It's time for my players to shine and grab that bit of glory, says Martin Larkin

TUNBRIDGE WELLS manager Martin Larkin says he wants their FA Carlsberg Vase Quarter-Final showdown against Hadleigh United to attract the club’s largest attendance on Saturday.



The largest crowd to watch a match at Culverden Stadium was back in 1969 when 967 fans watched the club lock horns with local neighbours Maidstone United.

But Larkin expects the club’s most successful Vase side to play in front of a record four-figure crowd as they bid to replicate Herne Bay’s heroics last season.  Simon Halsey’s side reached the FA Carlsberg Vase Semi-Finals last season, going out to a 4-3 aggregate defeat to West Auckland Town last season.

Hadleigh United presently sit in seventh-place in the Thurlow Nunn Eastern Counties League, with 14 wins and 4 draws from 24 games – eight points behind leaders Dereham Town.

The Suffolk outfit began their best FA Carlsberg Vase run with a 4-1 win away to Stanway Rovers in the Second Qualifying Round.  They needed two games to see of Walsham Le Willows in the First Round, before knocking out Colney Heath, Oxhey Jets, AFC Emley and Ampthill Town.  Five of their victories have been away from home.

Tunbridge Wells have reached this stage of the competition by beating Wantage Town (2-0) in the Second Round, before knocking out Binfield Town (2-1, after extra time), holders Dunston UTS (1-0) and winning 4-3 at Larkhall Athletic, after extra time.

Larkin’s side have fallen behind in the Kent Hurlimann Football League pecking order, sitting in ninth-place in the table, with 9 wins and 3 draws from their 16 games.

No team in Tunbridge Wells’ history has reached this stage of the FA Carlsberg Vase and Larkin said: “The players’ are very proud of it. The whole club is very proud of it and what we understand the whole town is very proud of it.

“It’s something for everyone to get behind and get excited about.  We’ve knocked out the holders (Dunston UTS) and gone away from home on a long trip (to Larkhall Athletic) and come back from behind twice on a very long trip so we’re very proud to still be involved in it.”

Larkin says he has done his homework on Hadleigh and expects it to be a similar game to their 1-0 win over Dunston UTS two rounds ago, which was won thanks to striker Andy Irvine taking a clear cut chance in front of goal.

”We’ve had them watched,” said Larkin.  “We know players’ from that league so we’ve had a good chat with them as well.

”We’ll be well prepared and have a game plan sorted.  They will be a very strong side. They’ve got a couple of lads who have played in the Vase final in recent years.  They’ve got two centre forwards who have played at a much higher level than step five so they’re going to be a very good side. 

”We have to be at our very best to compete with them.”

But having already knocked out Dunston, surely Tunbridge Wells should do the same to Hadleigh?

Larkin’s reply was expected: ”It doesn’t work like that! Hadleigh are a very good side and there’s no guarantees because you’ve beaten one side you’ll beat another!

”It’s going to be a very tough game. We’ve got respect for Hadleigh.  They’ve had a fantastic record in the Vase this year. They’ve won many games away from home.  They’re in a good position in their league and they scored quite a few and don’t let many in.

”They’re going to be a very good side and we have to turn up on the day in terms of the physicality and mental side of it and we have to be ready for it because they’re going to be a very good team.”

Larkin’s side came away from Western League outfit Larkhall Athletic with a 4-3 win after extra-time last weekend, thanks to prized asset Jack Harris’ last-gasp winner.

”I’m expecting quite a tight game to be honest,” said Larkin.

”Both teams have got decent defensive records. If you look back on the Dunston game the team that created the one real chance was us and we took it.  The rest of the game was half chances so it will be the team that creates those real one-on-one chances when it’s just the forward with the goal beckoning, that’s the team that’s going to have the best chance out of it.

”We’ll be going about our game plan to try and do that and limit mistakes at the other end and if we can do that we’ll give ourselves a chance.

”They’re going to have a lot of firepower with their centre forward line. There’s no doubt they will create chances.  It’s going to be a very even, tight, game.  I’m not expecting another 4-3 to be honest.”

Saturday’s game is arguably the club’s biggest game in the history – but Larkin admits this is his biggest game in his career.

”It seems to be,” he replied, “Week in, week out, at the moment with the way the postponements have gone, each Saturday seems to be bigger and bigger and it’s exciting.

”We’ll do our work during the week at training and then it’s all about the players’ come the weekend. It’s their time to shine and grab that bit of glory. It will be them once they cross that white line that will be responsible for it.”

Tunbridge Wells are three games away from playing at Wembley Stadium in the FA Carlsberg Vase Final.

The only Kent clubs that have achieved that feat in all major competitions are Gillingham, Dartford, Ebbsfleet United and Deal Town, who are the only Kent League club to win the FA Carlsberg Vase when Tommy Sampson’s side defeated Chippenham Town in the 2000 Final, thanks to THAT goal from Roly Graham.

“Each year we’ve wanted to improve every year in the Vase and build on it and it’s been a three-year journey. I think the first year we didn’t win but every year we’ve improved since then.

”I keep saying to the side they’re the most successful Vase side there’s ever been at the club and set that bar as high as possible so no (Tunbridge Wells) team can match it and write their names in the club’s history.


“That’s what they’re aiming to do.  No one’s running around and talking about Wembley at all. Whoever brings it up gets put down very, very quickly within the group and they’re very professional about it.

”We have to concentrate on Hadleigh, they’re more than a match on Saturday and that’s what we need to concentrate on.

”We’re almost wishing away the working day to try and get through it. We’re excited about it but at the same time come Saturday we’ll be professional about it.”

Larkin challenges the home fans to crank up the noise – as they did against Dunston in their last home game in this competition.

”We had 580 against Dunsston and the noise was great so if we can double that it will be incredible Saturday,” said Larkin.

”That was the main motivation last week down at Larkhall. We wanted to play in front of a massive crowd at home and that was always guaranteed in a quarter-final spot and that is what everyone’s excited about.  The noise comes down from that terracing on to the pitch and you can really hear it.

”If we can get anywhere near the 1,000 mark it would be wonderful for the players and the club. It’s probably not going to be a better chance to build the club with that exposure in the town.

”Most of the other teams in the League are trying to get 100. We’ve grown our crowds this year again and it’s testament to the boys’ and the play the boys are putting on the pitch.

”The chance to play in front of a big crowd is what we’re excited about.”

Larkin added: ”We won’t be running around the dressing room not beating our chest – we’ll be very calm and focused and we know what we have to do and get that game plan executed but it’s hard not to be excited about it.

”It’s a national competition so we’re very proud still to be in it.”

Visit Tunbridge Wells’ website: www.tunbridgewellsfc.co.uk  

Admission prices: £6 (adults), £3 (concessions) £1 (5-16s)

Tunbridge Wells  v  Hadleigh United
The FA Carlsberg Vase Quarter-Final
Saturday 2^nd March 2013
Kick Off 3:00pm
at Culverden Stadium, Culverden Down, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN4 9SG