Tunbridge Wells 0-3 Whitstable Town - Bromby decides to sign for Wells - EXCLUSIVES

TUNBRIDGE WELLS 0-3 WHITSTABLE TOWN
Pre-Season Friendly
Thursday 2^nd August 2007
Stephen McCartney reports from Culverden Stadium

Whitstable Town, preparing for their first ever Ryman League campaign, secured a comfortable victory over Tunbridge Wells at Culverden Stadium tonight.

Marc Seager’s Kent League double winners stormed into a 2-0 lead within twenty minutes, courtesy of two headed goals from striker Andy Constable, that came from two corners from Stuart King.

And substitute Sam Prett added a third with fourteen minutes remaining.

But Tunbridge Wells, who finished their Kent League campaign with only Slade Green and Sporting Bengal United below them in the table last term, twice hit the woodwork during the second half, through Elliott Everson and the impressive, Dave Blundell.

Whitstable Town kept faith with teenage reserve team goalkeeper, Dylan McVicar, as regular stopper, Kevin Fewell is still suffering from shin splints.

And the rookie goalkeeper, who arrived late having got lost en-route to Culverden Stadium, endured some shaky moments during the first half.

Tunbridge Wells, meanwhile, fielded Alan Rogers, 60, in goal for the first-half.

Rogers has become a favourite of the Oysterboys, as it was his heroics in Wells’ penultimate game of last season, holding VCD Athletic to a draw, that clinched the Kent League title for the Belmont side.

But Rogers made way for Matt Bromby, 29, at the interval.

Bromby, who played for Tunbridge Wells against his, then, current club, Tonbridge Angels on Tuesday night, informed Angels’ player-manager Tony Dolby that he was leaving the Ryman Premier League club to re-join Tunbridge Wells tonight, having been told that he was going to be the understudy to former West Ham United youngster, Matt Reed, this season.

“Basically, they want me to dual register, but I didn’t really think that was the right thing for me,” Bromby explained EXCLUSIVELY to www.kentishfootball.co.uk.
“I’m 29 now, still a spring chicken for a goalkeeper really, but getting on a bit, so I need first-team football.

“I enjoyed my time down here last time, so it wasn’t much of a decision really.”

Bromby admitted not making Tonbridge Angels’ pre-season trip to Newcastle has lost him his first-team place to Reed at the Betterview Longmead Stadium, so he’s opted to sign for Martin Farnie’s side, to play regularly.

“Obviously, he (Tony Dolby) wanted me to sign dual registration with another club, but it wasn’t really what I thought what would be best for me,” explained Bromby.

“Literally, what he was saying, because I didn’t go to Newcastle, Matt Reed had the shirt, it was his to lose.

“Matty wasn’t making any mistakes, so obviously it’s his shirt. The worst thing for a goalkeeper is if there’s one in there, you’re not going (to play). You can’t come on with twenty minutes to go, you have to sit and wait."

The Tonbridge based stopper added: “I don’t really want to do that, I wanted first-team football.”

Blundell had a couple of early chances for the home side, but wasn’t going to beat McVicar.

And Whitstable created a couple of early chances too, with Sam Denly and King blasting over.

But two excellent set-piece routines gave Whitstable a two-goal advantage inside twenty minutes.

King’s near-post corner was met by a glancing header from Constable, eight-yards from goal, which flew past Rogers to give Whitstable a 16^th minute lead.

The same two players were instrumental in Whitstable creating their next chance, when Constable glanced King’s far-post corner just past the far post.

But Tunbridge Wells’ defenders took no notice of that warning, as Whitstable were soon two goals to the good.

This time Constable met King’s far-post corner with a powerful header that gave Rogers no chance from just four-yards out.

Tunbridge Wells’ player-assistant manager, Steve Gibbons, squandered the hosts’ best chance to pull a goal back.

McVicar made a complete hash of Steven Lloyd’s 27^th minute back-pass and kicked the ball straight at the advancing Gibbons, but Gibbons blazed his right-footed snap shot over.

Danny Tipple, signed from Greenwich Borough, drove a left-footed angled shot straight into Rogers’ grateful arms, after King rolled a free-kick into his path on the half-hour mark.

