Burgess Hill Town 1 Tonbridge 2

Match 16/16/1324 - Tuesday, 16th August 2016 - Ryman Premier

Burgess Hill Town (0) 1 Lee Harding 90+6
Tonbridge (1) 2 Wheeler 23, Fortnum-Tomlinson 86
Attendance: 387

Entrance: £6 Senior
Programme: £2
Mileage: 100/1,693
New Ground: 293

The hideously named Green Elephants Stadium is situated in a residential area that necessitates an old school 19:30 kick-off in order that the floodlights don't disturb the neighbours. It also means that the groundstaff are very quick to turn the lights off again once the match has been completed. Steve McKimm's post-match interview was conducted in front of a small emergency light, but it could have been in total darkness and I would have known that the concession of Burgess Hill's consolation goal, 10 seconds from the end, and well past the announced six minutes of added time, would have irked him in the extreme.

In actual fact it was the continuance of Tonbridge's misfortune with injuries that mostly concerned him. What is it with Tonbridge's new signings? Last season it was Tom Phipp, out for the best part of a complete season and this year, Andre McCollin breaks a leg in the opening game; Damian Scannell tweaks a hamstring in the same match and in this one, Ugo Udogi took a tumble 15 minutes from time and dislocated a shoulder.

Leyland's Park, let's dispose of Green Elephants here and now, is a picturesque tree-lined football ground with a grandstand straddling the half-way line that actually looks bigger than a 150-seater and behind the goal there is what appears to be a temporary structure that seats another 50 or so. The pitch appeared a bit on the narrow side, but, at this time of the season, looked in prime condition.

Tonbridge, high on confidence from their opening day 3-0 home victory against Wingate and Finchley, peppered the Burgess Hill goal early on with crosses that led to the frustrated home supporter alongside me pleading with his central defenders to win a cross into the box. Tom Parkinson saw one header bounce of the top of the crossbar and another cleared from the line and these were either side of a Nathan Elder header that the goalkeeper did well to save.

The home side had a period of ten minutes when they got a foothold in the game, largely through the wing play of Pat Harding, who made a couple of half-chances for his brother, Lee. It was also good to see ex-Angel Jack Brivio doing a sterling job in midfield for the home side.

Tonbridge went ahead after 23 minutes when a long ball into the box from Udogi cleared the head of Elder to the waiting Nick Wheeler, who rifled the ball low into the corner.

Scannell was forced from the field straight after the goal and the rest of the half was agony for my neighbour as headers from Elder and Parkinson threatened the Hillians' goal.

The second half was more evenly balanced with Wheeler, Parter and Elder testing the home keeper whilst Lee Harding's shot was saved low by Anthony Di Bernardo.

The game suffered a six minute delay whilst Udogi was attended to and subsequently stretchered from the field.

Four minutes remained when Tonbridge finally put the game to bed. A left-sided cross from Wheeler found Bradley Fortnum-Tomlinson on the right hand side and he took his chance well with a firm shot from the angle of the six-yard box.

The clock had ticked well past the six minutes added when the visitors failed to clear their lines and a cross from the right was touched home from close range by Lee Harding.

Tunbridge Wells U21 1 Whitstable Town U21 1

Match 15/16/1323 - Monday, 15th August 2016 - Suburban Southern League

Tunbridge Wells (0) 1
Whitstable Town (0) 1
Headcount: 40

Entrance: £3
Programme: None
Mileage: 38/1,631

There have been a few dawns of new eras at Culverden in recent times so the first fixture for Tunbridge Wells' newly formed Under-21 side was in comparison low key. The Suburban Southern League is not a Under-21 age group league and the club will be concentrating on players under 21 but can use the fixtures to give squad members or players returning from injury game time. The team is to be managed by Lee Mackelden who was instrumental in bringing Tom Mackelden, Ryan Crandley and Stephen Ikpeme to the club.

Naturally enough, there wasn't a huge crowd in attendance for the visit of Whitstable Town's B side, I'm guessing we will see several variations in the naming of sides in the league.

A white board with the teams on would have been a great help as many of us are struggling recognising some of the first team let alone the reserves. Kit manager, Stuart Lucas was able to furnish us with the majority of the names with a couple stumping even him. First teamers making an appearance were Jake Hampson, Stephen Ikpeme, Tom Lawrence and Rhys Bartlett.

