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Chairman Matt Barman believes Herne Bay’s players will be content with their performance in the home draw against play-off chasing Merstham on Saturday.
Barman took charge of the team alongside director of football Dan Tanner after the sacking of ex-Gillingham boss Steve Lovell as manager on Monday night. Barman, Tanner and coach Joe Denny had been at the helm together at Lordswood last term before they joined Isthmian South East Bay in the summer.
Winger Josh Reid put the 17th-placed hosts ahead in the 91st minute at Winch’s Field but the seventh-placed Moatsiders hit back through a Lee Lewis free-kick.
“It’s been a tough week,” said Barman.
“We spoke to the boys on Thursday. There has been a bit of soul-searching from everyone because it’s been a horrendous week, really, for myself and the football club.
“But a change has now been made and, obviously, we have asked for applicants. That closes on Monday.
“We’ll then sit down on Monday afternoon, breathe a bit and see what we have got, who we want to bring in for an interview and then start pushing forward with it.
Report: Herne Bay 1-1 Merstham
“We spoke to the boys about today and just said ‘Let’s not get beaten at home.’ We know the surface and we do believe in ourselves. We set up a little bit defensively with just one up top and tried to get runners in and around them.
“At times, it worked really well because the third-man runs looked dangerous and, at other times, we looked a bit isolated. It’s been a tough week.
“You think you’re going to come out of it with a win on 91 minutes and, 95 minutes in, it’s 1-1 - and you’re thinking ‘Oh my God, could this even get worse?’. Someone has just told me that Margate scored in the 92nd and 100th minute [during a 3-2 victory at Hythe] so I suppose it wasn’t that bad!
“The boys are a little bit down in the dressing room but, once they have calmed down and let the emotion go out of it, I think they’ll be content with their efforts and their performance.”
Barman conceded the draw felt more like a defeat after taking the lead so late on after striker Mike Salako had also seen a first-half goal ruled out for offside.
Substitute Kane Haysman was denied after the restart, as well, despite seeming convinced his header from a Monty Saunders corner had crossed the line before Merstham’s debutant keeper James Shaw cleared.
Barman said: “It feels a bit like a loss because you score in the 91st minute and concede in the 95th minute to what, really, wasn’t even a shot - it was a cross. It was a great delivery in, I’ve got to be honest, but it just feels a bit like a kick in the teeth.
“Certainly in the first 15 or 20 minutes, I thought they started a lot stronger than us. But we then got our distances a bit better after our forwards were isolated in the first 20 minutes.
“Once we got that right, we grew into the game. We scored a goal that got disallowed for offside just before half-time. I couldn’t really see it and I’m not going to bang on where you can’t quite call these things.
“In the second half, their keeper has made an excellent save off Josh Reid inside the first minute and there was a couple more sort of half-chances, and it just ebbed and flowed a little bit.
“They had some spells but I don’t recall our keeper, Josh Bexon, making too many saves.”
Reid emphatically blasted beyond Shaw to warm up a cold afternoon in front of a 467-strong crowd for a fourth goal this term.
“Josh played really well,” noted Barman. “Josh did what he does and was looking lively.
“As I’ve said, in the first 15 or 20 minutes, we couldn’t get him the ball and the distances weren’t right. But once we got those distances right, he was a threat.
“It’s always the same in non-league football where the game breaks and it’ll change after about an hour because people are tired and there’s more room.
“Early doors, they’re giving everything but, in non-league football, certainly at Step 4, they start to tire and the spaces will appear. Then, it’s about who’s making the better decisions.
“We started Alfie Hill today for his second league start. He’s 17 and has come through the Academy so that was really good to see.
“I thought he was outstanding until he got injured on about 60 minutes.”
Herne Bay had looked on course for a much-needed three points and a first clean sheet since November 30 as captain Liam Friend and Dan Carrington shone in defence, only for an in-swinging Lewis free-kick to go beyond keeper Josh Bexon and into the net with 95 minutes played.
Barman said: “Friendy and DC were fantastic.
“The first 15 minutes, their boy up top (Finlay Johnson, son of ex-Everton striker Andy Johnson) was really lively. But we got to grips with that so the ball had to be hit with a bit more pace into him rather than being rolled into him where he was allowed to spin. We moved the line-up a little bit and I thought the pair of them were fantastic.
“I’ve spoken to Sinn’Kaye (Christie) on his way out and just apologised, but I just couldn’t make a change. It was impossible to make a change because the two of them were playing fantastically.
“I might be wrong but I don’t believe they had a shot in the second half - except a cross in the 95th minute - which just drifts over everyone! But that’s football.
“Sometimes when you’re going through a bit of a [bad] period, you have to earn that right to start getting those wins. Sometimes, those footballing Gods make you have a draw or two before you get across that line.
“But I’m super proud of the lads for the effort they have put in. Heads were a little bit in the clouds on Thursday with Steve going, who was such a top guy around the club, so it was nice that we got a bit of a reaction from them.
“I look forward to seeing what the next week brings.”
Bay are at fifth-placed Beckenham next weekend, the play-off occupants having suffered a 5-0 weekend loss at leaders Ramsgate.