Herne Bay 2-3 Carshalton Athletic - I do hope that we do manage to get a manager within the next week or so, says Herne Bay interim manager Michael West

Herne Bay 2 – 3 Carshalton Athletic
Location	Winch's Field, Stanley Gardens, Herne Bay, Kent CT6 5SG
Kickoff	08/11/2022 19:45

HERNE BAY  2-3  CARSHALTON ATHLETIC
Isthmian League Premier Division
Tuesday 8 November 2022
Stephen McCartney reports from Winch’s Field

HERNE BAY interim manager Michael West says he hated being in charge for the first time and hopes chairman Stuart Fitchie gets a manager within the next week or so.

Herne Bay remain second-from-bottom in the Isthmian League Premier Division table with eight points from 14 games and are five points adrift of safety, while Carshalton Athletic have climbed up a couple of places into sixth with 25 points from 14 games, a point adrift of the play-off zone.

Ben Smith and his assistant manager Ben Brown resigned following their 3-2 defeat at basement side Corinthian-Casuals at the weekend and West and Joe Radford took temporary charge for Herne Bay’s nineteenth game of the season.

Smith, the former Canterbury City manager, arrived at Winch’s Field in the summer of 2019 and was in charge of 113 games in total, winning 52, drawing 17 and losing 44 during his tenure.

Smith clinched promotion into the Isthmian League Premier Division for the first time after beating Haywards Heath Town and Ashford United in the play-offs and the club will be heading back to the eighth-tier of English football if they replicate their awful first half performance against Steve McKimm’s Carshalton Athletic here tonight.

Carshalton Athletic raced into a 3-0 lead inside the opening 31 minutes with right-back Crossley Lema scoring from a set-piece, before left-winger Alexander Akrofi doubled their lead before central midfielder Tom Beere dinked in his sixth goal of the season.

Herne Bay put in a vastly improved second half performance with talisman left-winger Kieron Campbell driving in his fifth goal of the season before striker Rory Smith notched his sixth goal of the season, from the penalty spot, but they had a mountain to climb at the interval and couldn’t salvage a point.

“Frustrating. The first 15 minutes we were pretty good.  I think we were more than matching them for the 15 minutes,” said West, 31.

“We were unfortunate to concede a soft free-kick and then again a set-piece, like the previous Saturday.  We’ve just conceded another set-piece.  We got through to the half 3-0 down. It’s like you’ve got a mountain to climb.

“We came out second half, we made a change and a formation change and got back into the game at 3-2.  We missed a good chance at the end but it was unlucky.  All-in-all, just a frustrating night.”

When asked about Smith’s departure at the weekend and his own personal injury situation, midfielder West, replied: “Tough for me because I get on really well with Ben Smith.  Smithy and Stuart Fitchie, the chairman, were the main reason I came here because I had a fair few options to go elsewhere and they were the main reasons why I signed this year and on that part it is tough.

“I can’t believe how busy my phone’s been for the last two days. I’ve never had to charge my phone every half-a-day for my whole life, so on those terms, it’s frustrating.

“I do hope that we do manage to get a manager within the next week or so.

“We’ll be in until they make the right appointment.  I think what’s key for the chairman, we need to make the right appointment because I think it’s a great opportunity for someone because look at the facilities now. It’s a great pitch, the new sports bar is being built. I think it will be a great opportunity for them.

“The chairman just needs to make the right appointment and then someone who is here for the right reasons.”

West made it clear that he will not be putting his hat in the ring for the vacancy.

“Hated it, I hated it.  I’m nowhere near ready to become a manager because I think I’ve still got at least five or six years left in me.

“I’ve literally got an appointment tomorrow with the consultant. I think I’ve got a hernia and that’s the reason why I’m going to see the consultant. And if it is true, fingers crossed, I can get in hospital and have surgery as soon as possible because I’ve had one before and I was back within three or four weeks, so fingers crossed they can get it sorted because I feel like I can make a difference when I’m out there and hopefully I get back out there as soon as possible.”

West and Radford made five changes to the side that lost in Tolworth at the weekend and helped put Corinthian-Casuals on eight points, with three debutants with Polish left-back Kacper Gruszczynski, 19, central midfielder Charlie Weston and centre-half Luke Illsley all failing to impress.

When asked about the changes, West replied: “Literally sometimes a fresh face just literally brightens up everyone and people have to think ‘maybe it’s my fault?’  It’s nothing personal, sometimes just a change of face makes a difference.

“Like Kymani (Thomas) coming on in the second half.  He hasn’t played for a while, he’s come on and done really well.

“Also Bode (Anidugbe) is our only centre-midfielder, out-and-out central midfielder and (centre-half) Laurence Harvey was not being able to play. We only had one centre-back so we had to do something in the centre-back and centre-midfield area.”

Carshalton Athletic took the lead inside the opening eight minutes, following a set-piece.

Beere swung in a quality right-footed free-kick into the corridor or uncertainty and Lema poked his shot across returning goalkeeper Jordan Perrin to find the bottom far corner.

“Fair play to Jason Banton. He did put his hand up and said it was his man, so you can’t ask for more than that. Obviously, he needs to do better but you can’t ask for a guy being honest and I thought Bants was really good tonight,” added West.

