Kennington (0) 0
Tunbridge Wells (1) 2 Feasey Attendance: 140
Admission: £5
Mileage: 36/270
An accurate assessment of which there can be no doubt, but one which Tunbridge Wells supporters could probably wish they were not saddled with after 57 years at the same step. Surely no other team in the country has served longer without a promotion or relegation.
The Wells have had an encouraging preseason and with this opening success at a ground where fortune rarely favours them there were reasons for optimism.
But any dreams of ending that long wait are tempered with the knowledge that the league is awash with money and that the Wells’ and most of the division have budgets that are dwarfed by the likes of Faversham Town.
But Leicester City proved that miracles do happen and all the challengers can do is be consistent, win games and hope that the favourites stumble.
Since I was last at Homelands, the landlords Ashford United have replaced their threadbare carpet and the stadium instantly looks a great deal more respectable.
Kennington made a good start with Harry Linch threatening down the right side and efforts from Charlie Owen and Alfie Giles tested the Wells’ goalkeeper, George Bentley.
Having survived the opening quarter hour, Tunbridge Wells opened the scoring when a cross from the right allowed Jacob Feasey to touch home past Joe Mant.
Once in front, the Wells dominated and chances fell to Kazeem Richards, Regan Corke and Lewis Unwin before Bentley saved well, after 27 minutes from Fin Dent.
Further chances for Feasey and Unwin should have seen Tunbridge Wells put the game to bed before the break.
The early part of the second period saw the Wells continue to dominate but a failure to convert their chances including Feasey missing from the spot left them vulnerable.
The penalty brought a chaotic few minutes that also saw Kennington’s Adam Phillips sent off, seemingly for dissent.
After 72 minutes, Mant kept the home side in the game with a double save from Unwin and substitute Rory Ward but five minutes later from a corner Siji Akinlusi secured the point with a powerful header.
Time remained for Kennington’s Liam Whiting to sit out the final moments in the sin bin.
An encouraging result for the Wells, but meanwhile Faversham were flexing their muscles.
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