Kentish Football 
Hythe Town 2-2 Herne Bay (4-5 pens) - Maybe our wake-up call has come at the right time - Porter
Saturday 06th August 2011
HYTHE TOWN 2-2 HERNE BAY
(Herne Bay win 5-4 on penalties)
Kent League Challenge Shield
Saturday 6th August 2011
Stephen McCartney reports from Reachfields Stadium
HERNE BAY boss Simon Halsey was indebted to his goalkeeper Dan Eason after his side stunned Ryman League newcomers Hythe Town to win the annual curtain raiser to the new season.
The Kent League Challenge Shield, which is contested by the Kent League Champions and Kent League Cup Winners, finished all square after 90 minutes play, but the 22-year-old stopper came out on top as he denied Dave Cook, Simon Austin and Dan Scorer, as Herne Bay came out on top after fourteen penalties.
“Dan’s a great penalty stopper,” Halsey said after his side won the shoot-out 5-4, to remain unbeaten during their nine match pre-season campaign.
“When it comes to penalties, I think we’re going to get something out of it because he’s a great, great stopper.”
Hythe Town boss, Scott Porter, added: “Ok, we’ve lost the Shield on penalties, penalties are penalties, it’s a lottery, but I’m not too bothered about it because it’s a lottery and I’m just disappointed in our own performance.”
Porter, whose side travel to Deal Town on Tuesday and welcome Ryman League Division One North side Romford to Reachfields Stadium next Saturday, before travelling to Godalming Town for their first ever Ryman League game on 20 August, was bitterly disappointed with his side.
“On our behalf (our performance was) not very good to be honest with you,” the 32-year-old said afterwards.
“All the stuff we’ve done in the last three games, didn’t do at all today. We wasn’t close enough to the ball, we didn’t compete, we didn’t keep the ball as well as we have done in the last few games and it was a lacklustre performance so we’re disappointed.
“Herne Bay are a decent side. If you stop them playing, you’ve got every chance. We stopped them playing for fifteen minutes in the first half and dominated it. We didn’t turn up for the first half-an-hour but it’s schoolboy stuff. If you don’t get tight to a man spaces occur, people pick the spaces out, and you look quite ordinary and we did at times.
“So yes, very disappointed in our own performance. It’s another game under our belts and we’ll move on from there.”
Porter, whose side went into the game after playing Concord Rangers (0-1), Tonbridge Angels (2-2) and a 4-1 win at Ashford Town in midweek, added, “The last three games we’ve looked good, but it’s a wake-up call. Maybe it’s come at a good time?”
Victorious Halsey, who revealed he hasn’t lost a game at Reachfields Stadium, said: “It’s another positive step for us really. We’ve played three other Ryman League sides, who we have done very well against, but we knew it was going to be very, very hard against what’s a very strong, physical side.
“To come out of it as winners eventually through the penalties is great. We’ve battled with a very strong side. I don’t think we’ll come up against a side that’s physically strong as that in the Kent League this year.”
Hythe Town had opened the lead when Pat Kingwell headed in after 27 minutes, before Herne Bay levelled seven minutes into the second half, through James Corbett.
Herne Bay took the lead for the first time when substitute Stacy Davis, who has been plucked out of Kent County League football with Premier FC, finished well, but Hythe fought back and levelled just ten minutes later when Simon Austin scored his fourth goal in pre-season with fourteen minutes remaining.
Both Kent League games between these two heavyweights ended in draw’s last season, the first game here at Reachfields also ended 2-2, whilst the battle towards the end of the season finished goal-less at Winch’s Field.
Hythe Town clinched the Kent League title on goal-difference to Herne Bay on an enthralling last day of the season, but Halsey’s men extracted revenge by beating Hythe in the Kent League Cup Final seven days later on 6 May.
Herne Bay created the first real chance within the opening two minutes of today’s game. Ben Brown’s corner from the left picked out James Campbell at the far post and the big central defender directed a header straight into Kieron Mann’s gloves at his near post.
Ryan Rook had plenty of the ball down the right flank, but often his final delivery lacked the quality needed to harm Herne Bay.
