We're not going to change the way we play, says Herne Bay boss Simon Halsey

HERNE BAY boss Simon Halsey says he does not fear Maidstone United when he takes his side to the County Town on Saturday.




The Stones are in second place in the Ryman League Division One South table with 27 points from 13 games, but their impressive run in this season’s FA Carlsberg Trophy, when they travel to Halifax in the Second Round next month, has given the title favourites three games in hand over current leaders Dulwich Hamlet, who are two points clear at the top.

Halsey, meanwhile, says he is “over the moon” with his side’s position in the top eight in the division following their promotion as Kent League winners and they are only seven points behind the leaders after fourteen outings.

Halsey visited The Gallagher Stadium for the first time earlier in the week and was impressed with what he saw.

“It’s brilliant! It’s a massive, massive, massive, massive set-up that they’ve got there,” he said. “It looks the business. The pitch looks the business.  It’s a nice little stadium, not gone over the top. It’s got all the credentials for them to move forward and be a big, successful Football League club again, eventually.”

When asked about Saturday’s game, the Herne Bay boss expect, “A very tough encounter. A very, very tough encounter!  Again, we’ve had a tough month really, which we knew was coming so it’s going to be same old, same old.

“They’re an established Ryman club and we’re the newbies, but we haven’t got any fear going there to be honest.

“We’ve got total respect for them, the manager (Jay Saunders) and all of them. We haven’t got any fear going there to be honest.”

Maidstone United signed striker Stuart King, 25, from Folkestone Invicta for an undisclosed transfer fee today.

King was a key member of Herne Bay’s team in the Kent League before he moved to Cheriton Road eighteen-months ago.

Halsey said: “I think he’s following me everywhere.  Good luck to him!  Stuart needs to be playing somewhere, no disrespect to Folkestone. Hopefully going to Maidstone, they’re likely to win our league and move up the pyramid.

“I know he’s only moved to a club in the same league. Hopefully they’ll get promotion this season and Stuart will push on to a higher level where Stuart should be playing.”

Halsey quipped: “Stuart always scores against me! I don’t think there’s been any game that he hasn’t scored against me!  If he scores and we win 2-1, I’ll take that all day though!”

Halsey is looking forward to his side performing in front of a four-figure crowd on Saturday.

“I’m going to Maidstone on Saturday with the utmost respect for Jay and all their players and everyone,” he said.

“We wanted to get out of the Kent League because we wanted to express ourselves at these better clubs, big clubs and big crowds.

“We had a great experience last year in the FA Vase when we had very big crowds so hopefully that puts us in good stead for that.

“As with the Dulwich game, coming away after losing 2-1, disappointed not to get the three points, to have a club at that stature and their management, committee and supporters’ saying we were a credit coming out of the Kent League and we’re the best side to go there so far was a massive boost for us.

“Hopefully after Saturday’s game, whatever happens, people will come away from that and say Herne Bay are a decent side.

“It’s all good at the moment. There’s a good buzz about the place and we’re just enjoying it and we will keep enjoying it.”

Halsey revealed he has his entire squad available to pick from to face Maidstone United on their 3G pitch.

“It’s a good headache to have.  All the lads know the situation and I’ll pick a team who can go there and give Maidstone a good run. I think whether that means we win, draw or lose I don’t know at this precise moment.

“I’ve done my homework.  I don’t very often make too many mistakes with formation and personnel so hopefully that will continue on Saturday.”

Looking ahead to their trip to Leatherhead next Tuesday, Halsey said: “I do the reports for yourself and the local papers down in Herne Bay and I keep saying the same things.  Every new ground we go to and every new journey we have to make on a Tuesday night after everyone’s been to work all day, it’s just new to all the lads and it’s going to be another tough test for us.

“We’ve had a hard November, December is tough, we have to keep going.  We’re going to try to put as many points on the board as we can and we’ll try to continue to play football.  We’re not going to change the way we’re going to play, put it like that!

“We’ll be going to every ground and just play football, which we will always do.

“I’m over the moon where we are!  We haven’t played really because of the rain and the Leatherhead postponement with them being in the FA Trophy and we’ve only dropped down to eighth.   We’ve got decent points on the board, which has kept us amongst it.

“If we’re around there come March and April I’ll be absolutely over the moon. The club has backed me all the way and the players have worked very, very hard to get us where we are and I’ve got nothing but praise for everyone.”

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

Maidstone United  v  Herne Bay
Ryman League Division One South
Saturday 1^st December 2012
Kick Off 3:00pm
at The Gallagher Stadium, James Whatman Way, Maidstone, Kent ME14 1LQ