I just hope we can keep the FA Vase dream going, says Herne Bay boss Simon Halsey

HERNE BAY boss Simon Halsey says the club are taking an army of fans to Gloucestershire on Saturday for the historic FA Carlsberg Vase Quarter-Final tie against Shortwood United.


Shortwood United are sitting in fifth-place in the Hellenic League top-flight and are unbeaten in the all sixteen league and cup games at their Meadowbank ground, which sits on a hill in Nailsworth.  They face the Kent Hurlimann Football League leaders on a nine match unbeaten run.

Herne Bay’s team bus sets off on Friday afternoon and players and management will be staying at a Gloucester hotel as they prepare the club’s biggest ever game.

Halsey said today that there will be at least 200 supporters making the pilgrimage to Gloucestershire to cheer the club into the two-legged semi-final.

“It’s quite a relatively short trip really so we’re looking forward to it,” said Halsey.  “Two coaches have completely sold out, obviously we’re going down there on the Friday, the third coach, and people are making their own way so we’re looking at 200 away supporters, making it a home game with a little bit more support behind us.”

Two rounds earlier, Herne Bay made the long trip up to Newcastle Benfield and that has stood them in good stead for this weekend.

Halsey said: “Going to Newcastle has prepared us for the weekend.  We’re preparing ourselves the same way.  It’s a shorter journey, we’re travelling down on the Friday night, have something to eat and get to bed a reasonable time.  I was talking to two or three of them today, they’re getting up at 11 o’clock on Saturday morning.  That’s nothing to do with being lazy, that’s their pre-match preparation.

“Going down there on a Friday lets us prepare the right way.  They can get up when they want, have breakfast and go for a walk.  We’ll focus on the game, that’s what it’s got to be about.  We’re staying in Gloucester, about sixteen miles away from the ground.”

Halsey says he has done his homework on their opponents.

He said: “I’ve had someone watch them on Wednesday night against Maidenhead, which must have been some kind of county cup game.  They played nine first team players who have played in the last four games.  

“We’ve seen enough of them. We’ve done enough homework on them.  We just have to go down there and play our game and be as strong as we can be.”

Looking at photographs of Meadowbank, supporters stand on terracing that is raised above players’ heads.

Halsey insists his players will not be intimidated, saying, “It can be as intimidating but we have to deal with it but we have to deal with what’s thrown in our faces on Saturday.

“It will spur us on a little bit more. We’ve been up to Newcastle and it was like a cow field and it was windy and raining and we just had to dig in and roll our sleeves up.  If that’s the case on Saturday so be it.

“We’re going to go down there to try and put on a footballing show and win the game.

Herne Bay had to battle to a 1-0 victory – thanks to James Campbell’s close range finish – over Western League outfit Larkhall Athletic at Winch’s Field in the last round just two weeks’ ago.

Halsey said: “I’ve been saying that over the last season and some of this season, even when we’re not playing our best football we can still be organised, do the right things, be very strong and have a good shape about us and get into the game if it’s not going our right way.

“We’re doing very well at the moment and we have to continue that for the next - it could be anything between 15-18 games now – so we just need to make sure we deal with each game that we play.

“We’re used to big games now, we’ve had nearly two, nearly three seasons now of playing in big games so it all helps.  They’ve all grown together, they’ve all played together for a couple of seasons and I just think we’ve grown as a team.

“It would be great to get into the semi-finals. Will we? I don’t know. I don’t know.   We’ve prepared right.  We’ve trained right.

“Every side needs luck.  We’re a hardworking side.  We’ve got barrels, loads of that.  If we keep our heads and we have a little bit of luck on the way, we’ll be there.”

Herne Bay have enough quality in their ranks to go all the way to win the silverware on 13 May 2012 – to replicate Tommy Sampson’s Deal Town side which defeated Chippenham Town thanks to a late Roly Graham strike.

Halsey, however, is relishing the fact that no-one outside Kent rates his side to go all the way to Wembley glory.

He said: “If we can get through Saturday’s hurdle and then on Monday the draw’s a bit nice to us, who knows, who knows?

“Seriously, if we can get through Saturday and the favourites’ do stay in it and we can avoid them in the semi-final draw, then there’s no reason, on our day, over the two (legged) games we win them.  Over the last three years’ we’ve not lost two games on the trot.  Whoever we draw we’ll have a right go at it.  We must get over Saturday’s game first.  That’s the most important thing.

“I would say West Auckland (who knocked out triple holders Whitley Bay in the last round) and Dunston would be my two favourites.”

When asked whether it’s a blessing not being listed as one of the favourites, Halsey said: “That will suit us because we stay under the radar and keep going forward, I’ve got no qualms about that.

“I don’t need to do interviews everywhere and talking about it all. I’m happy to stay under the radar and see where the road takes us.”

Halsey revealed the club will take both of their kits to Gloucestershire as Shortwood play in red and white striped shirts.

He said:  “The fans are all buzzing, they’re all trying to find out what kit we’re wearing.  We’re taking both kits because the play in red and white.  It should be blue and white but we’re taking the yellow just in case the referee deems it a little bit close but I can’t see it.  I want to play in blue and white to be honest.

“There will be lots of support.  A lot of messages are coming through already. I’m getting a lot of texts from lots of different people around the county which is very much appreciated.

“I’m loving the Vase experience and so are my players, but I want the game done and dusted on Saturday, win or lose.  We don’t want to be playing (the replay) next Saturday when we should be playing Erith Town.  I don’t want the Vase to hamper our league fixtures. I want to get this one out of the way.”

Halsey added: “I just hope we can keep the dream going.”

Visit Herne Bay’s website: www.hernebayfc.net

Shortwood United  v  Herne Bay
The FA Carlsberg Vase Quarter-Final
Saturday 3^rd March 2012
Kick Off 3:00pm
at Meadowbank, Nailsworth, Gloucestershire, GL6 0SJ