HERNE BAY 7 WHITSTABLE TOWN 2
The Pitching In Isthmian League South East
Monday December 27 2021 15.00

Whitstable enjoyed a great start to this derby game, with an early Kemo Darboe goal giving the travelling supporters behind the goal a chance to celebrate – and dream a little. The lead was maintained for the majority of the half, but a great chance to add a second was not taken and Herne Bay turned the game around with four goals in the space of just 7minutes 33 seconds, as Aaron Millbank, Kieron Campbell, Rory Smith and Bode Anidugbe all found the net. Laurence Harvey headed in soon after half time to increase the advantage before substitute Harry Goodger scored a second for Whitstable. Two further goals right at the end from Bradley Schafer and Zak Ansah added some extra gloss to the final result that was shining brightly from the illuminated scoreboard on a gloomy afternoon and sent the home fans amongst the 1.119 crowd away very happy.

This Christmas holiday fixture gave Herne Bay the chance to complete the league double over their local rivals, having won 2-1 at the Belmont in August in a game watched by 852, meaning nearly 2,000 in total attended the two games. Whitstable had won four and drawn one of their last five league games to show some encouraging progress after a poor start to the season. Tom Mills returned and Callum Watts made his first start in midfield, but Gus Barnes had to be withdrawn shortly before the kick off and was replaced on the bench by Luke Griffiths. Herne Bay had lost to both Cray Valley and Hastings in December, but were still handily placed towards the top of the table. Their team contained several former Oystermen including recent recruit, Millbank.

Millbank sent a free header wide from a good right wing cross by Anidugbe, but it was Whitstable that struck first in the 3rd minute. George McIlroy did well on the left before finding Watts who picked out Darboe just outside the box and he shot low past Jordan Perrin into the bottom left corner. Campbell and Ansah combined to force Dan Eason into a save a few minutes later, then Darboe headed an Alex Gaggin cross wide. Junior Baker did well to clear the danger from a Herne Bay corner, then blocked a Harvey shot as Whitstable held on to their lead. Stephen Okoh broke down the right as Herne Bay appealed for a foul, but he dragged his shot just past the far post. Will Thomas collected a yellow card for abruptly halting a Campbell run and Smith struck the free kick wide. Gaggin twisted and turned inside the box on the left before passing to Darboe in space near the penalty spot and he brought the ball under control, but curled his shot past the right post just as the away fans were getting ready to celebrate a two goal lead. The direction of the match would soon change dramatically.

In the 35th minute, a misdirected header gave Campbell the opportunity to break quickly before finding Ansah whose low shot was pushed out by Dan Eason, but only into the path of Millbank for a simple finish to bring the scores level. After a long range effort by Danny Walder and a booking for Jake Mackenzie, Herne Bay added a second when the excellent Campbell played a one-two with Ansah, continued his run into the box and lobbed the ball over Eason. As the clock approached the 40 minute mark, it was 3-1 when new signing Jacques Kpohomouh found Smith on the right and his cross from the touchline sailed over Eason and into the far corner of the net. This incredible passage of play continued with a somewhat fortunate fourth Herne Bay goal in the 43rd minute, following a good pass over the top by Campbell to Anidugbe and although Eason advanced to block, the ball rebounded off the midfielder and looped into the unguarded net. Smith curled a shot just wide before half time arrived with the score 4-1.

A stunned Whitstable emerged for the second half, changing to play with a back four, but almost conceded again straight from the kick off, as Millbank rolled the ball wide with only Eason to beat. Eason then saved an Ansah shot and deflected Millbank’s follow up behind. A good cross field ball by Smith reached Jack Parter who saw his effort strike Walder and go out for another corner. This time the ball was played short and when Campbell crossed it into the box, Dan Johnson won a header, sending the ball across goal for Harvey to nod past Eason to make it 5-1. Anidugbe and Millbank both went close before the Whitstable manager made a triple substitution on the hour mark. The changes soon brought a reward when Will Thomas rose with a defender to meet a Walder free kick and the ball was glanced onto the far post, with Goodger on hand to fire in the rebound in the 63rd minute.

Whitstable had a better spell, as Walder and Mills had shots kept out by Perrin, then two corners followed and Stephen Okoh was also denied by the Herne Bay goalkeeper. In the remaining time though, the home team created further chances as the game became more stretched. Eason saved from Ansah, Campbell struck the bar with a curling effort, Eason was out smartly to stop Adem Ramadan and Ansah sent another shot wide. In the 90th minute, the sixth goal finally arrived when Victor Aiyelabola was robbed by Anidugbe who broke down the left before crossing for Schafer to smash the ball home. In the second minute of added time, leading scorer Ansah finally got his goal, collecting a pass from Schafer and seeing his low shot deflected past Eason. The final whistle soon followed, bringing an end to an afternoon to forget for Whitstable, but the 7-2 win pushed Herne Bay up to fifth.

Whitstable will hope to bounce back on Saturday when they are at home to Ramsgate and that game is quickly followed by another local derby at Faversham Town on Monday afternoon.

Herne Bay
Jordan Perrin, Jacques Kpohomouh, Jack Parter, Laurence Harvey (c), Dan Johnson, Bode Anidugbe (Daniel Carrington 90+1), Rory Smith (Adem Ramadan 80), Hamilton Antonio, Zak Ansah, Aaron Millbank (Bradley Schafer 73), Kieron Campbell.
Subs (unused): Reion McFarlane, Lucas Hanley.
Goals: Aaron Millbank 35, Kieron Campbell 39, Rory Smith 40, Bode Anidugbe 43, Laurence Harvey 54, Bradley Schafer 90, Zak Ansah 90+2.

Whitstable Town
Dan Eason, Jake Mackenzie, George McIlroy (Victor Aiyelabola 61), Junior Baker, Will Thomas, Tom Mills (c), Alex Gaggin, Danny Walder, Kemo Darboe (Harry Goodger 60), Callum Watts (Luke Griffiths 61), Stephen Okoh.
Subs (unused): Tom Carlton, James Brown.
Goals: Kemo Darboe 3, Harry Goodger 63.
Yellow cards: Will Thomas 26, Jake Mackenzie 38, Danny Walder 88.

Attendance: 1,119
Referee: Rhys Battye
Assistants: Samuel Everitt & Ryan Chantrill-Smith