Hythe Town manager Andy Crush says he couldn’t turn down the chance to sign Jake Embery as striker marks Cannons return with last-minute penalty winner

New Hythe Town manager Andy Crush enjoyed a winning start as returning striker Jake Embery scored a last-gasp penalty at Halls.

Prolific Embery, who played for the Cannons under Steve Watt, is back for a second spell after moving from Bearsted on the eve of the new season.

And he marked his second debut by winning and scoring the penalty which gave Town a 1-0 victory in their Southern Counties East Division 1 opener.

Crush was alerted to Embery’s availability and couldn’t turn down the chance to sign a player who made it clear he was keen to rejoin Hythe.

The move went through in time for the first match after Bearsted waived the seven-day approach.

“We had a good conversation with Jake and he’s been brilliant,” said Crush. “He sees it as a project he wants to be involved in.

“As he said, he’s had offers in the summer but he’s watched what we’ve done, he’s looked at it and gone ‘I fancy having a bit of that’.

“I wasn’t looking for another striker but it’s someone you don’t turn down if he’s wanting to come to your club.

“We’ve backed him from the off, we’ve put him straight in the XI and said we’re going to back you to score a goal.

“It may have taken 91 minutes but he’s put the ball in the back of the net and won us the game 1-0.”

Hythe, playing at Step 6 after successive relegations, are a scalp for any team in the league and were made to work hard for their victory by a battling Halls side.

The visitors were well on top, however, and their persistence paid off with Embery’s penalty winner.

“It was one of those games where it could have been a whole different story if the first one goes in earlier,” said Crush.

“We were fairly dominant and creating chance after chance, there was set-piece after set-piece, and we’re sat