Tunbridge Wells 2 Deal Town 2

Match 65/12/1018 - Tuesday, 9th April 2013 - Kent League

Tunbridge Wells (1) 2 Sinden 10, 90+2
Deal Town (2) 2 Collins 7, Quinn 37
Att. 202

Entrance: £3 Senior
Programme: £1.50
Mileage: 26/5,359

Match Report

The all-consuming nature of Tunbridge Wells' forthcoming appearance in the FA Vase Final was highlighted when, as usual with about five minutes remaining, club secretary Phil Allcorn was canvassing votes for the man of the match. On this occasion, so deep in conversation regarding all things Wembley had I been, that I realised I had not been sufficiently concentrating to actually nominate anybody with any conviction. If I had thought a bit harder, then it was probably obvious that Richard Sinden, who in the final seconds confirmed his award with an equalising goal, should be the recipient.

Such is Tunbridge Wells' fixture backlog, they played at Sevenoaks the night before and will play Canterbury at Culverden on Thursday, it is unsurprising that Martin Larkin is fully utilising his squad. It was thought that of the starting eleven for this Kent League game against Deal Town only three would be likely to feature in Sunday's Kent Senior Trophy Final, never mind the Wembley occasion.

There is definitely the air of cup fever around the town. Ticket sales have exceeded 5,000 (in fact, Tunbridge Wells have sold more tickets than the entire attendance at last season's Final) and the hoped-for knock on effect of an increase in the fan base is showing signs of materialising with the attendance of 202 being 40-or so more than the average, which on a damp Tuesday night is encouraging.

For their part, Deal Town would almost certainly have returned to the East Kent coast with a sense of injustice as they were fully deserving of the three points that Sinden denied them well into stoppage time.

The visitors took a seventh minute lead when a pass into the right channel beyond the Tunbridge Wells' full back saw goalkeeper Michal Czanner venture far from his goal, arriving just about as late as watching a bus disappearing down the Wells hill when you've only got as far as the War Memorial. Jack Collins took full advantage, rounding the keeper and sliding the ball into the net from an acute angle.

This Tunbridge Wells side is nothing if not resilient and within three minutes they were level when Sinden swept in a cross from the right from close range.

Deal continued to play the better of the football on a pitch that remains difficult and on 37 minutes a corner was headed home by Liam Quinn to give the visitors a half-time lead and this remained the pattern through a second half in which the black and white hooped shirts dominated but wasted numerous chances.

As the sun appeared to be setting on a run that has seen Tunbridge Wells unbeaten in the league since mid-October, Sinden's 93rd minute cross-cum-shot (from the length of the field it was difficult to tell) sail into the far corner of the net to salvage both the record and a point.

At Longmead on Sunday, I must resolve to put Wembley talk to one side and if and when I'm asked to nominate the man of the match, I can do so with a clear conscience of knowing that I've concentrated fully enough to make the choice.