Tunbridge Wells exerted the early pressure but the best chance of the first half fell to Whitstable when John Fregerne firstly attempted to round goalkeeper Ryan Chandler, but as the custodian touched the ball away forcing the man wide, Fregerne's shot hit a post.

By half-time, although the game remained goal-less, Whitstable had created the best of the chances.

Bartlett shot across the face of goal early in the second period before the home side took the lead on the hour. A cross from the right being swept home by second half substitute, Dale Ashman.

Whitstable got the equaliser they deserved with eight minutes remaining when Fregerne scampered away down the right and crossed for Smith to score from close range.

A late free kick from Alex Carey brought an excellent save from the visiting goalkeeper to preserve the parity of the scoreline.

In the new period where budgets are necessarily being reduced, this is the level from where the next generation of Tunbridge Wells first team players will need to come.

Gillingham 2 Bury 1

Match 14/16/1322 - Saturday, 13th August 2016 - League One

Gillingham (1) 2 Jackson 5, Kay (o.g.) 57
Bury (0) 1 Pope 66
Attendance: 5,324

Entrance: Season Ticket
Programme: £3
Mileage: 58/1,593

Match Report

Gillingham's bright start to the season continued with a deserved, but unnecessarily hard fought, victory over Bury. But their misfortune with injuries continued with an injury to loan striker Joe Quigley that is likely to keep him out for the season.

Following on from their opening day success at Southend United, they repeated the feat in Tuesday's League Cup tie, once again at Roots Hall. Jay-Emmanuel Thomas scored another two goals to further embellish his glittering start to life at Gillingham, but as we have all predicted, the inconsistency that has dogged his career surfaced once more with a below-par performance on his Priestfield debut. The trouble with JET is that when things are not clicking for him, his body language tends to tell the story and then he can appear lazy.

Another player, who has a completely different body language, that is enjoying a fruitful opening to the season is Ryan Jackson. Last week, Southend unbelievably succumbed to his long throw and in this game he surged forward to open the scoring after just five minutes. A pass inside the full back from Mark Byrne saw Jackson ride a challenge before slotting the ball underneath the body of the advancing goalkeeper.

An old Gillingham trait of going into their shell after a goal quickly surfaced thereafter and one of the Gillingham fans favourite pantomime villains, Tom Pope was at the forefront of the majority of Bury's attacking intentions.

Jackson was proving to be Gillingham's best attacking outlet and a cynical foul on him brought a yellow for Hallam Hope.

Four minutes prior to the break, Emmanuel Osadebe thumped a header against the bar from a pin-point Konchesky cross, from the rebound Wright powered in a shot that was superbly turned to safety by Ben Williams.

Into the second half and Gillingham doubled their advantage after 58 minutes with Jackson once more the catalyst. The full back cantered into acres of space down the right hand side and powered in a cross-cum-shot that took an unfortunate deflection off Antony Kay to wrong foot the goalkeeper. The goal was initially credited to Jackson, but he will be lucky to keep it.

The game was set for Gillingham to power on to a substantial win with Osadebe, in particular, pulling all the strings in midfield. But, once again they retreated and offered the visitors a way back into the game which they accepted with a considerable amount of time (24 minutes) left on the clock. Tom Soares crossed low and to the far post where Pope was lurking to slide the ball home. The pantomime villain once again having the last laugh.

Bury continued to threaten and when six added minutes was announced there was some nervous times for the Gillingham support. Unfortunately, the time added was time enough for Quigley to sustain his injury in the most innocuous of fashions without a challenge.

Tunbridge Wells 1 Corinthian 2

Match 13/16/1321 - Friday, 12th August 2016 - Southern Counties East

Tunbridge Wells (0) 1 Bryant 72
Corinthian (0) 2 Johnson-Cole 77 (pen), Housego 86
Attendance: 275

Entrance: £4 Senior
Programme: £2
Mileage: 38/1,535

Match Report

In a parody of Abba's opening line in Dancing Queen, the cult group Half Man Half Biscuit, Tranmere Rovers supporters, sang "Friday Nights and the Gates are Low" in reference to their club's preference to play on a Friday evening thus avoiding clashing with Merseyside's big two. No longer in the Football League, the Prenton Park club no longer play their home fixtures on Friday, the same can be said for Southend United. Although the counter to this argument is that only a few Premier League fixtures kick off at 15:00 on a Saturday anyway. Sky also think there is mileage in Friday night football with a raft of televised fixtures announced, but, let's face it, they don't give a hoot about supporters that actually attend games.

