Tunbridge Wells 1 Sheppey United 3

Match 95/18/1688 - Tuesday, 19th February 2019 - SCEFL Premier

Tunbridge Wells (0) 1 Bryce-Borthwich 78
Sheppey United (3) 3 Butler 9 Ibrahim 12 Lewis 24
Attendance: 167

Admission: £4 Senior
Programme: None
Mileage: 38/5,588

Abject defending in a 15 minute period defined this game and left Tunbridge Wells with a few boos ringing in their ears at the sound of the half-time whistle.

The Wells retained respectability in the second period, for that they deserve credit, but the hole they had dug for themselves was far too deep from which to clamber out.

There was nothing to suggest the 15 minutes of mayhem in the opening skirmishes with a Dane Moore shot being deflected away for a corner but, after nine minutes, Sheppey opening the scoring when a shot from the lively Tarik Ibrahim was deflected into the path of an unmarked Kane Butler who scored with a routine finish.

Within three minutes the visitors doubled their advantage when a failure by the Tunbridge Wells defence to clear their lines ended with the ball breaking to Ibrahim who made no mistake as he drove the ball into the bottom corner.

Tunbridge Wells attempted to rally with Harrison Carnegie presenting problems for the Ites bringing a save out of Aaron Lee-Wharton. The goalkeeper made an even better save after 19 minutes saving low to his left to deny Jason Thompson.

But the recovery was stalled after 25 minutes when the Wells’ goalkeeper, Cameron Hall, made a suicidal advance from his goal to a ball that he was a poor second to Ryan Lewis who lobbed it over the keeper’s head to follow-up and touch it home.

The final 20 minutes of the first half was a case of Tunbridge Wells keeping themselves in the game, this they did as Hall atoned with saves from George Batten and Lewis.

Whether it was a half-time tongue lashing, the embarrassment of hearing the boos or just that Sheppey only needed to see the game out professionally, the second half was at least competitive although the Wells failed to extend Lee-Wharton on too many occasions.

A good strike from Lewis Mingle after 57 minutes might have given them an early foothold in the second period but it was blocked leaving the Wells to wait until the the 78th minute when the ball broke for Chad Bryce-Borthwick to score from the edge of the box.

It was too little, too late as Sheppey saw out the game comfortably.