I will drop players if they don’t improve, warns Halsey

Thursday 15th July 2010

HERNE BAY boss Simon Halsey says he is going to step-up his pre-season preparations for the visit of Kent County League side Lewisham Borough on Saturday, writes Stephen McCartney.

Halsey admitted to noticing the fitness levels between Blue Square Bet South side Welling United and his 23-man squad during the Wings 3-1 win at a scorching hot Winch’s Field last weekend.

Halsey told www.kentishfootball.co.uk: “I learnt from the game why they are three leagues above us, they’re sharper, quicker and they’re fitness was a lot better than ours, but you expect that from a Conference South side.”

However, the boot is on the other foot as Herne Bay will be the higher ranked side against top-flight Kent County League side Lewisham Borough.

“We obviously won’t be doing two eleven’s (during each half),” revealed Halsey. “We’ll be starting each game a little bit serious, trying to get more minutes out of each player now, so it will be treated as another great pre-season game and help us for our fitness when we start on the 7th August.”

With the Ryman League still to publish their league fixtures, Herne Bay and other Kent League sides will have to wait longer to learn who they will play on the opening day of the season.

After finishing as runners-up to Faversham Town last season, everything is in place for Herne Bay to go one better.

“I’ll treat every team the same,” said Halsey. “It’s another 11 players in a different colour each week and if we do our job, we’ve got a very good chance of collecting the points each week.

“I’ve sat down and chatted to the boys and the ones that got us where we did last year have got to do better, they can’t rest on their laurels. As I said to them, that’s history now. It’s done with, forgotten now but we’ve got to take the next step on and they’ve got to improve themselves individually and as a team.

“If they don’t there’s players pushing them for their shirt.”

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

Herne Bay v Lewisham Borough

Pre-Season Friendly

Saturday 17th July 2010

Kick Off 3:00pm

At Safety Net Stadium, Winch’s Field, Stanley Gardens, Herne Bay, Kent CT6 5SG