Tonbridge Reserves 1 Faversham Town U-21 3

Match 83/14/1192 - Wednesday 8th April 2015 - Kent Intermediate Cup Final

Tonbridge Reserves (0) 1 Milham 50
Faversham Town U-21 (2) 3 Cheek 9, Hurcomb 38, Webb 61
Att. 164

Entrance: £4 Senior
Programme: Free
Mileage: 38/6,062

Match Report

Tonbridge utilised a largely reserve team in their Ryman Cup ties this season and produced good results against Chatham Town, Ramsgate and the ill-fated thrashing of Maidstone United at the Gallagher, which falsely led me to believe that there was to be silverware for the taking in their Kent Intermediate Cup Final, that also carried the advantage of being played on home soil.

Quite how the relevant strengths of a reserve side and that of an Under-21 side stack up is difficult to ascertain, but on the night the Faversham youngsters appeared physically stronger, quicker and better organised.

Tonbridge suffered from a competition rule that left Charlie Slocombe and Royce Greenidge ineligible due to a certain level of participation for the senior team. Whether this ruling also affected Faversham’s team selection I am unable to enlighten.

With the teams listed in the, albeit free, programme bearing no resemblance to the actual teams on show, it was difficult to pick out certain players. As a for instance, I had heard good reports of James Philpott and watched with interest how the number four listed in the programme was performing until he emerged as a late second half substitute!

A decent attendance of 164 turned out and the cheer that greeted Faversham’s opening goal after nine minutes suggested that a fair number had made their way from Salter’s Lane. A free header from a corner, powerfully planted into the net by Ryan Cheek from the edge of the six yard box suggested a lack of dominance of his area by Tonbridge goalkeeper, Jack Kelly, but over the course of the game the keeper redeemed himself on several occasions and without his contribution this could have been an embarrassing defeat for the Angels.

After 38 minutes a moment of high controversy doubled the lead of the East Kent club. Michael Hurcomb bundled the ball goalwards at the near post and as Kelly clawed the ball back from the line, the referee made the decision that the ball had crossed the line without any consultation with the far-sided linesman who had offered no flag to suggest that he was in accordance with the referee’s conclusion.

An early second half goal from Cameron Milham shooting home from the angle of the six yard box offered Tonbridge some hope after 50 minutes, but that was extinquished ten minutes later when a brilliant solo goal from Bradley Webb, who ran 30 yards with the ball, before rounding Kelly to secure the Lilywhites victory.