Sam Denly is staying positive despite a pointless Easter campaign finally killing off Herne Bay’s Ryman League, Division 1 South play-off hopes.

A 2-0 home defeat by neighbours Whitstable on Monday, 48 hours after losing 1-0 at struggling Hastings, put Bay out of the race.

The Bay boss said: “The disappointment of missing out and losing both games goes
hand-in-hand for me.

“People will see how we have finished (one point out of the last nine) but we have achieved far more than expected.

“Mid-table was our aim at the start of the season but we have built a decent side, despite the constraints we have been working under. We are looking to the future, looking to add to the squad during the summer.”

Denly believes the 19th-minute straight red card dismissal of Sam Hasler in Monday’s derby had a big bearing on the outcome.

He said: “It had a huge influence on how the game panned out. It was a poor, mistimed tackle but wasn’t two-footed. I expected a yellow card and we move on but it left us having to play 70 minutes with 10 men.

“We wobbled for five minutes after that, Whitstable scored twice and it killed us. We had a go in the second half, huffed and puffed but didn’t create too much.
“We weren’t great at Hastings and they were certainly up for it.”

Reflecting on two seasons in the Winch’s Field hot-seat, Denly added: “In terms of management, I am still a baby at the age of 31 having retired early because of my knees. It is much harder than being a player. The buck stops with me and everything you do is scrutinised.”

Bay are without a game on Saturday.