“Defensively we were poor today,” said Herne Bay manager Sam Denly, “they’ve let me down, they’ve let the club down today.”
Going into this FA Trophy tie, Bay would have been hopeful of progression against their Ryman One (North) opponents and even at a single goal down at the break were, in truth, still very much in the tie.
The early exchanges were even and positive. Parkinson and King both had efforts for the visitors before Swifts took the lead in the 21st minute from the penalty spot. Pearman converted after Kitcherside in the Bay goal had first spilled the ball then been adjudged to have pulled down Gayle in his efforts to recover the errant football.
But Bay struck back immediately when Stuart King turned on the edge of the 6 yard box to fire home.
The end to end action continued with Heybridge Swifts restoring their advantage just 5 minutes later when Joe Pearman got to a high bouncing ball before the advancing Kitcherside, went round him and slotted into an unguarded net. Back came Bay. Danny Williams went on a run down the left only to be upended in the home box and King powered home from the resulting spot kick to level the scores.
Now, Herne Bay had their best spell of the match. On the half hour Dan Parkinson’s shot was parried by Sambridge and, on the rebound, James Brown’s effort was blocked although the Swift’s saviour know little about it and remained prone on the deck for several minutes. Bay might have taken the lead 5 minutes before the break when King’s header from a Connor Sanders long throw came back off Sambridge’s rIght hand upright.
Such are the fortunes of cup ties and the home side went into the interval a goal to the good when Neil Richmond slotted home in stoppage time following a quick and incisive move.
After the turnaround, the Ryman One North side seized on their chance to put the game beyond doubt. Pearman completed his hat-trick just after the hour when he tracked along the edge of the Bay penalty area from right to left then unleashed a left foot shot that went across the face of the Goal to nestle in the far right corner. The task was made harder with substitute Ben Brown receiving his marching orders in the 77th for a rash challenge only 9 minutes after entering the tie.
The visitors had to chase the game and chase it they did with Dan Johnson giving them hope 9 minutes from the end when he rose to head home Stuart King’s cross from the right.
But any chance of a tie saving comeback were dashed with two goals from Billy Hunt in the 82nd and 84th, exploiting defensive slips on both occasions as Bay chased the game and their own tails.
“It’s a disappointing performance and one we’ve got to bounce back from,” said Denly, “I expect better, there were some positives in there. We won’t take this into our league form. It’s my job to make sure that doesn’t happen. I feel disappointed for those who do a lot behind the scenes. The revenue from a cup run would have come in handy and the club have been let down.”
Twelve years ago, Nick Denly’s Herne Bay exited the FA Cup at the hands of Heybridge Swifts through a 96th minute penalty at this venue. Twelve years on and son Sam suffered cup defeat here in more disappointing fashion.
Heybridge Swifts: Danny Sambridge, Ryan Boswell, Danny Barber, Paul White, Aaron Gayle, Nikki Beale, Reece Morgan (Ryan McFarlane 86), Andrew Tomlinson (Frankie Hession-Harris 85), Neil Richmond Daniel Lopes 89), Billy Hunt, Joe Pearman
Subs not used: Stephen Good, Charles Gregory
Cautions: Danny Barber, Paul White, Aaron Gayle Sent off: none
Herne Bay: Ben Kitcherside, Nathan Eastwood, Dan Johnson, James Brown (Sam Hasler 61), Connor Partridge, Connor Sanders, Danny Walder (Ben Brown 68), Joe Nelder, Dan Parkinson, Stuart King, Danny Williams (Jordan Casey 74).
Subs not used: Steven Ita, Harry Brown
Cautions: Nathan Eastwood, Danny Walder, Jordan Casey. Sent off: Ben Brown
Referee: Paul Quirk
Assistants: Andy Gray, Dean Ricci.
Man of the match: Joe Pearman (Heybridge Swifts)
Heybridge Swifts (3) 6
Pearman 21 (pen), 26, 61
Richmond 45
Hunt 82, 84
Herne Bay (2) 3
King 22, 27 (pen)
Johnson 81
FA Trophy Preliminary Round
Saturday 18th October 2014
at Scraley Road
Att: 132
Picture supplied by: Steve Barton – Dan Johnson scores Bay’s third.