Herne Bay match report
match report by Taimour Lay
To be allocated one seaside trip in August was a treat (Margate), to be gifted a second (Herne Bay) truly meant Fixtures Dave, the Isthmian supercomputer, was smiling down on us. But it got even better: due to Herne Bay's new 3G pitch not being ready, at the last minute the fixture was moved to neighbouring Ramsgate, Kent's hidden gem, boasting the UK's largest Weatherspoon's pub backing straight onto a sandy beach. Although a candid lifeguard warned me about the water being "not great at the moment", some K's fans ignored the national sewage crisis by diving into the murky waters for a pre-kick-off refresher.
This new (unbeaten) K's team has an earnest, honest air about it. The first-half meandered in the sunshine, with Tyrese Owen again a majestic presence in the midfield in front of a solid back three marshalled by Jack Strange. If it didn't all add up to chances, it felt like time and effort would deliver the goods.
The first goal, however, went to the home team. A 27th minute long-range strike from Chris Edwards, travelling sedately, somehow eluded Rob Tolfrey, slipping under his body and dribbling over the white line. It was a debacle, the most shocking moment of the day, closely matched by the tea bar lady telling me shortly afterwards that "no-one has has ever asked for a veggie burger before".
The second period saw K's press convincingly for an equaliser. Korrey Henry and Kieron Cadogan started to find each other and the byline. Herne Bay's Jordan Perrin made a series of stops as his goal received a peppering. But he could do nothing about Owen's thumping header from a Louis Collins free kick with four minutes to go. And K's could even have snatched a winner but Cadogan proved indecisive when put clear on goal.
K's are respecting the point. It's likeable. it's lucid. It's LOL.
Herne Bay: Jordan Perrin, Chris Edwards, Jack Parter, Keano Robinson, Lexus Beeden, Hamilton Antonio, Zak Ansah, Kieron Campbell, Bode Anidugbe, Kymani Thomas, Hassan Jalloh.
Subs: Marcel Barrington (for Zak Ansah, 75m), Helge Orome (for Hamilton Antonio, 85m), Dan Johnson, Monty Saunders, Mike West (for Hassan Jalloh, 74m).
Kingstonian: Rob Tolfrey, Dwight Pascal, Declan Skura, Jack Strange, Tobi Ogundega, Tyrese Owen, Gabriel Ajuchi, Kenny Beaney, Korrey Henry, Kieron Cadogan, Louis Collins.
Subs: Sean Bonnett-Johnson (for Dwight Pascal, 80m), Kwesi Ntim (for Kenny Beaney, 81m), Geneiro Maragh, Fumnaya Shomotun (for Gabriel Ajuchi, 75m), Mac Chisholm.
Goal scorers: Chris Edwards (27m, 1-0), Tyrese Owen (86m, 1-1)
Attendance: 348
