Kennington 2 Tunbridge Wells 0

Match 8/22/2015 - Saturday, 30th July 2022 - SCEFL Premier

Kennington (2) 2 Griffin 12 Middleton 30
Tunbridge Wells (0) 0
Attendance: 256

Admission: £5 Senior
Programme: £2.50
Mileage: 36/986

Tunbridge Wells began the new season, in fact a new era under the management of Luke Carpenter, with an inauspicious performance at Homelands, where hosts Kennington groundshare with Ashford United.

A poor first half display did see some improvement in the second period but they failed to break down the Kennington defence despite the home side having been reduced to 10 men after a dreadful challenge from Charlie Owen brought a red card after 25 minutes.

The Wells began slowly and paid an early price when Kennington went in front after 13 minutes when a misplaced cross from right back Jordan Griffin sailed over the head of goalkeeper Billy Johnson into the far corner.

Following Owen’s dismissal, Connor Pring brought a good stop from Kennington’s keeper Joe Mant with the rebound being struck home by Trevor McCreadie, only to be disappointed by an offside decision.

That disappointment was compounded two minutes later when Liam Middleton capitalised on a slip by a Wells defender to fire in a shot that was parried by Johnson, but the striker collected the rebound to score into the bottom corner.

The visitors fashioned a chance when a cross from James Nurden found Jack Palmby but his effort was straight at the goalkeeper.

Tunbridge Wells dominated the second half as the 10 men of the home side defended their lead but the chances came and went without testing Mant to any great degree.

McCreadie had the ball in the net on the hour converting a cross from Jaan Stanley with a header that was chalked off by a very doubtful offside decision.

Attempting the draw some positives for Tunbridge Wells, there wasn’t many better players on the pitch than Palmby and McCreadie definitely gave the impression that he has goals in him given a better service than he received today.

Away from the game, with the new Tonbridge Angels pitch nearing completion, a viewing of this first generation surface at Homelands offers plenty of warnings for the future if it is not maintained correctly. This pitch had its problems from the outset and now is in such a sad state, as the pictures below show, that it really needs to be retired to the recycling plant.