Bly Spartans 2 Tunbridge Wells 1

Match 01/08/685 - Saturday, 12th July 2008 - Pre-Season Friendly

Bly Spartans (0) 2
Tunbridge Wells (1) 1 Lord
Att. 30-ish

Entrance: Free
Programme: None
Mileage: 37/37
New ground: 223

Match Report

Here we go again. Gillingham and Tonbridge had no games at this early stage and there were more attractive friendlies locally, but the ground hopper in me plus an interest in Tunbridge Wells took me to Strood and Bly Spartans.

This was the first time I’ve dipped my toes into Step Seven, barring a visit to Crockenhill when they were a Kent League Club. The facilities are obviously spartan(!) but newly-promoted Bly are looking to progress up the pyramid and the groundworks are in place for floodlighting, that will be necessary to gain membership of the Kent League. The pitch, though slopping was well kept. I don’t know if they charge for entry to their Kent County League Premier Division games, but there was no charge for this match. Not surprisingly, there was also no team sheet, so references to players can only be made by the names shouted by the benches of both sides.

Tunbridge Wells are a club now rebuilding both on and off the pitch. This time last year they were supposedly in transition, on their way to better times via an investment by Gary Stevens. This, unfortunately, came to nothing and subsequently have had to attempt to move forward on their own terms. They also had a change of team management and slowly but surely Mike Robbins, firstly took the club to safety and then embarked on a undefeated run at the end of last season to take them to the top half of the table.

As I spent the second half alongside the benches, Robbins is a softly-spoken man, certainly not a stereotypical manager. Wells played some good stuff in the first half, crisp short passes, nice little triangles and were well worth their one goal lead through Mike Lord. Benji, who was prominent throughout the half, supplied the cross for a tap-in.

The second half was entirely different, Bly took the game by the scruff of the neck and with the aid of two goalkeeping howlers, went on to deservedly win. Their skipper, conspicuous with a shock of blonde curls and the fact that he was a decent player, played the game as if it was a cup final. Firstly, he took exception to being asked to play centre-half following an injury, then remonstrated with his bench at a couple of substitutions. “I just want to try a few things”, lamented his manager. Then, after a injury of his own, he initially refused to be substituted. When he was finally convinced to come off, his manager shouts, “and now he limps!” Good player, big ego.