Tunbridge Wells 4 Chichester City 1

Match 28/11/915 - Saturday, 19 November 2011 - FA Vase 2nd Round

Tunbridge Wells (1) 4 Spackman 1, Crush 94, McMath 116, 119
Chichester City (0) 1 Lopez 60
After extra time (1-1 at 90 minutues)
Att. 154

Entrance: £3 Senior Citizen
Programme: £1.50
Mileage: 26/2,022

Match Report

Tunbridge Wells Football Club, completely unfairly, is mostly a last point of call on a Saturday afternoon when away fixtures for Gillingham and Tonbridge are out of reach for whatever reason. This is a bit of a shame because visits to Culverden are always enjoyable and meeting up with old friends stimulates the best in football conversation.

So, the FA Vase tie against Chichester City wasn’t exactly a chore even though the heart and mind might have been down at Truro or Aldershot. Last season, the Wells fell at the last hurdle before the competition went national and this time around will be looking to go one further following their extra time victory against the Sussex League strugglers.

The home side could not have made a better start to this match; I very much doubt I will see a quicker opening goal this season, or a few seasons after that. Makeshift centre forward, Perry Spackman swivelled and sent a shot, possibly taking a deflection, that looped up, completely deceiving the keeper and bouncing down off the underside of the bar to give the Wells the lead after just 18 seconds.

As is quite often the case, the early success actually did Tunbridge Wells no favours. Chichester gathered themselves with great resolve and rather than crumbling fought their way back into the tie. It took until the hour mark before they finally found a well-deserved equaliser.

Tunbridge Wells pressed to complete the tie within the regulation 90 minutes but despite a couple of golden chances they could not avoid extra time. Quick out of the blocks a second time, Drew Crush glanced a firm header into the corner of the net after four minutes of the first period and Chichester’s spirit was finally broken.

Two goals in the final five minutes from Andy McMath ensured the home side’s participation in the third round and provided £1,200 worth of prize money, no small amount for a club for whom the 157 attendance represents a sizeable crowd.

When I was growing up Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells played in the same league and were mighty rivals, sadly those days have gone. Under Martin Larkin, the Wells are moving in the right direction and deserve local support and that includes mine, not just because I haven’t anywhere else to go.