Staplehurst Monarchs (0) 1 Pallet 77
Snodland Town (2) 2 Gething 5 Ashton 7
Attendance: 130
Admission: £4 Senior
Programme: £1
Mileage: 1/7,092
A great display of resilience and second half ambition didn’t quite bring the point that the home side deserved but they can take pride from a performance that ran the runaway champions close.
Staplehurst have had a season in which they flirted with the play-offs for a short while, but more importantly, they haven’t needed to look over their shoulders at any time at the relegation places and the ambition for next season has to be to break into the top half-dozen.
Snodland, managed by Luke Wallond (once of this parish) have put together a team of vast experience that can be easily identified by anybody that has frequented Tunbridge Wells’ Culverden Stadium in the last two years with no less than five ex-Wells in the starting XI and another two on the bench.
Staplehurst almost got off to a dream start when Callum Savage was sent clear but denied by the legs of Snodland goalkeeper Shaun Wicks and within a minute there were strong appeals for a penalty for handball that the referee waved away.
But that promising start quickly evaporated after five minutes when Jordan Wells produced a cross that laid on plate a header for the prolific Matt Gething.
Two minutes later, Snodland doubled their advantage when a shot from Dan Ashton took a deflection that looped the ball up and over a stranded Steve Lawrence.
Against a side with a prolific attack it was time for the Monarchs to batten down the hatches and this they managed before making an impression of their own on the game with Harley Gorse, twice in a minute, forcing Wicks into good saves.
Staplehurst finished the half on top as Wicks excelled to save from Savage and it took a magnificent last ditch challenge from Wells to deny Mackenzie Gardiner.
The opening of the second half was punctuated with two lengthy stoppages that first saw Staplehurst’s Toby Sergeant painfully limp out of the game and then, Snodland’s goalkeeper took a heavy knock, a long way outside of his penalty area and eventually had to be replaced by outfield player Ryan Cheek.
With all their subs used, this left the champions a man short and there were loud cheers from the bench as Cheek made his first save from Gorse.
The opportunity to reduce the deficit fell to home side on 71 minutes when they were awarded a penalty after Gorse was brought down. The responsibility fell to the legend that is Pete West, 40 years old and retiring at the end of the season after starting his journey with the club as an eight year old youth player. Sadly, there was no fairytale ending as his shot struck the crossbar and was cleared to safety.
But, the Monarchs found a goal with 13 minutes remaining to set up a frantic finish. Good work between West and Gorse opened up a pass to the left side of the box from where Kieron Pallet swept the ball into the far corner.
With three minutes remaining, the big chance for the home side came when Omar El Mantawy sent Gardiner clear but the number nine slid his shot wide of the post.
In fairness to 10-man Snodland, they did what champions do, they managed out the final minutes including the lengthy stoppage time and despite a last gasp cross from Pallet that begged a touch they took home the points to the delight of their support in the Easter Monday 130 attendance.
By the time the new season arrives, I’m unlikely to be a resident of Staplehurst, but whilst my move will take me further than the present walking distance, I hope it’s not going to be more than a short car journey to the Jubilee to be able to continue to watch the progression of Staplehurst Monarchs.
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