It was an evening to forget for Herne Bay as four first half goals condemned them to a one-sided defeat at the hands of Kent rivals Margate at Hartsdown Park.

Cameron Brodie gave the hosts the lead as early as the third minute, firing home from the edge of the penalty area, before doubling his tally moments later with a free header.

Ben Greenhalgh added a third after 20 minutes, turning the ball home from close range after the Bay defence failed to deal with a dangerous cross.

The Margate captain then scored a spectacular fourth just before the half hour mark, bending a 35-yard free-kick over Jordan Perrin and into the back of the net.

And while the Bay were able to stem the flow in the second half, the damage was already done as they suffered their heaviest defeat of the season.

Wanting to secure back-to-back wins, following their FA Cup win against Horsham, Ben Smith’s side were dealt a blow as early as the third minute when the hosts took the lead.

Having had the ball touched back to him, Brodie took aim from the edge of the Bay penalty area and made no mistake in finding the back of the net.

Caught cold by that early goal, the Bay showed some signs of life, but Zak Ansah’s shot, when through on goal, was saved by Margate shot-stopper Amadou Tangara.

Less than sixty seconds later, Herne Bay were punished for not taking that opportunity when Brodie bagged his second of the game, rising highest, having been presented with too much space, to head the ball home from the six-yard box.

The Bay were rocked but despite this, there were signs of hope that they might be able to turn this one around. In the 16th minute, Kieron Campbell took aim at the top corner from around 25 yards out, only to see the ball loop narrowly off target.

On a damp and drizzly night, the hosts looked dangerous every time they got on the front foot and before long, they had a third. With 22 minutes on the clock, a ball into the Bay box wasn’t dealt with, allowing home captain Greenhalgh to turn the ball home from yards out.

And it wasn’t long later before the game had truly been put beyond the reach of the men in yellow when Greenhalgh scored arguably the goal of the season. Having been awarded a free-kick about 35-yards out in the 28th minute, Greenhalgh stepped up and whipped the ball past Perrin and into the top corner.

Four goals down and with 10 minutes still to be played in the first half, the Bay set about trying to not only stop the rot but also to get something out of this game. In the 38th minute, Chris Edwards surged forward into space, before cutting inside and taking aim, only to fizz his shot an inch wide of the bottom corner.

It was much the same for Ben Smith’s side after the break, despite making a half time substitution. Moments after Mason Saunders-Henry had a penalty appeal turned down, Fjord Rogers almost added a fifth to Margate’s total, only for his low shot to be deflected narrowly wide of the bottom corner in the 52nd minute.

With the Bay throwing bodies forward in an attempt to reduce the hosts’ lead, gaps were forming at the back, with Perrin on hand to make a number of important saves as the game approached the 60-minute mark.

Having replaced Ansah at the break, Hassan Jalloh was starting to have a little joy down the wing, with his low cross in the 64th minute zipping just beyond the reach of Marcel Barrington on the Margate penalty spot.

However, the Gate were in no mood to settle on their four-goal lead and with 15 minutes left to play, with Perrin forced into another impressive save to prevent a fifth.

It seemed the Bay bench was playing a sizeable part in the improvements shown during the second half. Kymani Thomas, brought on moments earlier, did brilliantly to get into a shooting position, only to fire his shot the wrong side of the bottom corner, the Bay’s best change of the game.

But with the weather conditions worsening, and the hosts finally content with their haul, the men in yellow were forced to leave Hartsdown Park empty handed.

Final Score: Margate 4 Herne Bay 0

Herne Bay Starting XI: Jordan Perrin, Chris Edwards (Hamilton Antonio 79’), Jack Parter, Dan Johnson, Lexus Beeden, Mason Saunders-Henry (Kymani Thomas 67’), Marcel Barrington, Zak Ansah (Hassan Jalloh 46’), Kieron Campbell, Bode Anidugbe, Mike West ©

Unused Subs: Monty Saunders, Keano Robinson