The Southern Counties East have made it their wish that clubs trial Friday night fixtures in an attempt to boost attendances and Tunbridge Wells' opening league fixture was chosen as the guinea pig for the first weekend.

The opportunity that Friday night offers is that the people that pack the trains to London and further afield to watch Arsenal, et. al might be tempted to supplement their weekend fix with a trip to Culverden.

So, off the field, could it be considered a success? Social media suggests that several people took the opportunity for a second SCEL game the following day and, personally, Friday nights would allow me to watch Tunbridge Wells far more often. An attendance of 275 is very good by SCEL standards, but was about 40 down on Tunbridge Wells' gate for their FA Cup tie the previous Saturday when Eastbourne United brought a few fans whilst Corinthian's support amounted to a car full. This suggests that very few new faces were attracted on the night, but that is not to say it would not with more notice and better promotion in the future.

On the field, sadly, the hosts shaky start to the season continued. Corinthian consistently produce sides that are both competitive and easy on the eye and on this evidence they will continue in this vein this season.

They dominated the first half, created a plethora of chances but, almost bizarrely, could have gone into the break a goal down when Ollie Bankole's shot came back off the underside of the crossbar.

At times during the first period it was Tunbridge Wells goalkeeper, Steve Lawrence against the visitors. He made saves to deny Brima Daramy after just four minutes; tipped a header from Marcus Evans over the bar and saved with his feet from Michael Hagan.

The early period of the second half told the same story, although shots on target from Ryan Crandley and Jack Howlett at least suggested that the Wells knew the route to goal.

Tom Bryant put his good looks on the line when he took the ball full in the face to deny the visitors once more before, five minutes later putting the Wells unexpectedly ahead after 72 minutes. Connor Pring floated a free kick into the box and Bryant glanced his header home.

The lead was not to last as Bryant brought down Johnson Cole in the box with the Corinthian player safely placing the spot in the bottom corner to the delight of Corinthian's car load of supporters.

The visitors created further chances before a sweeping move ended with Oscar Housego netting from close range for a well deserved winner.

So is Friday night something for the future? Whilst they have initiated the trialling, the SCEL have not scheduled any further Premier League fixtures with League One matches taking up the Friday slot. Of course, they can, and probably will, switch fixtures at very short notice. I hope they give it a fair crack, but I have doubts that its ambitions for Friday nights are going to be met.

Eastbourne United 2 Tunbridge Wells 1

Match 12/16/1320 - Tuesday, 9th August 2016 - FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round Replay

Eastbourne United (1) 2 Cooper 32, Dalloway 55
Tunbridge Wells (0) 1 Bankole 73
Attendance: 219

Entrance: £3 Senior
Programme: £1
Mileage: 71/1,497
New Ground: 292

There is something slightly ludicrous, and certainly dispiriting, about going out of the FA Cup before a league fixture has been played. The Football Association in their wisdom have come to the conclusion that the only way that the competition can be completed between now and May is for the opening round to be played in the first week of August. For the clubs entering the competition at this stage, the prize money, £1,500 for this round, is as vital (if not more so) as the £1.8 million awarded to the eventual winners. So why ask those clubs, struggling on a shoestring, to play with only a matter of friendlies behind them?

From all accounts, Saturday's 1-1 at Culverden represented a fair result over the course of the 90 minutes and so it was that the two sides re-assembled at The Oval, just back from the front at the gentile seaside town of Eastbourne. This was my first visit to Eastbourne United and arrived to find the small car park already full but lucky to find a spot just 50 yards down the road. Inside the stadium there were two covered enclosures, one a terrace that was quickly inhabited by the Tunbridge Wells travelling faithful and a stand seating 113 people.

This season, the Football Association have also legislated that there would be seven substitutes available to the manager, something else that is going to be onerous for clubs in the early stages of the competition. Credit to Eastbourne that they were able to, at least, name their full complement whilst Tunbridge Wells were only able to name four, one of which was a goalkeeper of, shall we say, advancing years and Alfie Hall, who, it was understood, was unlikely to be used due to injury.

