season, I thought our defence was sound, yet we've been leaking goals. If that had happened today we would have struggled so I'm absolutely over the moon.

“It’s the happiest I've been with our defence for some considerable time... I've brought Sean (Bremner) back to the club, and thought he was great today; Josh (Maine) and Steve (Hanson) in the middle I thought coped with all the long balls they got at us brilliantly, and then there was Ross Brown, our right back who's come up through the ranks and youth set up and I thought was our best player today!"

Morgan also played credit to midfielder David Crofts. "With the greatest respect to Crofty he's not the greatest player in the world," Morgan began, "but he's a managers dream. You ask him to do a job and he'll go out and do it week after week after week. And that header (which cleared Hythe's late chance for an equaliser) was priceless!"

Given the heartache that Hythe had endured in the week, it was perhaps inevitable that their players would struggle, and so it proved, as after a first half that saw the biggest mumour from the crowd coming when Hythe striker Pat Kingwell replaced a seemingly broken corner flag - honestly it was that poor! Admittedly the strong wind didn't help, but fortunately the second half improved - but only just!

The home side came out after the break looking stronger, and on 52 minutes Danny Lawrence extended Hythe keeper Kieron Mann into a full length save to his left.

And then five minutes later came what was prove to be the winner. Darren Marsden threaded a ball in behind Hythe left back John Walker for substitute Turner to race onto and drive the ball beyond Mann into the bottom corner of the net.

The young sub could well have double the lead within a minute, but could only shoot straight at the keeper after a marvellous galloping run by full back Bremner.

Hythe almost looked out on their feet as the home side pressed forward, and Mann was relieved to grab a Brain Greenfield shot at the second attempt on 71 minutes, and the keeper was again in the right place to block a fine Marsden shot on the turn on 80 minutes.

The visitors suddenly realised that they were chasing the game - pushing central defender Roy Guiver and Byrne into a forward line of four - and nine minutes from time Herne Bay keeper Dan Eason made a fabulous block point blank to deny Kieron Byrne after he was released by Lee Winfield.

And then in stoppage time, Winfield's corner from the right seemed to be destined for a red shirt to head home. But Crofts header was just enough to beat three onrushing Hythe players and the ball was cleared and Herne Bay head into the hat for Monday's Second round draw.

And when Morgan was asked who he'd like in that draw, the Herne Bay boss simply smiled and said, "I want to win one game at a time and our next game is against Sevenoaks next Saturday. That said we are a footballing side (with some serious players) and if we defend like we did today we are a useful outfit - we just want to win one game at a time."

Herne Bay: Dan Eason, Ross Brown, Sean Bremner, Josh Maine, Steve Hanson, David Crofts, Danny Lawrence, Darren Marsden, James Turner (Mike Turner 33), Luke Harvey, Brian Greenfield.
Subs: Simon Brown, Andy Forster, Rob Lawrence

Booked: Josh Maine 79, Steve Hanson 84

Goal: Mike Turner 51

Hythe Town: Kieron Mann, Tom Adlington, John Walker, Sam Marsh, Roy Guiver, Gary Clarke, Dave Cook, Kieran Byrne, Aiden Pursglove (Scott Punton 46), Pat Kingwell, Lee Winfield.
Subs: Adam Hooper, Barry Beaney, Joe Bullard, Toby Allen.

Booked: Aiden Pursglove 34, Dave Cook 37, Lee Winfield 43

Attendance: 170
Referee: Mr Richard Joss (Margate)
Assistants: Mr Tim Amans (Ramsgate) & Mr Paul Sellar (Dover)