Hat-trick hero Kamani McFarlane led the way in Herne Bay’s big weekend win - but was surprised to leave with the match ball!

McFarlane rounded off Bay’s 4-1 Isthmian South East success at third-placed Croydon Athletic late on, having netted twice in the opening 45 minutes.

It proved to be a first for Herne Bay’s 14-goal top scorer.

“That’s his first-ever hat-trick,” revealed player-manager Liam Friend.

“He was buzzing after the game. Obviously, he got the match ball.

“He thought we had stolen the ball to give to him but I told him that’s the rules! Hopefully, he scores a few more.

“In the first half, he was probably having to do a bit more of a defensive job and still got two goals. That shows he is building his game and doing the off-the-ball things, as well.

“In the second half, off the ball, he didn’t do as much as I wanted him to. But when you score a hat-trick, you’re allowed those 25 minutes.

“His three strikes were brilliant.

"He could have even had a fourth or a fifth because one of his goals was probably harder to score than two others he missed.

“But that’s football. He deserves it because he’s a good lad.

“He was getting a bit of stick before the game because he had gone two games without scoring and we were trying to make that sound like a long time.

"Someone told him the other team had the best player in the league, as well, and he seemed to take that a bit personally.

“Perhaps, we need to come up with a bit more light-hearted criticism for him before the weekend.”

McFarlane put the visitors into a 2-0 half-time advantage and, although Danny Kedwell’s men pulled one back, despite having defender Cian McCarthy dismissed, striker Alfie Bloomfield restored the two-goal cushion. McFarlane wrapped it up on 88 minutes.

Friend, who also praised central defensive partner Dan Carrington, coming in for his first competitive start this season, said: “I was really pleased.

“We started the game very well. We needed to bounce back from the weekend before (a 4-1 home loss to Three Bridges).

“The problem the weekend before was the first 15 minutes because, in the rest of the game, we did okay.

"We don’t want to be a team that goes ‘win one, draw one, lose one’ and we definitely don’t want to be a team that goes on a losing run.

“It was really important we bounced back and we did that.

“Croydon were good, but it was probably the best team performance that we have had.

“It was annoying Kadell [Daniel] scored for them because I’ve played with him before.”

Friend also handed a Bay bow to Jayden Silcott-Brown, formerly of Dover, at the Mayfield Stadium.

The forward arrives after his exit from Isthmian North Grays Athletic.

“He did well,” he said. “Fitness-wise, he needs a few more games because he hasn’t played much. But he strengthens our options.

“We’re still very short on numbers. With Alfie Cutbush coming off in the first half, there were not a massive amount of options.

“With Joe Alatise back for the weekend (missing the Croydon clash due to a wedding), hopefully, we go with a slightly stronger bench on Saturday.”

Herne Bay will host unbeaten high-fliers Faversham in a derby this weekend.

Friend said: “We’re looking forward to it.

“Part of the reason why you want these tests is because you want big games.

“Apart from 15 minutes against Three Bridges, I have been pleased with our attitude and application over the last month or so.”

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