Kentish Football 
I certainly understand the importance of FA Vase progress, says Martin Larkin
Wednesday 08th December 2010
TUNBRIDGE WELLS manager Martin Larkin says the cold snap has hampered his preparations for their FA Carlsberg Vase trip to Leverstock Green on Saturday, writes Stephen McCartney.
The Hertfordshire side are in ninth place in the top-flight of the Spartan South Midlands League with 8 wins and 4 draws from 18 games and striker Louis Austin has banged in 19 goals in 25 appearances this season.
When asked what he knows about Saturday’s Third Round opponents, Larkin told www.kentishfootball.co.uk: “Only what I’ve read in match reports. The game we wanted to go and watch was called off unfortunately so we haven’t seen too much of them, but they look like a decent outfit, they score quite a few and they let quite a few in.
“They’ve got a lad up front who has scored a lot of goals as well. Anywhere away from home in the Vase is difficult and we have to be at our very best to compete against them and they’re going to be a very good side.
“When you get to this stage of the Vase there’s no poor teams left in it. They’re going to be buoyed as it’s the furthest they’ve been and this is the furthest we’ve been for a long time so both teams will look at the game as one they think they can win.
“We’d like to do well in the game but we need to be at our very best as they’ve got some dangerous players going forward and they’re at home as well so no doubt they’ll be at us in the first twenty minutes and try to steamroll us.
“We have to make sure we stand up to them, being away from home, and once we’ve done that we can get into the game and compose ourselves on them.”
The town of Tunbridge Wells is still suffering from lingering snow and ice and this has caused problems with preparing for the game.
Larkin said: “It’s not been easy but we’re back on track now. The game was called off at the weekend and on Tuesday in terms of the home league game but we’ll get ourselves sorted.
“We should be training on the 3g (pitch) on Thursday, but the guys are pretty fit anyway. They’ve all been looking after themselves in the snow so hopefully there won’t be too much of an issue come Saturday.”
Tommy Sampson, who guided Deal Town to FA Carlsberg Vase glory underneath the iconic Wembley Twin Towers back in 2000, has been in touch with Larkin, who said, “I’ve had a couple of texts this week from Tommy Sampson and I certainly understand the importance of it in relation to Kent and we’re certainly aware of that and if we win it will be the furthest the club’s been.”
Larkin refused to be drawn into the fact that his side will have home advantage over St Blazey or Bemerton Heath Harlequins in the last 32 on 22 January 2010 - the start of the national competition.
“I’ve not looked at it to be honest,” he said. “I’ve been away for a couple of days and I’ve been emailed the draw here (at work) but we’ve got a very difficult game on Saturday so I haven’t even looked at it yet - after Saturday if we win, we’ll sit down and look at it.
“I’ve not done any research into it yet as we’re expecting a very tough game on Saturday against Leverstock so we’re not looking any further forward than Saturday.”
Visit Tunbridge Wells’ website: www.tunbridgewellsfc.co.uk
Leverstock Green v Tunbridge Wells
FA Carlsberg Vase Third Round
Saturday 11th December 2010
Kick Off 3:00pm
At Pancake Lane, Leverstock Green, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire HP2 4NQ
Red Dragon I.T. Ltd