A stunning second-half strike from Harry Stannard helped bottom club Whitstable upset the Ryman League Division 1 South form book to triumph at Herne Bay.

The talented teenager comprehensively beat Bay keeper Jack Delo from 25 yards in the 62nd minute to add to Dean Grant's close-range third minute effort to give the visitors only their fourth win of the season and leave Bay - fifth before the start - hugely frustrated.

The home side had plenty of possession, and chances, particularly in the first half but were unable to beat former Winch's Field favourite Dan Eason, who was faultless in the Town goal.

Ahead of the game all the statistics had pointed to a Bay win. Sam Denly's side had won their last four home matches, while Town had lost 12 of their 13 away games including six in a row since winning at Ramsgate in mid-October.

However, the division's bottom club who included player-manager Wayne Wilson for his long overdue debut, made a dream start, going ahead from their first venture into Bay territory inside three minutes.

Left-back Reiss Crimmen launched a long throw into the Bay box when the ball found its way to Grant, he turned it home from close range for his fourth goal in Town colours.

The goal clearly lifted the visitors who then won the game's first corner which ended with home keeper Delo dropping on the ball after a scramble but thereafter the home side dominated.

Bay's Elliot Cutts tested Town keeper Eason with a well-struck drive from 25 yards on 10 minutes and five minutes later they almost fashioned an equaliser as Mark Lovell headed across goal and Cutts was just unable to connect at the far post.

The lively Cutts went close again on 22 minutes when his low drive from 15 yards was just turned round the post for a corner by Eason and as Bay dominated chances continued to come thick and fast.

Only an acrobatic clearance by full-back Ricardo Thompson denied Lovell after he had headed the ball over Eason, and moments later the Bay number nine was just unable to turn the ball home as Danny Williams crossed low into the box.

Eason then saved well low down from Dan Johnson and the former Bay keeper was undoubtedly one of the stars of the first half for the Reds as they reached half-time with their slender lead intact.

Bay started the second half as they had finished the first with Connor Sanders glancing a header just wide from a corner but Town countered with a quick break which ended with Sam Bewick's shot saved to his right by Delo.

Bay were still seeing more of the ball but they were stunned just after the hour when Stannard got the ball wide left and cut inside before curling a superb shot over Delo and into the far corner.

Town briefly had their tails up after the goal with Delo having to beat out Grant's fierce volley and the impressive Thompson shooting wide after cutting across the face of the area.

Bay still had their moments, though, with skipper Liam Quinn heading wide from a corner and towards the end the excellent Eason saved superbly from Lovell and then Michael Turner as the visitors held firm to claim a famous win.

The home side were also denied by the woodwork in a melee but Grant might have added a late third for Town when he raced clear only to fire into the side netting.

Herne Bay: Delo, M. Turner, G. Sayer, Johnson, Quinn, Sanders, Walder, Cutts (Browning 62mins), Lovell, Parkinson (Nelder 62mins), Williams (Phillip 70mins); Subs: Eastwood, H. Brown.

Whitstable: Eason, Thompson, Crimmen, Conlon (Adjei 80mins), J. Sayer, Kennett, Wilson, Bewick, Smith, Grant, Stannard; Subs: Edwards, Wraight, Punton, Brooks.

Attendance: 730