Everyone has to pitch in to open up the title race, says Wells boss Martin Larkin

TUNBRIDGE WELLS manager Martin Larkin says he wants to put his strongest team out as he bids to secure promotion at the end of the season.


The Wells climbed up to fifth place in the Kent Hurlimann Football League with a 2-0 win over neighbours Sevenoaks Town on Tuesday as a brace from target-man Andy Irvine sent the majority of the 262 supporters’ home from Culverden Stadium happy.

Larkin’s side have collected 26 points from 13 games, 15 points adrift of unbeaten league leaders Herne Bay, with a couple of games in hand.

“We’re not scoring enough goals to be honest,” admitted Larkin.  “We should’ve had four or five (goals against Sevenoaks).

“We just want to put our strongest team out.  We know when we do that we’ve got a really special side, but for one reason or another, injuries or suspensions, we can’t do that.

“We’re pretty confident with what we’ve got in the changing room where we’re going to take that in the second part of the year.

“We’ve got the Vase game (against St Ives Town in the Fourth Round on 21 January) to look forward to but the league is the be all and end all.  That’s where you’re judged.  I want to do well in the league.  We want to win games and I think we’re good enough to do that when everyone’s available.”

Larkin wants to deliver Ryman League football to Culverden Stadium as quickly as possible.

He said: “The club have been working towards that in the past two or three years’.

“I can’t put turnstiles in, I can’t put toilets in, I can’t put the finances right.  All I can do is put a team out that’s good enough to go out.

“When we’ve got everyone fit and available we’re not far off. 

“It’s down to everyone behind the scenes at the club to make sure the structure is there off the pitch to be able to go and do that.”

Simon Halsey’s Herne Bay, who are twelve points clear of second-placed Erith Town, having collected thirteen wins and two draws from their fifteen league outings, are the team to beat in the second part of the season.

Larkin said: “They haven’t won it yet, have they?

“Herne Bay are a very good side and Simon’s done well to keep everyone together.  He’s only lost Darren Marsden (to Folkestone Invicta) since the budget’s been cut.

“I haven’t seen them yet to be honest but I would imagine they’re as  good as they were last year and it’s not going to be one team that does it, everyone has to start pitching in and start beating them (to open up the title race).

“Herne Bay are a very good outfit and they’ve got everything right off the pitch and have everything in place so I’m sure this year they’ll be putting in a canter to make sure they win the league this year.”

Larkin takes his side to Bromley next Monday to lock horns with Holmesdale.

The Dalers won the tenants-versus-landlords clash against basement side Greenwich Borough on Tuesday by five-goals-to-one and are in 12^th place in the table with five wins and a draw from their 18 games.

Larkin said: “I don’t think they’re struggling. I think they’re a very good side.  I don’t understand that at all where they are (in the table).

“We beat them down here at our place on a Tuesday night and they caused us more problems in that game than any team all year.

“They’ve got some really good players.  We’ve got a few back from suspension so we’ll be a lot stronger on the pitch, which is good, but they’re a really good side and I don’t understand where they are so hopefully we can go up there and do what we do well and get something out of it.”

STAT ATTACK:
Tunbridge Wells travel to Holmesdale on an eight-match unbeaten run.
Seventeen players have got their names on the scoresheet in league and cup games for Tunbridge Wells this season, with targetman Andy Irvine and midfield playmaker Andy McMath on eight goals each.
Holmesdale’s leading goalscorer is 14-goal striker Steven Strotten.
Holmesdale have lost six of their eight league games on home soil this season.
Holmesdale have failed to keep a clean sheet in the league on home soil this season.  In fact, they have kept just one clean sheet in the league all season.
Holmesdale’s largest home crowd in the league this season was 71 – for Cray Valley’s visit back in October.

Visit Tunbridge Wells’ website: www.tunbridgewells.fc.co.uk  

Holmesdale  v  Tunbridge Wells
Kent Hurlimann Football League
Monday 2^nd January 2012
Kick Off 3:00pm
at 68 Oakley Road, Bromley, Kent BR2 8HQ