Carshalton Athletic built up down the left with left-back Leo Hamblin and Matthew Vigor linking up well before Herne Bay’s right-back Troy Williams gifted the ball away from inside his own penalty area.

Left-back Hamblin floated in a cross from the by-line and Akrofi’s downward header at the near-post was comfortably saved by Perrin.

Carshalton Athletic’s centre-half Oliver Cook’s diagonal pass released Hamblin charging down the left and he cut inside and found right-winger Calvin Ekpiteta, who cut in from the right wing and lacked composure on the edge of the Herne Bay, lashing his shot high over the crossbar.

Dominant Carshalton Athletic doubled their lead in fortuitous fashion in the 27^th minute.

Herne Bay gave the ball away in their defensive third, the ball being intercepted by Carshalton Athletic striker Walter Figueira.

The ball was played out to winger Ekpiteta who put in a low cross towards the near post and Akrofi’s initial shot was parried by Perrin, diving low to his left but the ball ricochet off Akrofi and nestled inside the bottom right-hand corner, which sums up your luck when you’re involved a relegation dog-fight.

West said: “I honestly thought that was a really good goal. They won the ball high up the pitch, two good passes.  One to the winger, who had a great first touch into the box.

“I thought it was unlucky on Jordan because he made a good save on the first save and it literally bounced straight back and hit him and went back in so a good goal from them but frustrating for us.”

Herne Bay were facing a mountain to climb by the time that McKimm’s men had notched their third goal of the night in the 31^st minute.

Herne Bay were playing out from the back with Troy Williams often playing crab football – playing the ball backwards rather than attacking Carshalton’s left-back Hamblin and winger Tushaun Tyresse-Walters hasn’t reached the heights that he achieved during his first spell at the club and it was no surprised when he was hooked early in the second half.

Carshalton Athletic’s third goal was route one with centre-half Bradley Williams hitting a long ball over the top to play in Beere, whose finish was exquisite, dinking his left-footed shot over Perrin to find the bottom far corner in a one-v-one situation.

“All the fans were saying offside but personally I didn’t think it was offside. I thought it was a good ball and a good run but that’s frustrating,” added West.

On Illsley’s performance at the back alongside Daniel Johnson, West replied: “We’re asking a guy that’s not played for three months to help out because we haven’t got another centre-back so we can’t really criticise him and I thought other than that mistake, especially second half, I thought he performed really well.”

Herne Bay created just the one opening during a poor first half performance.

Often isolated striker Smith reached the by-line and put over a cross towards Campbell, who steered his shot over the crossbar from a couple of yards out shortly after the home side went three goals behind.

“A good chance and maybe on another day, when people are a bit more confident, we score that,” admitted West.

“Unfortunately, that is what football is like. It is frustrating sometimes.  I’m more positive from the fact that we got into that situation rather than missing it.”

Herne Bay lacked heart and desire during the first-half but their performance vastly improved after the interval by playing with a more attacking mindset and ditching their crab football (backwards and sideways).

“Literally, I said, pick your heads up,  Obviously me and Seb thought about it and we thought literally change the formation is what we needed.

“We brought on Marcel Barrington with his pace and strength, just to keep Rory Smith up there because I thought Rory was a bit isolated.  Obviously the clean-sheet was out of the window so we had nothing to lose so that’s the main reason why.”

West and Radford brought on big targetman Marcel Barrington at the break and eight minutes into the second half, Tyresse-Walters’ night was ended and his replacement, Kymani Thomas proved to be more of a threat down the right flank.

Carshalton Athletic had the first chance when the ball was worked to Akrofi, who cut onto his left-footed and flashed his shot past the far post from 18-yards after 50 minutes.

Campbell then took the game by the scruff off the neck. Gruszczynski threw the ball to Campbell, who cut inside and drilled a right-footed drive which flashed past the left-hand post from 25-yards.

Campbell drew a foul and a yellow card out of Akrofi and Jason Banton’s resulting free-kick from within the left channel was met by Barrington’s head, which he steered harmlessly wide of the goal, but there were signs of improvement from the relegation threatened hosts.

Herne Bay produced a sweeping move when holding midfielder Bode Anidugbe played the ball into Smith, who threaded a 20-yard through ball along the slick artificial pitch into Barrington, who controlled the ball before stroking a low right-footed drive towards goal from 18-yards, which was comfortably saved low down by visiting goalkeeper Danny Bracken.

“Marcel and Kymani, just their presence and their effort, literally changed the game.  Hopefully we’ll do similar for 90 minutes on Saturday,” said West.

“On another day the keeper doesn’t save it and it comes back out, a ricochet maybe, and we get a goal, but that’s football.”

Herne Bay deservedly pulled a goal back in the 57^th minute.

Gruszczynski played the ball down the line for Campbell to cut in from the flank and he cut past a couple of defenders before unleashing a low right-footed drive into the bottom left-hand corner from 25-yards.

“That’s Kieron to a tee, literally.  That’s why we want to get him the ball as early as possible and as quick as possible because he is a danger in that area and he proved that,” added West.

