by Alex Hoad

Herne Bay boss Simon Halsey revealed his squad were 'euphoric' after booking their place in the semi-finals of the FA Vase after a resolute 2-1 win at Shortwood United on Saturday.

Bay had to play almost the entire game with 10-men after Dave Soutan saw red after just 43 seconds for a heavy challenge on John Finnegan, formerly of league sides Lincoln and Cheltenham.

However second-half goals from Byron Walker and Steve Hanson saw Bay through to a memorable win in Gloucestershire.

Halsey said: "I am very proud. There were euphoric scenes at the end there. We had a lot of supporters there, the ground was blue and white.

"We were absolutely unbelievable. To play 90 minutes with 10-men, away from home, in the quarter-finals of a national cup competition and win... it's an incredible achievement.

"The boys showed their belief and their quality. We never really changed anything around after the red-card - which I didn't agree with, it was a yellow, fair enough, but never a red.

"Some teams might have gone 4-4-1, and that might have suited Shortwood, but we went 3-4-2 and played our game and we were the better side.

"The mental belief in the squad is unbelievable, they are not cocky, but they are confident, they knew what we needed to do at half-time and we went out and won the game and scored two great goals."

Halsey said he didn't mind who Bay are drawn against for the two-legged semis on Monday, adding: "We haven't lost two games in a row in the two-and-a-half years I've been here, so I hope we've got a chance whoever we play."

After Soutan's dismissal the hosts made the most of their advantage as dangerman Kevin Slack saw a shot expertly blocked by the feet of Bay keeper Dan Eason on 13 minutes and then three minutes later struck the post with the rebound falling into the grateful arms of Eason.

Finnegan went close on the half-hour when he flashed a cross-shot wide of the post, but after weathering the storm, Bay had a chance of their own before the break, when Rhys Lawson's hooked effort drifted across the face of goal.

Bay were in dreamland shortly before the hour when the recalled Ben Brown played a through-ball between the defence and with the offside Luke Harvey - the other of the two changes made by Halsey (pictured) - loitering offside, Walker raced through from an on-side position and stroked the ball past Shortwood keeper Tom King to send the travelling Bay fans wild.

The lead lasted for just 10-minutes however as after a Finnegan shot was blocked in the box, the ball fell to Jake Parrott to turn in the rebound.

However Bay once again showed their character in this cup-run and 11 minutes from time Hanson struck to put the 10-men back infront and despite a tense finale, Bay clung on to put themselves into the two-legged semi-final stage, with the prospect of a Wembley apperance just 180-minutes away.

Bay are the first Kent side to reach the last four since eventual-winners Deal Town's fairytale run in 1999/2000.

Were you at the game? What do you think of Bay's historic victory? Can they go all the way? Have your say below.