Herne Bay came within ten lousy minutes of dumping two times FA Trophy winners Grays Athletic out of this season’s competition on Saturday.
The Ryman Premier League outfit who groundshare at Aveley’s Mill Field clawed their way back into this tie thanks to a hotly contested penalty with the clock ticking down.
“It was never a penalty,” said Bay manager Sam Denly, “Connor’s hands are by his side in a natural position, he’s had the ball leathered at him. I’m disappointed for the lads.”
Positive from the start, Herne Bay might have taken the lead in the seventh minute had Sam Hasler not had the ball hooked away from him. Grays, coming off the back of a four goal roasting in midweek in the FA Cup, looked as though they were still licking those wounds and Bay took full advantage.
Not for the first time in the early exchanges, Dean Grant was set free on the right, a superb diagonal ball from Joe Nelder in the 18th, the resulting cross met at the near post by the ever improving Jamie O’Connell with a glancing header that left Athletic’s ‘keeper Lamar Johnson flat footed and grasping at thin air.
Denly might not have wanted half time to arrive as Bay drove forward continuously but without further success. The interval interrupted that flow, as it so often does, and with Grays making a double substitution at the break, it was to be a tougher second 45 for the Men of Kent.
Yes, Herne Bay still created chances but with the introduction of Joao Carlos and Alex Cruickshank, Grays looked a nippier outfit although they were mightily pleased to see the referee wave away appeals for a Herne Bay penalty 9 minutes into the half when Jamie O’Connell appeared to be spun round by his flapping yellow shirt when bearing down on Johnson’s goal.
A goal then for Herne Bay, and this game would have been done and dusted.
The hard working O’Connell was replaced just after the hour mark with new signing Stuart King who had been held back following his recent suspension gained whilst a Folkestone Invicta player.
Grays stepped up their attempts to get back into the game and after a succession of free kicks on the edge of the Bay box, came that controversial penalty in the 80th minute.
Jack West propelled the ball goalwards from the edge of the box with maximum force and it thumped into Bay centre half Connor Sanders. The ‘Man in Black’ adjudged that incident to constitute handball and pointed to the spot. Joao Carlos dispatched the ball past Jack Delo to usher a collective sigh of relief around Mill Field.
Still there might have been time for Herne Bay to progress at the first attempt with Stuart King playing a significant role. Twice before the final whistle he fired goalwards, firstly into the grateful arms of Johnson and lastly a looping lob that dipped the wrong side of the crossbar.
“I’m very disappointed, I’ve said to the lads they’re work was superb, I can’t ask anymore from the players” said Denly, “they were excellent to a man. We were the better side on the day. It shows how far we’ve come to be disappointed with a 1-1 draw against a Ryman Premier side. I couldn’t see them (Grays) scoring, If we turn up and play, I’m confident we can get a result on Tuesday night.”
Herne Bay team: Jack Delo, Michael Turner, Gary Sayer, Danny Walder, Connor Sanders, Joe Kennett, Sam Hasler, Joe Nelder (Danny Lawrence 88), Jamie O’Connell (Stuart King 61), Ben Brown, Dean Grant.
Subs not used: James Turner, Jordan Casey, Steven Lloyd
Grays Athletic (0) 1
Carlos 80 (pen)
Herne Bay (1) 1
O’Connell 18
Attendance: 154
FA Trophy 1st Round Qualifying
Saturday 19th October 2013.
Mill Field
Photo: Jamie O’Connell (on ground in yellow) glances home at the near post to give Herne Bay the lead.