Slade Green 1-1 Tunbridge Wells - We had enough chances to see them off, admits Robbins

SLADE GREEN 1-1 TUNBRIDGE WELLS
FA Cup (Sponsored by E.ON) Extra Preliminary Round
Saturday 16th August 2008
Robert Smith reports from the Small Glen

SLADE GREEN and Tunbridge Wells face a replay at Culverden Stadium on Tuesday night following this stalemate at The Small Glen.

Following their impressive opening day showings much was expected of these two sides and those who made the trip to The Small Glen were not disappointed.

It was the visitors who asked the early questions with lively striker Benny Agani taking centre stage as he saw his effort blocked by former Millwall youth team skipper Ben Payne before then drilling an effort over the bar.

With Slade Green’s Ricky Freeman ruled out through injury, Raphael Akala took his place in attack and he could so easily have struck when he latched onto Paul Springett’s incisive pass only for the ball to get caught in his legs.

At the other end Payne again came to Green’s rescue and hacked Ross Cable’s effort off the line.

The play soon reverted back to the other end as Akala’s pass released Adam Cotterell only for his strike to drift over.

Wells continued to press though and following a slick three man move Agana looked set pounce only for Lee Craig to whip the ball away from his toes.

However, Agana was not be outdone on 41 minutes when is acute angle effort found the Green net following a neat move down the right after Green had lost possession.

But the visitors joy was short lived as Green soon drew level. Having been awarded a free kick, Lee Barnett and Dan Westerman debated the outcome of the set piece, eventually Adam Cotterell stepped up and after his shot was charged down by the Wells wall, Grant Cunningham was upended in the box and from the resulting spot kick, Barnett stepped up to fire Green back on level terms.

Wells began the second half well, Barry Gardner saw his shot deflected wide following smart play by Agana, while Agana then proceeded on a glory run that saw his beat three Green players only for Sam Biggs to pull off a stunning save and turn his strike round the post.

With Akala forced to leave the pitch through cramp, Sam May was introduced to proceedings. Wells peppered the Green goal with several long range shots but Matt Longhurst will feel his side should have secured victory as they missed two clear cut chances.

May’s deft pass fund Cotterell whose glorious ball picked out Dan Westerman but he fired over, then following neat interplay by Westerman and Jamie Lawrence, Cottrell’s cross found May who contrived to plant his header wide.

With the end fast approaching Cotterell then looked to have won the game for The Green only for his strike to drift across the face of the Wells goal.

Tunbridge Wells boss Mike Robbins felt his side should have won at the first attempt.

“I would have taken the draw before the game, but I thought that on the balance of play, we could have finished them off today,” he told www.tunbridgewellsfc.co.uk.

The winner of Tuesday night’s replay shall travel to Sussex County League side Horsham YMCA on 30^th August.

The Sussex outfit won 2-0 at Faversham Town yesterday - the only Bulmers Cider Kent League club to fall at the first hurdle, although Croydon, Deal Town and Lordswood face midweek replays and Erith & Belvedere welcome Lancing to Park View Road on Sunday (5pm).

Slade Green: Biggs, Springett (Groombridge), Craig, Lawrence, Payne, Cunningham, Westerman, Cotterell, Barnett, Akala (May), McDonnell (Beauchamp).
Subs: Ebili, Agu, Coles, Quartson.

Tunbridge Wells: Arnold, Sandeman, Bourne, Clarke, Rhodes, Russell, Gardner, Fuller, Agana, Cable (Shade), Foreman (Rich). 
Subs: Hilden, Newbould, Richardson, Morley.