But the former Norton Sports winger won Hythe a free-kick and his delivery was headed up in the air by Herne Bay defender Tom Bryant, but Hythe defender, Tom Parkinson nodded over when the ball dropped down.
Herne Bay went route-one for their best chance in the 18th minute. Neil Perkins played a ball through the home side’s back-line to release Byron Walker and the striker played the ball inside for Corbett, who drilled a low left-footed drive, which forced Mann into making a low save to his right.
Unfortunately the flow of the game, especially in the first half, was cut short by a whistle happy referee – Westerham based referee Mr Graeme Ions who has followed Hythe Town into the Ryman League.
But Hythe Town broke the deadlock, with their first shot on target, after 27 minutes.
Rook floated a right-footed free-kick into the penalty area from 35-yards and Herne Bay left Kingwell unmarked at the near post and the strong defender glanced his header across Eason and the ball clipped the far post before finding the back of the net.
Porter was clearly unhappy with Rook’s contribution for the rest of the game.
He said: “You look at the other set-pieces after that, we didn’t put one in the box. It’s disappointing, the whole afternoon. We didn’t do the stuff we’ve been doing. It’s just frustrating when you tell players before the game and at half-time. They go out and they play like that, it’s frustrating!
“We had a few words, people know certain things went wrong. We’re all in it together, but it’s a friendly, but you pick the mistakes out and build on for the next game and that’s what pre-season is all about.”
Halsey gave his take on Hythe’s opener, saying, “I thought it was a little bit lucky really and against the run of play. We dominated right from the first off. Our intensions were shown right from the off. We penned them in their third and weren’t just clinical enough up there and one of their very rare attacks Pat’s got on the end of it, that’s what Pat’s good at. I’m not going to be too hard on my lads’ on that.”
Hythe almost doubled their lead in a fortuitous manner as Cook released Rook and his right-footed cross sailed over a back-peddling Eason and the curling cross bounced off the top of the crossbar.
Bryant supported a Herne Bay attack and drilled a low left-footed drive, which flashed past Mann’s left-hand post, and Lloyd Blackman struck a right-footed half-volley over from just inside the Herne Bay penalty area after Campbell headed away another Rook free-kick into the penalty box as Hythe dominated after their opening goal.
Former Whitstable Town striker, Lloyd Blackman, was denied his first goal for Hythe Town, as he was in an offside position by the time he swept the ball into the net after the ball spun towards him after Rook clipped another free-kick into the box.
Herne Bay almost snatched an injury time equaliser as Eason pumped the ball high into the left corner of the Hythe box, Campbell rose like a salmon to head the ball across the penalty area and Bryant clipped a left-footed volley wide of the far post.
Neither side made a substitution at the break, but Herne Bay began the second half with urgency, and they came close to equalising after only 56 seconds.
Dan Lawrence – who was named the man-of-the-match by Kent Football Legend, Tommy Sampson – whipped in a low cross into the penalty area from the right and Corbett cut the ball back to Campbell, who curled a left-footed shot from just outside the area agonisingly wide of the far post.
But Herne Bay levelled proceedings in the 52nd minute, through Corbett, 31, who left Gillingham for Premier League Blackburn Rovers for a transfer fee of £525,000 back in 1998.
Bryant was released down the left flank and the left-back reached the by-line before hitting an over-hit cross, which was retrieved by Lawrence, who cut across three defenders before cutting the ball back for Corbett, who steered home a low, left-footed shot from six-yards.
“I would expect Jim to score,” said Halsey. “I’m just pleased for Jim because he’s off his duck now. He was doing very well, he was getting shots on target in other games and not broken his duck but that’s out of the way and done now. It was very good to get back on level terms.”
When asked about Corbett’s fitness, the Bay boss replied, “He’s trimmed up and lost a lot of weight and he’s itching for the season to start.”
After Herne Bay went close through Ben Brown’s low drive, which flashed wide, Kingwell slipped the ball through to Hythe substitute, striker, Craig Thompson, whose shot was caught by Eason at the near post.
Hythe keeper Mann got down low and quickly to his left to thwart Davis, but the striker was to produce an excellent finish to immediately put Herne Bay into a 66th minute lead.
Darren Marsden teed up the former Premier FC striker, who slid a low left-footed shot past the stranded Mann to find the bottom near corner.
