Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
THOMPSON DOUBLE HELPS SECURE VICTORY IN BASEMENT BATTLE
Herne Bay men moved off the bottom of Kent Area Division 1 with their second victory of the campaign on Saturday. They leapfrogged Holcombe 2A with a 4-1 home victory against the Medway side. The hosts took the lead through a Kriss White penalty corner and it was 2-0 when man-of-the-match Nick Barton slotted home from the penalty spot. In the second half, Sam Thompson made it 3-0 before Holcombe got back in the game from a penalty stroke of their own. Thompson then wrapped up the points with his second goal. Bay 2nds’ match against Folkestone 4ths went to form – but only just. It was a case of top versus bottom, with the leaders of Kent Open Premier A taking on the basement side. However, Folkestone, a mix of youth and experience, did not perform like a team sitting at the bottom as Bay edged to a 3-2 win. Bay struck first with Paul Mcvey lifting the ball over the keeper and knocking it into the empty goal. It became 2-0 when a short corner was despatched by Ada Hawkes. However, Folkestone didn’t drop their heads and prolonged pressure brought them two goals before half time. In the second half, Bay earned several short corners, one of which was put away by Hawkes. Bay survived having two of players sent off with five minutes to go. Paul Duffy was man-ofthe-match. Jay Newell hit a hat-trick as Bay’s men’s 3rds won 6-1 at home to Sutton Valence 4ths in Kent Open Premier C. James Nash neatly tucked away the rebound from a short corner for the opener and two more goals followed for a 3-0 half-time lead. At the start of the second half, Valence pulled a goal back on a rare attack but Bay responded almost immediately. Two further goals wrapped up an emphatic win. Also on target for Bay were Adam Foster and Matt Young. Goals from Alfie Forbes and Jake Marsh gave Bay 4ths a 2-0 win at Burnt Ash. Man-of-the-match went to Tom Wood. Herne Bay 5ths had a strong 12man regular squad at Gravesham & Wellcome Unicorns and won 3-0 with goals from Harry Mckenna, Jamie Newman and Alfie Meek. Bay ladies’ 1sts slipped to their third straight loss, going down 3-0 to Meopham in Kent League Division 1. The 2nds were edged out 2-1 by leaders Gore Court 2nds in Kent Division 3. The visitors opened the scoring, Bay replied through captain Karen Atkinson before Court hit the winner. Libby Fielder was player-ofthe-match. Sarah Wills hit four goals and Lottie Hayward two in Bay ladies’ 3rds’ 8-0 win against Remnants. Nicola Louise Holmes also netted and Yaëlle scored her first goal for the club. Nicola Mileham was player-of-thematch.