Herne Bay goalkeeper Perrin then dived low to his right to push Akrofi’s angled drive around his near-post shortly afterwards.

“I think that is, for me, the main positive of the second half.  That was their only chance of the second half and for me that’s what we need to take into Saturday,” added West.

Campbell then ran at the Carshalton defence before feeding Barrington, who laid the ball off to Troy Williams, who took a touch before smashing his shot into the side netting from a right angle.

Campbell’s through ball released Smith in behind Bradley Williams, who clipped the striker’s heels and referee Nick Dunn pointed to the spot.

Bracken dived to his left and got fingertips to Smith’s right-footed penalty, which nestled into the back of the net with 27:22 on the clock.

“Again, it’s good for Rory, he’s in good scoring form at the minute, that’s why I really wanted to keep him out there today,” said West.

“We had a penalty the other day and I was going to take it but I gave it to Rory because I feel confident with Rory taking it.”

Herne Bay were to be denied a deserved equaliser with 11 minutes remaining when Campbell’s right-footed free-kick from 28-yards was destined for the bottom left-hand corner, only for Bracken to dive to his right to tip around the post.

“It’s frustrating because you think you score two goals at home, you should at least be getting a point and that’s the frustrating part about it,” added West, who acknowledged that Carshalton Athletic have scored 14 and conceded 13 in their 13 league outings going into tonight’s game.

“If we don’t give teams this little leg-up against us then we have got a chance of getting a point or all three.”

With both sides winning two corners apiece, Troy Williams’ deep corner came in from the left and Anidugbe’s looping header (which was heading towards the top right-hand corner) was comfortably caught by the visiting goalkeeper.

Carshalton Athletic gave the ball away and Anidugbe released Thomas, whose right-footed drive from 20-yards sailed over the crossbar.

Carshalton Athletic weathered the storm, however, and almost grabbed a fourth goal at the death.

Akrofi charged towards the edge of the Herne Bay penalty area before feeding Ekpiteta in behind Gruszczynski and Johnson, only for Perrin to make the save with his feet in a one-on-one situation.

Herne Bay welcome seventh-placed side Canvey Island to Winch’s Field on Saturday, on a run of five straight defeats.

“I think this season was always going to be tough and it was big on recruitment so we’re in a position we are now. We can’t do nothing about it now, all we can do is change it going forward and hopefully results pick up for us,” said West.

“Hopefully being at home for the next few weeks will make a difference.  I do think being away from home, we had no pre-season here, not in front of our fans. It does all add up and that’s not me making excuses.

“It’s for the fans as well.  First half it was quite quiet in the stadium. Second half, it seemed like a different place so I do think us being at home consecutively, if the fans do still come in, we do appreciate them.  I think hopefully moving forward, it does pick up.

“Hang on in there because I know it’s tough. It’s tough for me standing on the side watching so I know how it’s like for the fans. All I can ask of them is keep singing like they always do and support us as much as they can because we are trying our utmost.

“I probably slept last night for probably four hours because my phone was going at half-past-eleven at night.  My missus was fuming because she loves her beauty sleep.

“We’re not far off it and we’re nowhere near a bottom four team and that’s the thing, those fine margins and unfortunately maybe a team in the midtable is getting a point out of that game, unfortunately, we’re not getting the rub of the green and that’s the most frustrating thing because we have got the ability there, the talent is there and as you saw  in the second half we restricted them to one chance.

“They’re a decent team. Steve McKimm is a great manager and I’ve known Steve for a while and they are a tough team to score against and for us to score two against them, I think they’ve got a great defensive record anyway, so for us to score two and not get a point, it’s frustrating.”

Folkestone Invicta (14 points from 13 games) and Wingate & Finchley (12 points from 14) are both outside the relegation zone tonight.

Bowers & Pitsea (nine points from 13 games), Brightlingsea Regent (nine from 14), Herne Bay and Corinthian-Casuals (eight from 14) are all in the drop zone.

Herne Bay: Jordan Perrin, Troy Williams, Kacper Gruszczynski, Bode Anigugbe, Daniel Johnson, Luke Illsley, Kieron Campbell, Charlie Weston (Marcel Barrington 46), Rory Smith, Jason Banton, Tushuan Tyresse-Walters (Kymani Thomas 53).
Subs: Laurence Harvey, Mason Saunders-Henry, Eddie Allsopp

Goals: Kieron Campbell 57, Rory Smith 73 (penalty)

Booked: Luke Illsley 66
 

Carshalton Athletic: Danny Bracken, Crossley Lema, Leo Hamblin, Ghassimu Sow, Oliver Cook, Bradley Williams, Alexander Akrofi, Tom Beere (Tommy Bradford 64), Walter Figueira, Matthew Vigor (Aaron Smith-Joseph 48), Calvin Ekpiteta.
Subs: Joseph Parker, Sam Mvemba, Anton Barnett

Goals: Crossley Lema 8, Alexander Akrofi 27, Tom Beere 31

Booked: Bradley Williams 17, Alexander Akrofi 54

Attendance: 340
Referee: Mr Nick Dunn
Assistants: Mr Simon Cutler & Mr Kieran Cox