The team spirit that we’ve got here enables us to get through the fixtures, says Martin Larkin

TUNBRIDGE WELLS manager Martin Larkin says the Kent League should play more midweek games during the summer months of the season to prevent clubs  suffering from gruelling fixture backlogs.


The Wells clinched the Kent Senior Trophy for the first time when they grabbed a 2-1 win over Lordswood at Tonbridge Angels’ Longmead Stadium yesterday.

It ended a 25-year drought with a trophy for the Culverden Stadium outfit after they fought back from being a goal-down to secure the first part of a potential cup double.

Lordswood opened the scoring inside ten minutes when striker Jordan Wells’ brilliant free-kick from 28-yards clipped the top of the right-hand post and went in off goalkeeper Chris Olagogba, which will go down as an own-goal.

The FA Carlsberg Vase finalists fought back during the second half following the introduction of Carl Cornell from the bench.

Winger Jon Pilbeam burst past Joe Kane and drove a ball across goal which Lordswood keeper Matt Byott parried at the near post and the ball rebounded off Lordswood skipper Gary Cook for the second own-goal of the game.

But Pilbeam’s excellent shot, which curled into the top far corner gave Tunbridge Wells the trophy and entrance into next season’s Kent Senior Cup, leaving Larkin a proud man.

His side are in sixth-place in the Kent Hurlimann Football League table with 44 points from 22 games, but are 16 points behind leaders Erith & Belvedere, but have four games in hand over Micky Collins’ side, owing to their fixture back-log caused by cup runs and postponements.

Tunbridge Wells travel to second-placed VCD Athletic on Tuesday night, before playing again, at Corinthian, 24-hours later, before locking horns with Lordswood again, at home on Thursday night.

After that, they must cram in another five league games before playing at Wembley and their home game against Canterbury City still has to be re-arranged.

“We’ve got a lot of league games coming up and we’ll see where we are at the end of the season,” said Larkin.

“It’s great isn’t it? The Kent League have been really supportive asking us about fixtures and how they can help us with that.

“The reality is all clubs ought to be playing more games in August-September. If we do that then there wouldn’t be this fixture backlog now.  That’s the key issue. 

“The Kent League have been helpful as they can be and we’ll keep ploughing through these games and see what we can come up with.”

Larkin’s side appeared to be tired during the game at Longmead Stadium yesterday but they were hauled through by excellent vocal support.

The crowd of 736 was the largest crowd to watch any match at Tonbridge this season.

“We’ve got a big squad.  The reality is it’s been very difficult at times but the team spirit that we’ve got here enables us to get through the fixtures,” said Larkin.

“Against Deal the other night we played awful.  We were tired but the spirit dragged us through and got us the equaliser.  There will be times this week we’ve got to do the same thing so we’ll deal with the league games as they come along.”

With their Wembley date against Spennymoor Town on 4 May, Larkin admits he hasn’t had enough time to prepare to face the big-spending Northern League outfit.

He said: “It’s busy. We haven’t got much time sitting down thinking about it because of the fixture backlog, but we’ll get there.”

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

VCD Athletic  v  Tunbridge Wells
Kent Hurlimann Football League
Tuesday 16^th April 2013
Kick Off 7:45pm
At Oakwood, Old Road, Crayford, DA1 4DN