Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Bay improve play-off hopes
Ryman League
Herne Bay made it three straight wins with a 3-0 win against relegation-threatened Walton & Hersham to consolidate fourth place in Ryman League, Division 1 South.
Bay dominated the opening half, winning 16 corners in the first half-hour alone, although they were almost caught out when Mark Corbett controlled a poor clearance from Liam Quinn on 27 minutes, only to drag wide of Jack Delo’s goal when clean through.
Bay made them pay four minutes later when Delo’s long clearance found James Turner who raced through before slotting past keeper Liam Beach.
It was 2-0 soon after when Dan Johnson curled in a superb free-kick from just outside the box and the third goal arrived four minutes before the break when Lee Browning and Joe Nelder played their way through the defence before Nelder fired past Beach.
The Swans sat back even more in the second half but Bay couldn’t find a fourth and it was the visitors who found the net, although Gianfranco Mici saw his effort just after the hour disallowed for offside.
Under-21 prospect Sam Hallett came off the bench to find the net at the other end but it was ruled-out for an earlier foul and Bay had to settle for three.
Faversham lost ground in the play-off race after being shocked 2-1 at home by Corinthian Casuals.
After a goalless first half, Jamie Byatt put the visitors ahead with a chip over the advancing Will Godmon on the break three minutes into the second half and Shaun Okojie made it two seven minutes later after being freed by Byatt’s pass to leave Salters Lane stunned.
Charley Robertson wasted the chance to halve the deficit after Brandon Johnson was penalised for handling the ball in the area, with keeper Danny Bracken saving the 20-year-old’s attempt to net a third penalty in a week – all into the same bottom corner.
Luke Harvey turned in a consolation goal from a near post corner with 10 minutes left but Town couldn’t find an equaliser and are two points and three places outside the top-five.
Whitstable’s plight at the foot of the division worsened with a 6-1 humbling at fifth-placed Hastings.
Stuart King put the Oystermen ahead inside four minutes with his sixth goal in eight games but Billy Medlock and Sean Ray turned the game around before half-time.
The pair then each grabbed a second to make it 4-1 with 12 minutes remaining before Tyrell Richardson-brown and Ollie Rowe added to the scoreline in the dying seconds.