Tunbridge Wells 3 K Sports 1

Match 102/18/1695 - Tuesday, 5th March 2019 - SCEFL Premier

Tunbridge Wells (3) 3 Power 41 Pearson 45+2 Bryce-Borthwick 57
K Sports (1) 1 Perry 48
Attendance: 159

Admission: £4
Programme: £2
Mileage: 38/6,005

Michael Power, Shaggy to his mates, Marmite to his team’s supporters whoever they may be in a roaming career that took in Tonbridge Angels en-route to his present parent club, Cray Wanderers, who head Bostik South by a staggering 13 points. Surplus to requirements, at least in the present, despite being Cray’s second leading goalscorer, Shaggy has pitched up at Tunbridge Wells on loan, from where his first appearance served to confirm his Marmite status.

But, on this evening when Tunbridge Wells broke a sequence of eight games without a win and recorded only their second home win of the season, Power’s goal and an assist will do a great deal to warm any of the supporters with any misgivings about the robust striker.

On a miserable night with intermittent heavier rain breaking up the continual drizzle it was once again testament to the Wells’ enduring support that 159 turned out given both the elements and the dreadful home form.

That home form showed little sign of abating in the early stages as visitors, K Sports, opened up testing Callum Hampson on a couple of occasions in the first 10 minutes.

Once Tunbridge Wells settled into their task with Power shooting over and Chad Bryce-Borthwick bringing a fine save, low to his left, out of Adam Highstead who turned the ball away for a corner, from which Perry Spackman headed goalwards to Power, whose header cleared the bar.

After 34 minutes, K Sports’ Tom Skelton forced a good save from Hampson and the Wells had the ball in the net but this was ruled out for offside.

But, after 41 minutes, the Wells went in front. Tom Pearson’s pace took him clear before pulling back a cross that should have been dealt with by Skelton, but he got his feet in a muddle and the ball fell to Power who made no mistake.

Better was to come, two minutes into first half added time when Pearson indulged us with a sublime finish from the left side, perfectly executing a chip into the far corner over a forlorn Highstead. Did he mean it, was it really a cross? Let’s give him a deserved benefit of the doubt.

All the good work of the later stages of the first half appeared to be on its way to being undone when, after just three minutes of the second half, K Sports reduced the deficit. A corner was not dealt with and although Hampson saved the initial shot from Jack West, the follow-up was firmly drilled home by Jason Perry.

But the home side quickly restored their two goal advantage when Power set up Bryce-Borthwick to arrow a shot into the bottom corner.

Power left the field three minutes later, his job done with his new supporters loving the taste of Marmite.

K Sports’ Charlie Smith crashed a free kick against the bar with 10 minutes remaining as the Wells saw the game out with relative comfort and with it a welcome three points.