Herne Bay 4-0 Erith Town - Dan Lawrence has got his hunger back, says Herne Bay boss Simon Halsey

Wednesday 09th March 2011

HERNE BAY 4-0 ERITH TOWN
Safety Net Associates Kent League
Wednesday 9th March 2011
Stephen McCartney reports from Winch’s Field

HERNE BAY made their title intentions known as they played Erith Town off the park in an impressive display in this top-of-the-table clash at Winch’s Field.

The home side dominated for a vast majority of this game and although two-goal striker, Byron Walker, 24, picked up the man-of-the-match award, the sponsors’ choice could have gone to several players, including winger Dan Lawrence who scored and set up a late header for substitute Peter Williams.

With Hythe Town winning 2-0 at struggling Fisher on Monday night, extending their lead at the top of the Kent League table by three points, tonight’s game was crucial to both of these clubs as they were on 38 points.

But it now appears that the Kent League title race will involve giants Hythe and Herne Bay, as Erith Town have played more games than the rest of the title contenders.

“I think we’ve been setting a marker all year to be honest,” said Herne Bay manager Simon Halsey afterwards.

“Again, the plus for me was that we scored four goals, which we weren’t doing. We’ve been creating the chances prior to tonight and not taking them.

“At half-time, I don’t normally get into the players, but I said blatantly to Luke (Harvey), Byron (Walker) and Dan Lawrence, we had chances to be much more up at half-time and we weren’t. Thankfully they heeded that and the early goal from Byron was crucial. I thought if they nicked one early in the second half it could change the game. If we nicked it, it would more or less kill it off.”

A disappointed Erith Town manager, Tony Russell, sent out his assistant manager, Lew Watts, 36, for the post-match inquest.

“Well, it’s hard to know where to start really,” said Watts. “After Saturday, beating on a big high after the semi-final of the Cup (a 3-0 win at Beckenham Town to reach the Kent Senior Trophy Final), we’ve been brought crashing back down to earth today and I don’t really know where to start really.

“All areas of the pitch, we just weren’t good enough. We didn’t start well and it just carried on right the way through the game to be honest.

“It’s difficult. I don’t know how you can get so bad in four days. It is mind blowing really.”

It might have been ever so different for Erith Town had striker Alex Tiesse taken an early chance, instead of screwing his shot wide after Michael Power knocked down a punt up field from goalkeeper Tim Roberts, as Herne Bay drew first blood after just nine minutes and never looked back.

Michael Turner, who enjoyed plenty of possession down the left, centred brilliantly across the face of goal from the by-line and Dan Lawrence’s driven shot was blocked and Byron Walker fired home the rebound from six-yards.

The youthful, vocal Herne Bay contingent chanted “We are Going Up!”, and they gave their side excellent vocal support throughout their side’s master-class.

Erith Town’s first shot on target arrived in the 18th minute, when a move involving Power, Tiesse , Ben Payne and Liam Burgess resulted in midfielder Ryan Briggs trying his luck from 30-yards with a right-footed drive, which bounced once and looped up for Dan Eason to save comfortably.

With Erith Town kicking down the slope, Payne and Burgess combined again and Power cut along the penalty box and turned to stroke a left-footed shot, which was saved comfortably by Eason.

Darren Marsden - who was pulling all the strings in Herne Bay’s midfield - released Luke Harvey through on goal but the skipper dragged a left-footed shot across the goalkeeper and past the far post.

But a quality strike from Lawrence - his third goal of the season - doubled Herne Bay’s advantage after 31 minutes.

Playing a neat one-two-with Walker down the right, Lawrence produced a piece of magic, clipping a left-footed volley over Roberts and into the top far corner, sparking joyous celebrations between players and management in front of the home dug-out.

The loyal Herne Bay fans that bothered to turn up were enjoying the trademark passing game from their heroes in blue and white stripes as they made second-placed Erith Town look ordinary.

A cross from Lawrence found its way over to Michael Turner, who from 25-yards, stroked a low right-footed curling volley towards the far post, but Roberts got down low to make the save.

Slick triangular passing involving Marsden, Harvey and Michael Turner resulted in the ball playing across to Michael Jenner, who drilled a low right-footed drive from 30-yards, which Roberts saved.

At the half-time whistle, Erith Town official, Ian Birrell admitted, “Look on the bright side. It could be 5-0!”, such was Herne Bay’s dominance and brilliant football.

Erith Town manager Tony Russell hauled off two left-sided players, full-back Lawrence Collins and winger Elstrom Die at the break, as Lawrence gave them the run-around throughout the first half, and he brought on Joe Foster and Chris Walker.

But any half-time motivation talk went out of the window as Walker netted his 12th goal of the season, only nineteen seconds after the interval.

Marsden - who should be playing at a much higher level than this - slipped the ball through the heart of the Dockers defence and Walker rolled a left-footed shot across the stranded Roberts into the bottom far corner.

More punishment looked on the cards when Michael Turner met Lawrence’s delightful cross with a bullet header, which Roberts caught low down.

