Herne Bay were the winners of this New Year’s Day local derby in front of a bumper crowd of 831, gaining revenge for the August Bank Holiday fixture at the Belmont that Whitstable won by the same score. An early goal by Tushaun-Tyreese Walters gave the home team the perfect start and despite some good possession, Whitstable were unable to make the most of their opportunities and fell further behind in the first half when Zak Ansah scored from the penalty spot. A great finish by Walters was the only addition to the score in the second half, as Herne Bay defended well to make sure of the three points that moved them up to sixth in the table.

Herne Bay had not played since December 14th when they drew 0-0 with Haywards Heath, whilst Whitstable had been beaten 2-1 by Ashford United on a wet Boxing Day at the Belmont. Apart from the previous league meeting, the teams had also met in a Velocity Trophy game at Whitstable that Herne Bay had won 4-1, although neither team was able to progress to the knock out stages of that competition. Whitstable made two changes to the team that started against Ashford, with Marcus Elliott coming in for Marshall Wratten and Liam Gilles started in midfield instead of the unavailable Luke Girt. Top scorer Zak Ansah started the game on 18 goals for Herne Bay, 6 of which were successful penalties.

Whitstable had an early chance when Tom Bryant headed a long throw by Connor Sanders just wide. Herne Bay scored just afterwards however, on 3 minutes, when Whitstable failed to deal with a long clearance by George Kamurasi and Walters combined with Keiron Campbell before shooting past Dan Eason from a narrow angle on the left into the far corner. Whitstable had plenty of the ball in midfield, but were unable to take their chances. They went close in the 22nd minute, when a Harry Stannard corner was missed by the tall Herne Bay goalkeeper, but Bryant’s header went just over the bar. Whitstable were threatening an equaliser, but then in the 26th minute they found themselves 2-0 down after a Walters shot was saved by Eason, only for Campbell to pick up the rebound and win a penalty when Bryant was adjudged to have brought him down just inside the area. Ansah made no mistake from the spot, finding the bottom right corner, out of the reach of the diving Eason.

Sanders had a number of opportunities to send long throws into the Herne Bay box and from one of these in the 36th minute, Bryant forced a good save from Kamurasi who pushed the ball past his left hand post, although somewhat surprisingly a goal kick was the result. Eason had to make a save when a Herne Bay break saw the dangerous Campbell work a position to fire in a shot and Bryant was able to complete the clearance. Whitstable had a couple more good chances before the break, when firstly John Ufuah was found by Elliott, but shot wide from just inside the box and then Gillies and Elliott created a great opportunity for Aaron Millbank, but his shot was well blocked by the head of the diving Ryan Cooper. The half time whistle blew with Herne Bay 2-0 ahead and Whitstable were left to wonder how, given the amount of possession and chances they had created.

Eason made a comfortable save from Tom Carlton early in the second half and at the other end, Kamurasi caught a Stannard effort. Herne Bay all but wrapped up the points in the 61st minute, when former Chelsea youngster Walters scored his second goal of the afternoon. Bola Dawodu, who made 12 appearances for Whitstable in the 2016-17 season, played the ball out to the right and Walters took it around James Brown before curling a great shot from distance into the far top corner, giving Eason no chance.

Chances were still coming for Whitstable, but Millbank shot over, then Ufuah had an effort parried by Kamurasi and Stannard was unable to direct the rebound on target. The result was never in doubt during the latter stages of the game and both teams made substitutions, with Wratten and Leo Mazzone coming on for Whitstable. Ansah and substitute Ryan King-Elliott both shot wide for Herne Bay, before Carlton had a shot saved by Eason after a run from midfield. A late effort from Campbell went wide, although there were few clear chances in the closing minutes and Herne Bay finished 3-0 winners.

Whitstable have picked up no points from their two holiday fixtures, although performed quite well and certainly had their chances in both games. They next face Sevenoaks Town on Saturday at the Belmont and will be hoping they can get back to winning ways, but will need to be more clinical in front of goal.

Herne Bay
George Kamurasi, Ryan Cooper, Simon Kabamba, Laurence Harvey (c), Joe Nelder, Danny Lawrence (Chris Saunders 83), Tushaun-Tyreese Walters (Ryan King-Elliott 67), Tom Carlton, Zak Ansah, Bola Dawodu, Keiron Campbell (Kyron Lightfoot 87).
Subs (unused): Callum Adonis-Taylor, Victor Aiyelabola.
Goals: Tushaun-Tyreese Walters 3, 61, Zak Ansah pen 26.
Yellow cards: Joe Nelder 6, Simon Kabamba 65.

Whitstable Town
Dan Eason, Jake Mackenzie, James Brown, Liam Gillies, Connor Sanders (Leo Mazzone 86), Tom Bryant (c), John Ufuah (Marshall Wratten 71), Tijan Jadama, Aaron Millbank, Marcus Elliott, Harry Stannard.
Subs (unused): Charles Etumnu, Josh Spencer, Muhammed Cham.
Yellow card: James Brown 29

Attendance: 831
Referee: Scott Rudd
Assistants: Kennedy Kikulwe & Ross Mortimer