The manner we lost to Folkestone was not acceptable, says Herne Bay boss Simon Halsey

HERNE BAY boss Simon Halsey says he wants his side to bounce back from their disappointing FA Cup exit immediately.

Last season’s Kent League title winners and FA Vase semi-finalists were sent crashing out in the Preliminary Round by a strong Folkestone Invicta side at Winch’s Field.

Former Bay players Stuart King and Darren Marsden (penalty) gave Neil Cugley’s a 2-0 advantage at the break, punishing a Herne Bay side that were playing at a slow tempo.

And when right-back Joe Nelder scored an own goal in the 50^th minute, Halsey’s side faced an uphill struggle to force their way back into the game.

Herne Bay did pull a goal back through former Tunbridge Wells target man Andy Irvine inside the final seventeen minutes but it was too little too late for a Herne Bay side that have missed the pace of Byron Walker and Dan Lawrence that punished Kent League defences last season.

Halsey takes his side down to Eastbourne Town tomorrow, looking to bounce back following his side’s second successive home defeat.

The 47-year-old boss said: “Absolutely can’t wait!  We’ll be ready again.  Hopefully they’ve learnt from that so we’ll be back on song hopefully on Monday going for a minimum of points.

“We’re going there with a point already and we’ll try and take that point if not all three away with us.

“I’ve got to learn quickly as a manager. We’ve started off well.  The manner in which we lost (to Folkestone) was not acceptable and not good enough, but it’s not the end of the world”.”

Herne Bay lie in tenth-place in the Ryman League Division One South table with three points from two games, six places below Eastbourne Town, who have picked up a point more.

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

Eastbourne Town  v  Herne Bay
Ryman League Division One South
Bank Holiday Monday, 27^th August 2012
Kick Off 3:00pm
at The Saffrons, Compton Place Road, Eastbourne, East Sussex BN21 1EA