I'll be really pleased if we reach the FA Vase Quarter-Finals, says Herne Bay boss Simon Halsey

HERNE BAY boss Simon Halsey says he is preparing his side for their FA Carlsberg Vase Last Sixteen clash against Larkhall Athletic as normal – even though the game at Winch’s Field is likely to be frozen off.



Volunteers were attempting to clear three inches of snow off the pitch at Winch’s Field, ahead of the club’s biggest game of the season on Saturday.

Western League outfit Larkhall Athletic, who hail from Bath, are in the way of the Kent Hurlimann Football League leaders of reaching the quarter-finals of the national competition.

Halsey said: “We was down there last night and they’re down there today trying to clear the pitch.  It’s just out of my hands and time’s out of our hands really.

“The weather’s hampered (our preparation) a little bit.  We’ve had no game last week and we’re training tonight (on a 3G pitch) and that aspect we’re on schedule but it’s whether the pitch can be cleared and the weather warms up a little bit and we have no snow.  It’s a little bit out of our hands.”

The club have called for a 2:30pm pitch inspection on Friday afternoon to avoid Larkhall Athletic travelling to Kent.

If the game is postponed, then it will be re-arranged for the following Saturday, 18^th February, but Halsey wants to the game to go ahead.

He said: “I just want to get the game played really. If it’s called off, it’s another time we’re not playing a League game and then we could perhaps have a replay and we have to go there the following Saturday.  We could have three weeks’ without playing a league game.  It’s not brilliant but you have to deal with it if you want to be successful in this competition.”

Herne Bay have enough quality in their ranks to go all the way and WIN the showpiece final at Wembley Stadium on 13 May.

If they do then they will replicate former Herne Bay boss Tommy Sampson’s achievement when his Deal Town side defeated Chippenham Town, courtesy of a Roly Graham strike, in May 2000.

“Yes, it’s getting closer,” said Halsey.  “If we can put a good display on and get through to the quarter-final, who knows what can happen then.

“We just have to get the game on and played so we know where we are.

“We’ve got to prepare ourselves right as if the game’s going to be on and that’s what we’ve done all week.   The rest of it is out of our hands.  We have to prepare like the game is on until we know on Friday or Saturday that it’s off.

Halsey added: “I know about their strengths and weaknesses.  I’ve had them watched twice.  We know their key players, the ones that can cause a bit of trouble.

“We won’t worry too much about them and we’ll set our team out and we’ll concentrate on what Herne Bay do.  They’ll know a few things about us but they have to worry about us to be honest.

“We haven’t had a home game for a couple of weeks so we want to get a game on and get some revenue into the club.  Hopefully it will be a big crowd, which will make up for a couple of weeks without a home fixture.”

When asked how the game will be won, Halsey replied, “Whoever prepares, whoever prepares themselves right.  As long as you don’t get too many players’ freeze on the day and a bit of luck on the way.  All we can do is prepare right but you could do with a little bit of luck on the way.  That may be the deciding factor on it.  They’re not going to be a bad side, going by their record.  Perhaps one of us will go through with a bit of luck but I want to go through as being the better side.”

Herne Bay will be without Jamie Maxted and Tom Bryant through suspension.

Halsey added: “We’ve got them serving their last game of their suspensions, which would have been over last week at Tunbridge Wells, which was another reason I wanted to play last week but it wasn’t to be. 

“They’ll miss the game either on Saturday or the following Saturday.  It’s a bit of bad luck all round really. The bad weather and suspensions coming in but I’ve got a big enough squad to deal with it and players will come into their positions and take their chance.  The players that come in will be capable of holding their own and that’s what they’ll have to do on Saturday or the 18^th.

“I’m carrying a big enough squad to push us on and hopefully get a right result and see us into the last eight but that’s not going to be without a lot of hard work and commitment.

“If we work harder than them, we’re a good footballing side, hopefully we’ll come out with a win on the day!”

When asked whether he is thinking about leading the club out at Wembley Stadium for the final, Halsey replied, “I’ll be honest with you. Not at all!  I just want to win this game and get our name in the hat.  That’s my main concern.

“We’ve done well to get this far.  If we get to the last eight, yes, I’ll be really pleased.  I don’t think the real heat and the real bit of the competition will be until the two-legged semi-final.  It will be a hard semi-final.  You’re not a long way away (from Wembley) but that’s two hard games. You can travel a long way north or a long way west and that’s a real thing to achieve.”

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

Herne Bay  v  Larkhall Athletic
The FA Carlsberg Vase Fifth Round
Saturday 11^th February 2012
Kick Off 3:00pm
At Winch’s Field, Stanley Gardens, Herne Bay, Kent CT6 5SG