The players are not robots and the fixture back-log has been ruthless, says Sam Denly

HERNE BAY manager Sam Denly claims his side’s gruelling fixture back-log has had a negative affect on team personnel.


Ryman League clubs must play 46 league games after the three divisions extended from 22 to 24 clubs for this season, which is far too many for semi-professional footballers who hold down jobs.

Added to that the wettest winter in this country for 250 years and hundreds of games being postponed due to waterlogged pitches, clubs like Herne Bay have been forced to play catch up, playing four games in a seven day period for a number of weeks.

As a result, Herne Bay go into the last two league games of the season sitting in eighteenth-place in the table, with a playing record of 14 wins, 9 draws and 21 defeats, and with an injury list to a number of players.

However, they are six points clear of the relegation zone, so don’t have to look over their shoulder going into their last two games of the season, at home to Ramsgate on Easter Monday, then a trip to Three Bridges on the final day.

“I had fourteen players out Saturday with injuries so couldn’t even name a full bench,” said Denly.

“It’s a result of the back-log of fixtures and playing Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday for continuous weeks.

“This is why we asked the league for the season to be extended. The players’ are not robots and given the fact we didn’t play at home for over two months we knew the back log would be ruthless and that how it’s proving.”

Now that the club have secured their Ryman League status, Denly will give the club’s promising youngsters a chance to stake a claim for next season.

“Our last two games are about looking at players’ for next season,” said Denly. 

“We have been playing under 18s and 21s and their showing a lot of quality and promise for the future at Herne Bay Football Club.

“We have had three players injured and are out for the rest of the season over the last two weeks and also eight or nine picking up injuries.

“The boys have worked hard this year and we sit with 51 points, which is already a considerable improvement on last year.

“This season was all about competing and looking to build for the future and with a few players added to our squad we can only get better next season and start competing on different levels.”

Ramsgate, meanwhile, defeated Horsham 4-2 at Southwood Stadium on Good Friday, with star striker Jon Main bagging his first two goals for the club, with the other two coming from Ian Pulman.

Rams boss Justin Luchford told www.ramsgate-fc.co.uk: “A good performance on Friday and some goals in front of our fans, which was pleasing.

“The two goals at the end were very annoying as we switched off and got carried away trying to score more goals.  I’m annoyed as the lads know I hate conceding goals at the best of times, but hey, we leave that there, learn our lessons and move on.”

Luchford added: “I was pleased for Mainy to get off the mark at home and also for Pully to get a couple as he’s been on something like 24 (goals) for a little while.”

Ramsgate are slap bang in the middle of the table in 12^th place, with a playing record of 17 wins, 8 draws and 19 defeats.

“Herne Bay is a local Kent derby and our record this season in these is very poor, so I would like us to finish the season positively,” said Luchford, who has been in charge for six games, winning two of them.

“Sam Denly is building for the long term down there and they will be tough to play against.  The pitch will be poor, we know that, everyone knows that, but we just have to get on with it and find a way to win the game.”

Luchford has enticed Ollie Schulz to return to the club, after it was thought that the central defender was moving to Ireland due to other commitments after Luchford’s first game in charge.

“Laurence Ball is unavailable so time ago I drafted Ollie Schulz back in for defensive cover.

“People may raise their eye brows of Ollie Schulz returning, however, we are light at the back as it is and with Ashley Groombridge stepping away and Laurence not available I wasn’t prepared to take any risks in a Kent derby, so I asked Ollie to help out.

“Let’s get a good away performance tomorrow and take some good form into the last game (at home to champions Peacehaven & Telscombe on 26 April).

Visit Herne Bay’s website: www.pitchero.com/clubs/hernebay

Visit Ramsgate’s website: www.ramsgate-fc.co.uk  

Herne Bay  v  Ramsgate
Ryman League Division One South
Easter Monday 21^st April 2014
Kick Off 3:00pm
At Winch’s Field, Stanley Gardens, Herne Bay, Kent CT6 5SG