Herne Bay manager Steve Lovell was disappointed not to get something out of Bank Holiday Monday’s game against Ramsgate, having taken the lead at Winch’s Field.

In front of a crowd of 1,039, Bay led through Harrison Pont and controlled proceedings in the first half, only for Ramsgate to score twice in 15 minutes after the break to secure a 2-1 victory.

Lovell was delighted with their first-half display but knew his Isthmian South East team had to take their chances when on top.

He said: “In the first half we played really well, we pressed them, got into them and created quite a few chances.

“We scored early on but, even after that, we had two or three good opportunities to go two or three up, didn’t take them and against good teams - and they are a good side - it’s going to come back and bite you, and that’s what happened.

“We changed it around when we went 2-1 down, we tried to get an extra man going forward, and then we had Ponty sent off which didn’t help, but even with 10 men, we created two or three chances at the end. They were nervous and we could have nicked something out of it.

“I’m disappointed for the boys, really. I thought they played really well, worked hard and we had opportunities to go two or three up.

“It was a good game of football and I think it’s coming together.

“It’s a long season but I have been encouraged from what I’ve seen so far and, if we continue playing like this, we’ll be fine.”

Bay took the lead on three minutes when Pont, who was later dismissed for a second bookable offence, was left unmarked inside the box and beat keeper Tom Hadler with a powerful shot from close range.

The hosts bossed possession and gave away little in terms of goal-scoring opportunities, and Lovell set up his team to take the game to Ramsgate.

He added: “In the first half I thought we defended really well, and that’s because we took the game to them. It’s so easy to put out a system to worry about the other team, but I didn’t want to do that.

“I wanted us to go out and play the way we wanted to play and dictate the way the game should go. We did that, and I thought we did it really well and we created a number of chances by closing them down.

“Defensively we were sound, I thought it was excellent and I’m just disappointed not to get something out of the game.

“A lot of teams will find it difficult against Ramsgate because they have good players and I thought their front three in the second half did well. I thought we did well to hold them out for the time we did.

“Against teams like this you have to take your opportunities, we didn’t. Had we gone two or three up, it might have been a different story.

“I thought we deserved to get something out of the game.”

Lovell, who has managed Gillingham and represented Wales during his playing career, is enjoying his time at Herne Bay and is hopeful of challenging for a top-five finish.

They visit Redhill in the FA Cup First Qualifying Round this Saturday.

He said: “The supporters are great, the pitch is lovely, the set-up is great and the people are working really hard behind the scenes.

“Myself and Mark [Lovell, his assistant] are really enjoying it and we’re looking forward to Saturday now.

“In the time that we have had with the players they have taken on board what we want to do and that is pleasing for me. They will get better.

“If they improve individually then, collectively, they will be fine.

“We want to be in the top five, that is still my aim.”