Holmesdale 1-2 Herne Bay - We won't give up on title until it's mathematical, insists Halsey

Friday 02nd April 2010

HOLMESDALE 1-2 HERNE BAY
Bulmers Cider Kent League
Good Friday 2nd April 2010
Stephen McCartney reports from Oakley Road

HERNE BAY manager Simon Halsey admits his side’s recent off-colour performances is down to his young side not coping with the pressure of chasing league leaders Faversham Town.

Faversham Town were defeated at home by third-placed Beckenham Town before this game started and Herne Bay won ugly to move within 9 points of their near-neighbours with six games left to play.

Halsey refused to be told the result of the Salters Lane clash as his side kicked off at Oakley Road, but his side performed poorly during the first half and found themselves a goal-down courtesy of Nathan Bell’s third goal for the Bromley based club.

Herne Bay levelled through striker James Turner finishing off a slick three-man move before Halsey was informed of Faversham’s result during the half-time break and gave his off-colour side an inspirational half-time team-talk.

An excellent second half finish from skipper Luke Harvey ensured Herne Bay kept up the pressure on Justin Luchford's side but Halsey, who was speaking to www.kentishfootball.co.uk admitted his side disappointed.

“The only positive thing that I’ve got out of that is it’s the business end of the season and it’s the result that matters now, not so much the football,” admitted Halsey.

“We didn’t play well for the 90 minutes to be honest with you. It’s sporadic again but it’s the result that matters at this part of the season but we’ve just got to drive on.”

In front of a higher than average attendance at Oakley Road, the opening 25 minutes was very tight with nothing to write about and this forced Halsey into switching his formation from 3-5-2 to 4-4-2.

But it was Holmesdale that opened the scoring after 27 minutes with the first real goalscoring chance.

Bell picked the ball up and cut in from the right and with his left-foot sent a cracking left-footed drive from 20-yards, which gave Herne Bay’s second-choice keeper Shaun Smith no chance as
the ball flew into the top far corner.

Holmesdale coach Keith Najdowski, who was also speaking to www.kentishfootball.co.uk, praised the nippy striker.

“He does well for us Nathan,” he said. “He’s been working quite hard and I think he’s really came to life at the moment and we’re happy with that.”

Herne Bay were in disarray during a poor first half showing by their high standards, but came back into the game as half-time approached.

They lived up to their reputation of being a slick passing side as their only good play of the first half resulted in a 44th minute equaliser.

Midfield playmaker Darren Marsden (who had just flashed a left-footed shot just past the post) slipped the ball to Harvey on the edge of the penalty area and his flick played in Turner on the right hand side of the penalty area and the striker’s right-footed drive sailed across the Dalers keeper and found the back of the net via the far post.

Halsey added: “That was the first time that we played a bit of football in that half really. We hadn’t really created much, which is unlike Herne Bay of the past, but over the last month it’s been pretty much like that.

“We’re not creating enough chances for some reason. Fortunately we stuck in, changed formation a bit and we got the result at the end. I’m a football person but as I said it’s the rest that matters today.”

Halsey told his senior players that they had to beat spirited Holmesdale to keep their slim title chances alive.

When asked whether he knew Faversham’s result as his side kicked-off, Halsey replied: “I knew at half-time. I told a couple off senior players, only the senior ones, just to give us a bit of drive, just get the youngsters around them going.”

This ultimately had the desired effect as Herne Bay increased their tempo of their play and should have taken the lead inside the opening six minutes of the second half.

Once again it was Marsden who slipped the ball in behind the Holmesdale defence to Jamie Maxted, but from a tight angle the defender blasted the ball straight into Williams’ grateful arms.

Holmesdale squandered an excellent chance to claim the points when Bell was released down the inside left channel and after cutting in he went all alone and this was the wrong decision as Smith stuck out a strong right-hand to turn the ball away.

Halsey made an inspired substitution as he brought on Dan Lawrence and the right-sided midfielder immediately played a major part in the winning goal after 65 minutes.