The warmth of a pleasant August day had turned very slightly chilly as the game kicked off. Within two minutes, the visitors had the ball in the net via an Ollie Cooke header but the referee adjudged that there had been a push involved and the goal was chalked off.

Peter Cooper served notice as United's danger man when his header drifted wide from a free kick as the home side began to assert their authority on the game.

Just after the half-hour mark, one of the ugliest but most effective ploys in football, route one, undid the Wells' back line as the ball over the top was seized upon by Cooper who slid it past the advancing Steve Lawrence. In fairness, it was no more than Eastbourne deserved.

Little changed in the opening moments of the second period with the Sussex going close eight minutes in, denied by a goal line saving clearance by Jake Hampson.

It was brief respite for Tunbridge Wells though, as two minutes later, a superb pass out to the right wing allowed Scott Chamberlain, in acres of space, to pass across the face of goal for Steve Dallaway to slide the ball home from close range.

The deficit prompted the visiting coaching staff to make a tactical change and push Ryan Crandley forward. Personally, I thought it could have been done before they went two down as Richard Atkins was getting little change out of a giant central pairing.

Tunbridge Wells immediately looked more dangerous and a pass from Tom Lawrence just begged a touch in front goal.

With 17 minutes remaining, Bankole scrambled the ball home at the near post and Tunbridge Wells were offered a lifeline.

As the Wells pressed on for an equaliser, the long ball tactic sent Dallaway clear but he made a hash of his shot pulling it wide. A shot from Atkins was deflected wide and from the resultant corner, the big striker headed wide as time ebbed away.

A poor challenge from Eastbourne substitute, Danny Andrews, brought a straight red from the referee but, despite the man advantage, time was the enemy and eventually the referee called an end to Tunbridge Wells' FA Cup campaign for another season.

The disappointment can be quickly put to bed as there is, literally, a whole season to play for, starting on Friday with the first Southern Counties East League match at home to Corinthian.

Southend United 1 Gillingham 3

Match 11/16/1319 - Saturday, 6th August 2016 - League One

Southend United (1) 1 McLaughlin 23
Gillingham (1) 3 Emmanuel-Thomas 38, Ehmer 47, Osadebe 80
Attendance: 8,141

Entrance: £15 Senior
Programme: £3
Mileage: 120/1,426

Match Report

The mercury tipped out at 27degC, the Dartford Tunnel took an hour to negotiate and the Arterial Road into Southend was stop-start; throw in a Kiss-Me-Quick Hat and a 99 and you have a traditional day at the seaside resort. You also have the opening day to the 2016-17 League season.

The green baize looked resplendent, at odds with the rickety, well past its sell-by date surrounds. Roots Hall seems to deteriorate a little more with each visit. The toilets are a health hazard and a not-so gentle reminder of the Rainham End's facilities in the days when it was a standing terrace. Why the club has wasted money on a bar-code reading entry system when everything around them is crumbling beggars belief.

If you cannot be optimistic on the opening day then you'll never have that frame of mid. Gillingham were backed by a boisterous following of nearly 1,800 who had had their hopes for the new season raised with the season-long loan of Jay Emmanuel-Thomas from Queen's Park Rangers. As the game unfolded, I cannot remember a player making such an immediate impact in a long time.

Emmanuel-Thomas is well known to Gillingham supporters and whilst thrilled with his signing and his debut performance, they will also know that inconsistency has been much of the reason his career hasn't reached greater heights following his apprenticeship with Arsenal.

Southend dominated the opening quarter of the game and should have gone in front after 10 minutes when their new signing, Simon Cox, scuffed his shot in front of goal having been set up by David Mooney. The home side got their lead after 20 minutes. Paul Konchelsky's clearance was returned with the ball being fed to Stephen McLaughlin, who from 25 yards, tried his luck and was probably as surprised as the rest of us when his bread and butter effort somehow found its way under Stuart Nelson.

The goalkeeper atoned for his error five minutes later when he blocked a Mooney header from close range as the Gillingham defence were once more carved open.

