HOLMESDALE V Herne Bay

Sat 26^th April 2008 15.00 pm Kick off

Holmesdale 1 (0) v 3 (1) Herne Bay                   Attendance: 45

Hardy 52mins                          Brown 41mins

                                                   Lawrence 65mins

                                                   Lawson 90 + 1mins

The Dalers played their final league game of an eventful 2007/08 season against Herne Bay. Holmesdale had a few enforced changes and therefore were unable to keep a winning side from the victory away at Sevenoaks. The rookies still had the opportunity to finish as high as twelfth, depending on other results and the visitors could finish in sixth.

A bright but blustery afternoon saw the wind play a part in the first half. The home side started slightly better and ‘Bay’ responded by playing out from the back using their back full backs. This made it hard for the Dalers to press the opposition that high up the pitch and they allowed Bay to start play in this way and sat back. With Hughes and Chick as a stand in strike force there was plenty of pace but not quite the experience to make the early chances count. Bay kept the ball quite well but the final ball and a cutting edge was missing and they started to look suspect on the break. Mistakes were to play a part in opportunities handed to Bay and they were to benefit from the Dalers not being ruthless enough.

Chick’s enthusiasm and runs off Hughes made him a handful. Not only this but he was willing to chase down what others might see as a lost cause. After a rare kick from Delo in the Bay goal Ben had a key moment in the game. The kick only went as far as the first defender and Chick pounced and nicked the ball off him and was in. He tried to round Delo but the keeper got a finger to the ball forcing him away from goal. By the time he got the ball under Delo and defenders were back to block his shot. The next key moment came at the other end. Bay played in Brown down the right channel and as he broke towards the box Harwood called to claim the ball. As he slid in he won the ball but it slipped through his grasp. Brown nicked it and from a very tight angle drilled in into an empty net.

0-1 41mins. A very rare mistake but more than this the home side did not deserve to be behind, goals at such a crucial time must have changed both half time team talks.

The second half was almost a carbon copy of the first as credit to both sides as they were playing open attractive football. A blow for came for Holmesdale on 50 mins when Harwood had to be substituted after pulling up with an injury. The side responded by scoring an equaliser and giving the supporters something to cheer. Hardy exchanged passes with O’Rourke and was in, as he approached the edge of the box he was very cool and beat the league’s best keeper low down to his left.

1-1 52mins

The Dalers typical of their season looked like they belonged at level five however will surely will have learned this season that you must take your chances. Two key moments defined not only the outcome of the game but perhaps reflected the season as a whole.

O’Rourke made a burst from midfield and beat the offside trap of Bay. The defence hesitated wanted the decision in their favour, this gave the Daler’s midfielder more time that he realised however he placed his shot tamely straight at Delo. Then the side were really punished for the missed one on ones. Moments after pulling off a classy save from Harvey, Prime, who had replaced Harwood, took a goal kick and it went to the Bay’s centre forward. It was a two on two break and Lawrence made an over lapping run on the right. Brown played him in and he appeared to slice his shot from the edge of the box. Regrettably for the Dalers it when into the top corner. 1-2 65mins.

A late goal from Lawson on 90mins killed off any faint hope the rookies had of nicking a point. That’s not to say Bay were not worth the win with that extra bit of class to finish their attacks and two long range efforts that hit the cross bar they were certainly clinical.

The game left those watching supporting the Kent League rookies again thinking what if when the Dalers created clear cut chances but failed to take them.