Herne Bay are closing in on appointing a new manager as the wait for the new man at the helm to be named continues.

Bay followed up a 4-1 Isthmian Premier defeat at home to Canvey Island last weekend with a penalty shoot-out exit at Ramsgate on Tuesday in the Kent Senior Cup.

Herne Bay chairman Stuart Fitchie watched the cup match alongside Hastings player-coach Craig Stone, who this week has emerged as the favourite for the vacant job.

No deal to confirm the 33-year-old, a former Gillingham under-18s and under-23s manager, as Bay’s new boss has yet been announced, though. Compensation would need to be agreed between the two Isthmian Premier clubs.

Captain-for-the-day Dan Johnson headed in but Lauric Diakiesse equalised for the Rams, who won 6-5 on penalties after the 1-1 draw.

Interim manager Mike West hopes second-bottom Bay can take confidence from their display in the cup defeat against the Isthmian South East frontrunners ahead of this Saturday’s trip to Horsham.

“Hopefully that’ll give the boys some confidence going into the league because they played really well and I can’t moan about anyone,” said West.

“When you are losing, it’s not good for morale but it just seemed a bit different on Tuesday.

“Obviously we have a tough game at Horsham - they don’t come much tougher than that footballing-wise - but with the new manager hopefully coming in by the weekend, we will see a bit of a turnaround because we are way too good to be where we are in the league.”

Bay fielded a makeshift side against Steve Lovell’s Rams and West was impressed with what he saw from young midfielder Monty Saunders.

West said: “I thought Monty was outstanding.

“That was the first time I’ve seen him in a men’s game situation - obviously I’ve seen him in training - but I thought, especially in the first half, he was outstanding.

“Obviously he’s going to peter out a bit because it was quite an intense game but I had no problems with Monty and thought he did really well. Everyone did really well but Monty, especially given how young he is, impressed me.

“I even gave him a little message, saying ‘I’m thinking of starting you, just prepare right’ and he, obviously, did.”

With centre-back Laurence Harvey, along with wingers Kieron Campbell and Tushaun Tyreece-Walters among those absent, there were starting berths for defender Briggs Ojemen, playmaker Eddie Allsopp and young winger Kymani Thomas.

“If you look at our midfield, it’s completely different,” said West.

“You have got Mason Saunders-Henry, Jason Banton and Eddie. To a man, they were brilliant as well.

“Eddie was his usual technical brilliant self and the keeper pulled off a great save, any other day that goes in the bottom corner. Jason was just pulling the strings and Mason gave us plenty of energy and was great on the ball.

“Briggs, the centre-back, that’s the first time I have seen him and he did really well.”

Midfielder West made a surprise return to action against Canvey when, despite striker Marcel Barrington giving Herne Bay the lead, they were beaten. But the 31-year-old was back in the dug-out in midweek as his fitness problems continued.

West initially thought he had a hernia problem but explained: “The last six months, I have been playing with four or five painkillers. I went to London and saw a surgeon.

“He seems to think it’s not a hernia and that it’s a nerve that needs to be blocked. The recovery on that is two to three weeks so, fingers crossed, that’s definitely the case.

“Like I say for the last six months, even when I came in on loan last season, I was struggling but getting through it.

"Hopefully when I get fully fit, I can offer the team much more.”

Bay are at home on Tuesday in the Velocity Cup to Sevenoaks.