Superb Lawrence was released down the line before he cut the ball back to Jenner, who slipped the ball through to Walker, who cut inside yet again and he blasted his shot towards goal, which was blocked by Erith Town defender Dean Kearley right in front of his goalkeeper.

Walker, who was later substituted, squandered a 63rd minute chance for his hat-trick, when Toby Ashmore’s ball out of defence found Michael Turner out on the wing and his superb cross was met by a bullet header from the unmarked slender striker, which cleared the crossbar.

Erith Town lacked fight and commitment and didn’t seem interested and their lack of shots on target ensured Eason was going to keep his fifth clean sheet in six games.

Herne Bay wrapped up the game in the 89th minute, finishing off a move more suited to the Ryman Premier League.

They sprayed the ball across the pitch and Jenner swept the ball to Lawrence, who whipped in an excellent cross with his right-foot to find the unmarked Williams inside the box and the former Folkestone Invicta striker powered his header past the stranded keeper into the top right-hand corner.

Halsey added: “One thing I say to them, I’ve got to have an end product. It was a great delivery and Pete’s got on the end of it. Superb.

“Even when we was 3-0 we didn’t stop. It was relentless. Dan didn’t have one save to make. We were relentless in our pressure all over the park.”

Halsey, meanwhile, was full of praise for 23-year-old Lawrence, my man-of-the-match.

“I’ve left him out a couple of times just to perhaps get a bit of hunger back. I let him sit back and have a look at the pitch form the bench and see what he’s missing and what he’s not doing and he’s come on Saturday and had a great twenty minutes and he’s done superb tonight.

“Michael Jenner’s been sitting out of the side for quite a while now and I thought Michael Turner was superb tonight.”

Although it was another clean sheet, Herne Bay have now scored in 48 consecutive games - a club record.

Halsey added: “We’re a forward going side and Darren Marsden showed it tonight but the good thing about this season is we haven’t conceded a lot of goals. We’ve had a lot of clean sheets over the season and that’s pleasing for me as a manager - and pride for the players to be fair.

“It’s a pride thing to make sure they keep clean sheets. Keep clean sheets and you’re guaranteed at least a point in every game.”

For those supporters that turned their back on honest footballers to watch the millionaires playground of the Champions League - you will be kicking yourselves as Herne Bay played true Champions football tonight.

For those Erith Town supporters, who made the long Wednesday night trip to the Kent coast, they are probably thinking it’s the end of the club’s title chances - for now.

Watts said: “You’ve hit the nail on the head - we didn’t turn up. We had a bad start and just couldn’t get going.

“Give them (Herne Bay) some credit, they played the pitch well, it’s a big pitch and they get width and they get good deliveries in the box.

“In all areas we weren’t good enough today. We’re all about working hard and today we didn’t. When you don’t work hard from the kick-off, you’re up against it.”

Watts explained the double substitution at the half-time interval, but the game was killed off after just 19 seconds into the second half.

“We was 2-0 down and we said to the boys, ‘we’re in a game, it’s going to be difficult to come back from 2-0 down but if we can get out there and get a goal first 20 minutes, then you never know, they might crumble,’

The former central defender, added: “We took the two boys, Lawrence and Elstrom, off because for some reason, I don’t know why - Lol’s been one of our consistent players in the last few weeks - I don’t know. It just didn’t happen for him today and Elstrom as well, out on that far side, just weren’t getting anything out of either of them on the left at all.

“We made those two changes and like you say, everything that we said at half-time and what we was hoping would be a goal second half to see if we would could get something out of it, crumbled within 20 seconds so we was never coming back from that!”

Greenhithe resident Watts was bitterly disappointed with his side’s poor performance and lack of desire, especially after booking their Kent Senior Trophy Final place with a 3-0 away win at Beckenham Town at the weekend.

“On Saturday we worked hard and that is what we’re all about. We’ve got some good players but our work rate is what we thrive on.

“When you come to places like Herne Bay away and you don’t work hard, you’re not going to get anything from the game.”

Herne Bay: Dan Eason, Joe Nelder, Nathan Eastwood, Tom Bryant, Toby Ashmore, Michael Jenner, Dan Lawrence, Darren Marsden, Byron Walker (Peter Williams 81), Luke Harvey (James Turner 70), Michael Turner.

Subs: Simon Brown, David Crofts

Goals: Byron Walker 9, 46, Dan Lawrence 31, Peter Williams 89

Booked: Luke Harvey 34, Darren Marsden 86

Erith Town: Tim Roberts, Ben Payne, Lawrence Collins (Joe Foster 46), Malak Fofana,Dean Kearley, Ryan Briggs, Liam Burgess, Peter Smith, Michael Power (Lewis Wood 70), Alex Tiesse, Elstrom Die (Chris Walker 46).

Subs: Darren Shelton, Martin Chirmuuta

Booked: Dean Kearley 65, Malak Fofana 76, Ben Payne 82

Attendance: 125

Referee: Mr Richard Joss (Margate)

Assistants: Mr David Shrewsbury (Folkestone) & Mr Kane Dempster (Hythe)