Simon Halsey will be the happier manager after watching plucky Herne Bay come from 2-0 down to keep their hopes of going to Wembley alive in the FA Vase.

Two defensive errors proved costly as Michael Rae and West Auckland top-scorer Mathie Moffatt gave the Northern League side a perfect start in the semi-final first leg tie.

Bay were found wanting after only eight minutes, allowing Rae to easily beat Dan Eason and give the visitors the perfect start.

They doubled their lead 12 minutes later when Moffatt was allowed too much time and space in the box before finishing low into the far corner.

However a quality finish by Byron Walker, his fifth in the Vase and 23rd of the season, gave Bay a 29th minute lifeline and Rhys Lawson dragged them level four minutes after the break.

Walker, who misses the second leg because of suspension, raced forward before curling home a neat finish and Lawson finished well with another curling finish soon after the break.

Skipper Luke Harvey had a shot blocked and Danny Lawrence fired into the side-netting but, having conceded the lead, West Auckland were never the same with Eason making a couple of routine saves in the second half.

Halsey (pictured) said: "It’s all-square with a game to play and we have to go up there and win it outright, it’s game on.

"I can’t say enough about my team. They made it hard for themselves again and had we not given away two sloppy goals we’d be sitting pretty now.

"We didn’t get to grips with the game early on and it was poor decision-making which cost us the chance of winning the game."

Can Bay go to West Auckland and get the result they need to make it through to Wembley? Leave your comments below.