Sam Denly is pleased Herne Bay have finally broken their away duck.

The 2-1 Robert Dyas League Cup first round win at Whitstable on Tuesday night was Bay’s first victory on the road in nine games this season. Denly now wants them to build on it quickly, with four of their next five games all away.

The Bay boss said: “It was long overdue and nice to get one. We were poor in the first half and excellent in the second.

“It was a flat game for a derby with a relaxed atmosphere but we had words at half-time, went out, had a bit of a go and created a lot of chances.”

Bay’s 1-0 defeat at Tooting on Saturday was their fifth Ryman League, Division 1 South defeat and Denly said: “It was another 0-0 game, decided by a poor goal.

“We gave the ball away in the build-up but it was an ‘absolute worldy’ of a cross by their left winger which split our defence in two.”

Bay host early leaders Chipstead on Saturday – their last league game at Winch’s Field for a month – looking to continue their excellent home form.

Denly said: “We are producing some good football and are enjoying our new pitch. I said when I got the job I wanted to see us get the ball down at home and play and the surface allows us to do that.”

Defender Gary Sayer misses out as he serves the second of a three-game suspension, while skipper Liam Quinn returns after a one-game ban. Danny Walder was back at Tooting on Saturday after a long lay-off with knee ligament trouble but Ben Brown and Sam Hasler are still out.

Meanwhile, Jamie Turner is expected to be out until after Christmas as he looks set for surgery to cure a long-term ankle injury.