Lawrence slipped the ball to his skipper Harvey, who turned and unleashed a right-footed angled drive from 25-yards, which flashed across a beaten Williams and nestled inside the bottom far corner of the net.

“Our goal was pretty much like there one,” added Halsey. “Luke’s picked it up out wide and he’s taken a great shot and it’s gone in the net. In the last three games it wouldn’t have gone in the net. Hopefully that’s a bit of luck that we deserve.”

All-action man Marsden then found himself cutting along the by-line and after beating a couple of defenders he was denied by Williams’ legs at the near post, although the angle was very tight.

Holmesdale had an even more clear cut chance to equalise when the impressive Bell was released down the left and this time he cut the ball back to midfielder Jack Highwood and his shot from a central position just inside the penalty area was blocked by Smith’s legs.

Halsey switched his formation for a third time to 4-5-1 for the last remaining 15 minutes in an attempt to shut up shop - but Holmesdale had other ideas and had they taken two late chances then they would have deserved the share of the points.

Bell was fouled by Maxted out on the inside right-channel and left-back Billy Warner came within inches to scoring with a curling free-kick, before substitute Ben Chick was released through on goal down the left but his angled drive flashed agonisingly past the far post.

Halsey knows his side must win all of their last remaining six games and hope Faversham suffer more defeats.

“We’ve just got to keep going,” he said. “I think there’s still a twist somewhere, perhaps today was a twist, but we won’t give up until it’s mathematical.

“I’m disappointed, the lads are disappointed how we’re playing at the moment. Maybe (it’s) pressure, pressure on people not wanting the ball, people frightened to make the right choice at the right time and pass it short when we have done all season and perhaps going a little direct.

“Perhaps a little bit of nerves from the younger ones and we are a young side and they haven’t really been in this position before.

“They’ve done well for me. I’m not going to knock them. They’ve done well for me all season and I put it down to just a bit of nerves, a bit of panic.”

Najdowski, meanwhile, felt the Dalers did enough to claim what would have been a deserved point.

“We’re very disappointed we didn’t get at last a point, if not a win to be honest,” he said.

He was, however, disappointed that his defence didn’t close down match-winner Harvey.

“By rights we should’ve shut him down in the middle of the park and he shouldn’t have been allowed to turn,” he bemoaned.

“We’re disappointed that we conceded that to be honest but he took his chance well and he put it away, but we were a bit disappointed we switched off for a matter of seconds really and he got his turn in and got his shot away when he shouldn’t have done!”

But no-one can fault the commitment from the players in the yellow and green quartered shirts.

“It’s a little bit of a setback today but we took some positives from that,” praised Najdowski.

“They’re a good side, their position shows and we worked very hard against them today and comparing the way we played against them last time, I think we’ve made some major improvements we feel.

“We should’ve got something out of today’s game.”

Holmesdale: Jamie Williams, James Mullanee (Dave Elam 72), Billy Warner, John Gallagher, Ricky Hardie, Chris Hill, Jack Highwood, Liam Giles (Ben Chick 69), Nathan Bell, Michael McKenna, Joel Hughes.
Subs: Ben Clarkson, Lee Speirs, Ross Mitchell.

Goals: Nathan Bell 27

Booked: Joel Hughes 61

Herne Bay: Shaun Smith, Simon Moore, Noel Perkins, Jamie Maxted, Steve Hanson, Michael Jenner, Louis Valencia, Darren Marsden, Byron Walker (Jake Gess 77), Luke Harvey (Rob Lawrence 85), James Turner (Dan Lawrence 63).
Sub: Stuart King

Goals: Jamie Turner 44, Luke Harvey 65

Booked: Michael Jenner 77. Jamie Maxted 83

Attendance: 83
Referee: Mr Ian Fissenden (Gillingham)
Assistants: Mr Peter Cruise (Darenth) & Mr Peter Forshaw