In an ideal world I'd like to come away with three trophies, says Herne Bay hero Steve Hanson

HERNE BAY match-winner Steve Hanson says he watched last Sunday’s Carling Cup Final at Wembley Stadium with interest as he wants to emulate Liverpool and climb the 107 steps to collect his FA Carlsberg Vase winners’ medal on Sunday 13 May 2012.



The 24-year-old defender, who lives in Wingham, won his aerial battle to loop his header into the top far corner in the 77^th minute of Herne Bay’s heroic 2-1 quarter-final win away to Hellenic League side Shortwood United yesterday.

The Gloucestershire side, who were playing their eighth FA Carlsberg Vase tie of the season, having started in the First Qualifying Round last September, were unbeaten in all sixteen of their previous home games at their fortress Meadowbank ground.

Herne Bay were reduced to TEN-MEN after only 43 SECONDS after central midfielder Dave Soutan’s reckless challenge, but it was the second Vase tie in a row that the Kent heroes were forced to play with ten-men as Tom Parker saw red after 29 minutes of their 1-0 home win over Larkhall Athletic in the last round.

Hanson paid tribute to striker Byron Walker, 25, who opened the scoring with his 22^nd goal of the season, which gave the Kent Hurlimann Football League leaders the lead, with a scuffed right-footed shot, which he bent past keeper Tom King in the 59^th minute.

Hanson said: “Byron’s been fantastic for us all season. Every time he gets the ball he looks dangerous. He looks like he’s going to score every chance, every possibility and he’s a great player to have in the squad.

“I just hope he’s going to stay here next season and we can go on to some better things.”

Walker, meanwhile, praised Hanson, who waited for the best time to score his first goal of the season, when he met James Campbell’s header across goal with a looping header from six-yards.

“I’m chuffed for Hanson,” said Walker, who was forced off with a pulled hamstring after 86 minutes.

“He’s lacked a lot of confidence, he’s such a talented individual.  He just needs to have a bit more belief in himself.

“Over the last couple of games and in training he’s come through showing that confidence that everyone knows he’s got and for him to score the winner, I hope that does wonders for his confidence because I thought he had a tremendous game today.”

Herne Bay join Derbyshire outfit Staveley Miners Welfare and two club’s in the North East, West Auckland Town (near Darlington) and Gateshead outfit Dunston UTS in tomorrow’s eagerly awaited semi-final draw.

Herne Bay are just a successful 180 minutes away from playing at Wembley Stadium – and they have the quality and more importantly the heart to go down in Kentish football folklore with victory underneath the Wembley Arch.

“We’re not taking anything for granted.  We’ve got two games, we’ll come away with two wins, that’s the way we play,” added Hanson.

“We don’t ever play for draws, we don’t play for tactical. We play our own game.  We’ll play to win both games and hopefully we’ll be in the final.”

Hanson says playing at Wembley Stadium would be a boyhood dream.

“I’m still dazed.  It’s getting closer. We had a joke about it. We’re coming close to Wembley,” he said.

“I was watching the Carling Cup Final and I was counting the steps to go and pick up the trophy – it’s another realm.

“It’s one  game at a time.  We’ve still got two games. Each game we come to, each Saturday we turn up, nothing changes apart from the travelling gets a bit further of these FA Vase games.

“We turn up, our warm-up stays the same, our tactics stay the same.  We play the way that Herne Bay have been playing and full credit to Simon (Halsey) because he’s the one that put this team together and he’s the one that got us playing football and the team’s definitely going places and I don’t think we’ll be in the Kent League for much longer and we’ll be in the Ryman League.”

Hanson added: “It will be a great bonus for us to play at Wembley, but it’s still surreal.  It’s an unbelievable feeling (to get this far).

Herne Bay boss Simon Halsey revealed yesterday that he will be making numerous changes for their trip to VCD Athletic when the two sides meet in the first leg of the Macron Kent League Cup Semi-final.

Ricky Bennett’s side are the only side to beat Herne Bay in the Kent League this season.

But Vickers slipped up with a surprise 3-1 defeat at Winch’s Field to Bay’s tenants Canterbury City yesterday, which means Herne Bay are 10 points clear of Erith Town at the top of the table with 10 games  left to play.

Hanson said: “We owe VCD – we didn’t play particularly well at their place.   We definitely need to get some revenge on them.

“I didn’t get to play against them but I’d like to have a bite against them and with them losing today we’ll be over the moon and we’ll want to win every game.

“In an ideal world I’d like to come away with three trophies, Kent League, Kent League Cup and The Vase, but the most important has got to be the League and play Ryman football next season.”

Walker, meanwhile, has ruled himself of the trip to Oakwood on Tuesday night.

“I tried to get involved win some of (celebrations at the final whistle) but I couldn’t run back on, I think I’ve done my hamstring,” explained Walker.

“I’m talking to the physio about it and we’ll asses it during the week.   It’s really bad timing as we’ve got the semi-final against VCD but we’ve still got Bavers (Ashley Baverstock) to still come back into the side,  JT (Jamie Turner) , (Luke) Harvey’s there who can play in that role so we’ve still got quality to still kick on, still win games that we’ve got in the League and other competitions.”

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



VCD Athletic  v  Herne Bay
Macron Kent League Cup Semi-Final First Leg
Tuesday 6^th March 2012
Kick Off 7:45pm
at Oakwood, Old Road, Crayford, Kent DA1 4DN