Lingfield 1 Tunbridge Wells 2

Match 26/14/1135 - Tuesday, 23rd September 2014 - SCEL

Lingfield (1) 1 O'Hara 7
Tunbridge Wells (1) 2 Cass 4, George 71
Att. 106

Entrance: £3 Senior
Programme: £1.00
Mileage: 96/1,934
New Ground: 264

Match Report

It was just prior to the half-time break when another, shall we say “well contested challenge”, had passed by a consistently poor referee that I said to one of my friends, “the second half could be tasty”. The second half could wait; scores were to be settled there and then. With the referee having called time on the opening 45 minutes, a scuffle broke out in the penalty area from which Tunbridge Wells had defended a corner. Principally, it was a bit of handbags, but with the referee in the midst of the action, Lingfield’s Jake Daly, inexplicably, went through the motion of a headbutt leaving the referee with no alternative but to brandish a red card. It was nothing short of madness and, ultimately, cost his side at least a share of the points that they thoroughly deserved.

This game had an edge to it following the comments from Dixie Dean, the abrasive Lingfield manager, after the reverse fixture at Culverden six weeks ago. Following the Wells’ 2-0 victory, Dean was far from complimentary about their opponent’s style of play, among other comments, claiming that he wouldn’t want his son playing for Tunbridge Wells.

On the touchline his behaviour is provocative to say the least and he has history of misdemeanours including a sending off from the dugout against Hassocks in the Sussex League.

But, to his credit, Lingfield looked an entirely different side to the one seen at Culverden. Even in the second half, when down to 10 men, they carried a significant threat with their pace. It had been with raised eyebrows that I took note of their weekend victory at Cray Valley.

An early goal raised expectations that this could be an easy night for Tunbridge Wells. Their new signing, Curtis George, from Sittingbourne produced an electrifying run leaving several defenders in his wake before a corner from Jake Beecroft was met at the far post with a header back across the face of goal for the lurking Brendan Cass to touch the ball home from close range.

Those expectations were quickly extinguished with Lingfield’s equaliser four minutes later. Joel O’Hara’s pace down the left exposed the visitor’s defence resulting in his low cross being turned into his own net by the Wells’ skipper Jason Bourne.

Lingfield were buoyed by their success and O’Hara went close again, bringing a save from Steve Lawrence. In the meantime, on and off the pitch tensions were rising. The referee had a deep and meaningful discussion with Aaron Lacey after an altercation with the Lingfield bench and several rather meaty challenges were allowed to go without reprimand.

Whilst this was going on, Mr Dean was doing a terrific winding-up job, exclaiming every time a ball was hit forward, “here it comes” with reference to the long ball. Unfortunately, with the Wells struggling to find any momentum, their threat was coming mainly from Lacey’s long throws which did add weight to Dean’s argument.

With the sending-off, it was to be reasonably expected that Tunbridge Wells would take control of the match, but their own inability to retain possession of the ball, negated their man advantage. Lingfield enjoyed the better chances and control until the introduction of Nick Barnes added some bite and quality into the Wells midfield.

Rob Hambley, a goalkeeper of portly stature, made a couple of good saves before Chris Seenan, on as a substitute for Danny Powell, threaded a pass into the path of George, who produced a good finish under the body of the keeper with 20 minutes remaining.

The Wells had to withstand intense pressure in the final minutes and everybody in the ground thought Lingfield had found a deserved equaliser when a header from Alfie Dean came back from the underside of the crossbar.

There was a cordial handshake at the end of the match between the managers but I’m guessing that Martin Larkin is relieved that he is not going to be in the opposite technical area to the overbearing Dean for the rest of the season.

The ground at Godstone Road is a pleasant venue of typical county league standard. There is a seated enclosure, oddly positioned towards the corner of the side that also houses the Pavilion, presumably cricket is played here during the summer. With no cover and no people positioned behind one of the goals, it was irritating that when the ball went under or over the surrounding railings there was a delay as the ball was retrieved, sometimes from a distance.

Characters such as Dixie Dean are the soul of non-league football, however annoying they may seem. Just whisper that quietly next time in the vicinity of Martin Larkin, whose coaching staff were without reproach despite the circus going on around them.