Herne Bay boss Steve Lovell on defensive work reaping rewards as side kept second straight clean sheet in FA Cup away victory

Steve Lovell is delighted to see the hard work Herne Bay have done building their defensive resolve reaping rewards.

Bay progressed to the second qualifying round of the FA Cup as they saw off Ashford Town (Middlesex) 2-0 through first-half goals by wideman Frankie Smith and striker Mike Salako last weekend.

While Harry Brooks replaced Gillingham loanee keeper Taite Holtam, Herne Bay still kept a second straight shut-out.

It was the first time Isthmian South East side Bay have kept consecutive clean sheets since the 2021/22 campaign, which ended in promotion.

Bay manager Lovell said: “That’s two on the spin.

“I was talking to (Bay's vice-chairman) John Bathurst on Monday and he said that it’s the first time we have kept two clean sheets on the spin since 2022.

"He did initially say 1922 but I thought that had to be wrong!

“It’s good. It’s good for Harry in goal and the defence in front of him protected him really well on Saturday.

“It was nice to keep another clean sheet. Last year, we knew we were very expansive.

“We were always scoring goals but we were always open to conceding them, as well.

"That’s something we have worked on. When we were going forward last year, we were not organised defensively for the counter-attack.

“We’ve done some work on that, we have got the boys to understand why we do what we do. They have taken it on board.

“When we’re on the attack, we’ve been more organised, defensively, against the counter-attack.”

Smith put Bay ahead against Ashford as he combined with fellow wing-back Jack Parter on 10 minutes.

Parter’s penalty was disallowed due to both feet having been ruled to have hit the ball.

And Salako was then adjudged to have got the last touch on Smith’s corner on 36 minutes to double their