Not the Champions League - Herne Bay v Faversham Town
Aside from the Champions League qualifiers and the League cup there was the small matter of a local Kent derby in the Ryman League Division One South tonight as Herne Bay took on local rivals Faversham Town. After an appallingly wet day in Kent the skies cleared to ensure the match was played on a zippy surface on Herne Bay's bowling green of a pitch. The ground is very reminiscent of Hemel Hempstead Town and you get a good view all round with a seated stand and covered terracing behind both goals.
The match itself was an excellent, competitive end-to-end game and wouldn't have disgraced the Vanarama National League South. In defensive midfield for the home side was ex Millwall, Gillingham and Dagenham & Redbridge player Danny Spiller. From memory, he even played a couple of games for Wycombe. Faversham took an early lead through a 25 yard shot that should have been saved by the home keeper at his near post. Fifteen minutes later it was the away keeper who couldn't hold a shot and Herne Bay deservedly equalised.
With the scores level at half-time the match ebbed and flowed in the second-half. Faversham hit the post twice but Herne Bay should have nicked a win in the dying seconds. Great entertainment for the 249 crowd, split roughly 50:50. At £9 to get in and £2 for a programme this was really good value. As I'm staying here overnight it's £9 better spent than over the bar - and far more healthy. Especially at this time of the year there's some good football to see at a lower level and I'm sure several players on show tonight will be gracing a higher level of football in the not-too-distant future.