Kentish Football 
It's very much Hythe's title now, admits Herne Bay boss Simon Halsey
Monday 11th April 2011
HERNE BAY boss Simon Halsey admits Hythe Town have clinched the Kent League title, writes Stephen McCartney.
Scott Porter’s side remain five points clear of Herne Bay and with only four games left to play, Halsey admits his side have come up short for the second successive season, having lost out to Faversham Town last season.
Hythe stretched their unbeaten run to 21 games with a last-gasp 3-2 home win over Holmesdale at the weekend - courtesy of Brendon Cass’s 94th minute winner - his first hat-trick for the club - whilst Herne Bay defeated Sporting Bengal United 2-0.
Hythe travel to Sevenoaks Town on Saturday and Norton Sports on Good Friday, before welcoming Beckenham Town to Reachfields Stadium on Easter Monday, before finishing there title winning campaign at Tunbridge Wells on 30 April.
Herne Bay - who are fourteen games unbeaten - welcome Beckenham Town to Winch’s Field on Saturday, before travelling to Fisher (23 April), before playing Holmesdale at home on Eater Monday, before finishing their campaign at VCD Athletic on the final day of the season.
“The title race is pretty much as it has been for the last couple of weeks really,” said Halsey, “Hythe have had a few fingers on it and each week it’s a couple more fingers that go on it.
“It’s very much their title now. It’s theirs to lose really.”
But he added: “It doesn’t mean we’re giving up. We’ve got four games to play and we’ll try to remain unbeaten for the rest of the season.
“We’re not conceding it but the reality is it’s their’s to lose.”
Halsey confirmed that leading goalscorer, Byron Walker will be fit to face Beckenham Town at the weekend, after going off early in the second half with a suspected rib injury on Saturday.
“I spoke to Byron this morning, he’s alright, a little bit sore but he’s ribs are not cracked or broken. Hopefully come Friday he’ll be fine so not too many worries in that camp.”
Beckenham Town arrive at Winch’s Field sitting in a disappointing seventh place in the Kent League table, having won only two of their last nine games.
“Beckenham have been a bit indifferent to be honest,” said Halsey. “I expected them to be one of the teams up there with us.
“I expect them to come and try to win the game and put a spanner in our works and then they’ll go to Hythe on the Monday and do the same there, so we have to make sure we’re prepared and if Hythe slip up we’ve got to be ready and make sure we’re in a position to be in striking distance.”
Although his side have lost only two league games out of 26 - Hythe have lost one more - Halsey admits his side’s eight draws have proved costly.
“If you look at the two accounts, we’ve had too many draws in the draw column to be honest, and that’s the reason why we’re in this position and at the end of April we have to learn from it and we’ll push on from there, wherever we are,” said Halsey.
“The games I look back on that haven’t gone our away because of situations out of our control. We have to drive on.
“There’s lots of little things you can look back at and they’ve happened now and we have to deal with it. You can’t do anything about the past but you can have a say in the future and that’s what we can do at the moment.
Halsey was gutted that Holmesdale didn’t hold on to a draw, as Brendon Cass snatched a 94th minute winner for Hythe at the weekend.
“That’s just how football is,” said Halsey. “Again, you’ve got to hold your hands up to Hythe for going right to the death, not giving in and they got their reward for it.
“Holmesdale have gone there and given them a game by the sounds of it, but Hythe have been resilient and gone to the 94th minute, so fair play to them.
“We’ve done it enough times when we won the league that year at Whitstable with that never say never attitude and carried on, so fair play to them.”
Visit Herne Bay’s website: www.hernebayfc.net
Herne Bay v Beckenham Town
Safety Net Associates Kent League
Saturday 16th April 2011
Kick Off 3:00pm
At Winch’s Field, Stanley Gardens, Herne Bay, Kent CT6 5SG
Red Dragon I.T. Ltd