But the goal had acted as the blue touch paper for the visitors who started to create chances of their own and were level with five minutes of the half remaining. Konchelsky dragged a corner back to the edge of the box at the near post and Emmanuel-Thomas fired first time into the bottom corner. Straight off the training ground with the new man having had just one session.

Two minutes into the second period and Gillingham were ahead with the old long throw routine that you couldn't believe Southend fell for. Jackson hurled it to the near post and Max Ehmer steered his header into the far corner.

Gillingham dominated the second period completely with Southend having no answer to the direct running of Emmanuel-Thomas, who was only inches away from further strikes on a couple of occasions.

The two Emmanuel's, Osadebe and Thomas, linked after Osadebe's surging run from midfield, with Thomas laying the ball off for the younger Emmanuel to fire home Gillingham's clincher.

After a shaky opening 20 minutes, Gillingham looked very good and if Justin Edinburgh can coax consistency out of Emmanuel-Thomas then a repeat of last season's promotion challenge might not be so fanciful.

East Grinstead Town 1 Tunbridge Wells 3

Match 10/16/1318 - Tuesday, 3rd August 2016 - Pre-Season Friendly

East Grinstead Town (0) 1
Tunbridge Wells (2) 3 Crandley 21, Mackelden 30, Atkins 56
Headcount: 65

Entrance: Free
Team sheet: Free
Mileage: 59/1,306
New Ground: 291

Heavy overnight rain led to, intially, this game being postponed due to a waterlogged pitch; lying water in one of the penalty areas given as the reason. A postponement in August doesn't exactly bode well for the winter, but with an FA Cup game due at Culverden on Saturday, their caution was understandable. East Grinstead stepped in and offered the fixture to played at their ground and this was quickly accepted. The GAC Stadium would personally be a new ground, so the switch was a nice bonus.

The 30 or so Tunbridge Wells supporters would have made the short journey home in a optimistic frame of mind as they dispatched their Ryman South opponents with consummate ease. Until the customary round of substitutions, from the hour mark onwards, took the momentum out of the game, East Grinstead were frankly clueless and that would be the only caveat to the Wells' display.

The GAC Stadium is a nice set up. A covered terrace area and a sizeable seated stand sit atop a raised area offering a wonderfully elevated view. Set with woodland behind one goal, it is very picturesque. There was no charge for entrance and when I expressed my surprise I was told that the late change of venue meant they had no one to take the money. At such short notice, they did well to get out a team sheet which was handed out free of charge as well.

Such charity wasn't afforded on the pitch by the visitors who quickly gained the upper hand. Ryan Crandley, playing in a deep lying position off the more traditional centre forward in Richard Atkins, was getting into positions that the East Grinstead defenders were finding impossible to pick up.

An early effort from Crandley was deflected wide and a 20 yarder from Perry Spackman was only just over and brought more than a little amusement from the travelling support.

After 21 minutes, Crandley gave Tunbridge Wells the lead. A corner was punched away under pressure by the home goalkeeper to Crandley who had taken up a position 15 yards outside the box. At this point, I decided I was Barry Davies and did an impromptu commentary. As the youngster took it forward, out loud I said "might as well take a crack, Ryan, oh my god he has" as the ball rifled into the top corner for a great strike.

The visitors pressure was rewarded when, after half-an-hour, Tom Mackelden forced the ball home from a corner to double their advantage.

In the space of four early second half minutes, Crandley had three chances; pulling one wide, another wide after waltzing through the home defence and a 25-yard effort that was deflected over.

A last ditch challenge on Atkins prevented the Wells from going three clear but from the resulantant corner, Spackman headed down for Atkins to drive the ball home from just outside the six yard box.

East Grinstead salvaged something from the game when a 65th minute free kick sailed past substitute goalkeeper Ryan Chandler.

And so, for another year, pre-season comes to an end. As with every forthcoming season, competitive football is long overdue. This game has left me optimistic of a good season for Tunbridge Wells, but with only one promotion place on offer and no play-offs, this is a cruel level that more often than not money has the final word.

As for my other two clubs, I am distinctly more optimistic about Tonbridge's aspirations than Gillingham's, who have endured a horrible pre-season blighted by injuries. Steve McKimm appears to have recruited well for the Angels and they have every reason to believe they can improve on last season's play-off finish.