When asked about his new find, Halsey said: “Just a young lad from Herne Bay. I think he played for that local side down Herne Bay called Premier, who aren’t playing no more, so he’s obviously kicking his heels and he came pre-season and I think that takes him to nine in seven, maybe, in pre-season.
“He’s a raw talent, a young lad. You could see on the pitch there’s a couple of things he didn’t do right. He’s not been around good players like that but being around better players will improve him. I think he’s got good potential. It could save me my little scouting mission looking for another striker.”
Hythe, who were without star-striker Brendon Cass, who returns from holiday next Saturday, came within inches of equalising only four minutes later as John Walker released Austin down the right and his cross was hit on the volley by Ronnie Dolan, which screamed past Eason, but Perkins did superbly to smash the ball off the line.
However, the game deserved to end in a draw, and Hythe Town levelled with fourteen minutes remaining.
Dolan took a long run up and drilled a left-footed free-kick into Austin’s path and the former Folkestone Invicta striker lashed a right-footed shot from a tight-angle, which beat Eason at his near post.
Porter is delighted with Austin, as he rediscovers his goalscoring touch.
He said: “Austo’s been flying. He had a point to prove after his injury last season. I brought him in from Folkestone to win the league and we won the league. I was gutted he didn’t play a big part of it so he’s come back and he’s looking sharp. He’s a terrific football player, he’s got a brain other people haven’t got. He drifts off people and he’s a goalscorer and he proved that today.”
Halsey added: “A little bit of luck with that again, I thought. Great strike – don’t get me wrong. I think Dan will be disappointed with himself not to have done better with it.
“I thought we done well to come out in the second half. I had a bit of a moan at them at half-time. I though we started retaining the ball a little bit better in the second half, so disappointed (to draw).
Herne Bay could have snatched victory, but Lawrence dinked a shot inches wide of the far post, so did Walker when he was put through.
And Hythe had the last chance when an aggressive but fair Dolan did well to win a midfield tussle with Marsden, before releasing Thompson through on goal, but the substitute was denied by Eason.
The game was settled by a penalty shoot-out – after last year’s Kent League Challenge Shield was shared by Faversham Town and Herne Bay after the game petered out in a mundane 1-1 draw at Salters Lane.
Hythe Town skipper, Cook, was the first to step forward, but his right-footed penalty was palmed up into the air and then caught by Eason.
Parkinson, Barnes, Thompson and Kingwell converted their spot kicks for Hythe, as did Herne Bay’s Byron Walker, Simon King, Joe Nelder and Campbell, before Davis lost his composure as Mann’s left hand denied Herne Bay winning the contest at the tenth penalty stage.
Austin’s right-footed sudden-death penalty was saved by Eason’s right-hand, and Perkins had his head in his hands after he looped his right-footed penalty over the top of the right hand post.
The pressure told on Scorer, trying to blast a penalty straight down the middle, but Eason pulled off yet another save, and Bryant stepped up and slotted home the winning penalty.
Meanwhile, Herne Bay’s home game against Haverhill Rovers, which was scheduled for Sunday, was cancelled by the Suffolk club at 1:40pm today.
Hythe Town: Kieron Mann, Aaron Lacey, John Walker, Pat Kingwell, Tom Parkinson, Ronnie Dolan, Dave Cook, Lloyd Blackman (Craig Thompson 59), Simon Austin, Nick Barnes, Ryan Rook (Dan Scorer 68).
Subs: Greg Smith, Ashley Porter, Lee Winfield.
Goals: Pat Kingwell 27, Simon Austin 76
Herne Bay: Dan Eason, Ollie Bartrum (Joe Nelder 76), Tom Bryant, Neil Perkins, James Campbell, James Sherman (Simon King 67), Dan Lawrence (Michael Turner 83), Darren Marsden, Byron Walker, James Corbett (Stacy Davis 60), Ben Brown (Rhys Lawson 72).
Goals: James Corbett 52, Stacy Davis 66
Booked: James Campbell 38, Tom Bryant 44
Attendance: 206
Referee: Mr Graeme Ions (Westerham)
Assistants: Mr Mark Heads (Bearsted) & Mr Daniel Bonneywell (Canterbury)
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