The left-back, however, was replaced at the interval, having picked up an ankle injury.

Blundell tried his luck from distance, which was spilt by McVicar, before Everson should have scored in the 36^th minute.

Everson raced past Whitstable defenders, Josh Maine and Sam Denly, who collided with each other, and burst into the penalty area, but instead of testing the goalkeeper, his shot rolled agonisingly past the far post.

And Maine was at fault for giving the visitors another chance late in the half, but this time Gibbons’ right-footed shot was blocked by McVicar, who redeemed himself. following Blundell’s cut-back from the left by-line.

Tunbridge Wells’ luck, however, once again deserted them early in the second half, when Everson’s shot looped off substitute Tom Parker, and bounced off the far post.

Numerous substitutions, however, curtailed goalscoring chances, as the next one didn’t arrive until the 65^th minute when Bromby denied Sam Prett from scoring with his head, following a cross from fellow substitute, Danny Lawrence.

And with twenty minutes left, the hosts struck the woodwork again, this time Blundell curling a right-footed free-kick off the top of the crossbar.

Highly-rated goalkeeper Bromby pulled off a flying save when he dived to his left to push Marcus Perona’s 20-yard effort to safety.

But he was beaten in the 76^th minute when Prett stroked a left-footed shot from twenty-yards that found the back of the net, via the foot of the post.

Tunbridge Wells’ summer signing from Lordswood, Dave Forster, went close late on, unleashing a right-footed drive that flashed just past the post.

“Good work out, well pleased, we could have scored three or four goals,” admitted Martin Farnie, EXCLUSIVELY to www.kentishfootball.co.uk, afterwards.

The Tunbridge Wells manager added: “Hit the bar, had a couple of great opportunities first half, got sloppy on set plays but overall, a good work-out and I was pleased with one or two people tonight.

“Made a few things clear in my head about what we’re going to do next week, plus I had Andy Boyle not here, Andy Garrett, Terry Ratchford, Adrian Hatcher, Justin Shea, so there’s three or four missing from the squad.”

Farnie is pleased that he’s solved his goalkeeping problems, but acknowledged where he needs to strengthen, but praised Mike Lord, whose signed from Kent County League side, Tonbridge Invicta.

“Scoring goals has been a bit of a problem pre-season, but we’re working hard on that,” he said.

“Everyone’s looking for strikers, aren’t they? Saying that, Mike Lord’s done really well, I’m really pleased with him, he’s done really well against Tonbridge the other night, and he’s done well in pre-season as well.”

Farnie added: “I’m pleased because I’ve got Matt Bromby tonight, signed from Tonbridge, so that goalkeeper situation is sorted.

Whitstable Town manager Marc Seager, 35, was pleased that his side warmed up to Saturday’s Kent League Shield clash with Thamesmead Town at The Belmont, with a win.

“It was a good work-out for us,” Seager said EXCLUSIVELY to www.kentishfootball.co.uk afterwards.

“I thought we played well tonight. I thought we were sharp and fit, the only time we looked to be in any danger was when we gave the ball away ourselves.

“But we’ve had a tough pre-season, don’t think we’ve played particularly well but second half on Tuesday and tonight, we’ve started to head in the right direction, which is pleasing.”

Looking ahead to playing Thamesmead Town on Saturday, Seager is relishing competitive football ahead of their Ryman League Division One South clash against fellow newcomers, Eastbourne Town on 18^th August.

“It’s our first competitive match, first chance to get a bit of silverware,” he said.

“Thamesmead are a good side and it’s going to be a tough game. But that’s what we’ve been waiting for, a competitive match to start, to give us that little bit of edge - we’re looking forward to it.”


Tunbridge Wells: Alan Rogers (Matt Bromby 45), Danny McGann (Brad Mortimer 71), Ben Hilden, John Lord, Brad Sandeman (Jason Bourne 55), Elliott Elverson (Ross Campbell 55), Sam Phillips (Joe Fuller 45), Wayne Balmer (Dave Forster 45), Danny Lewis (Lloyd Gofton 45), Steve Gibbons (Bobby Dixey 55), Dave Blundell (Mike Lord 71).

Whitstable Town: Dylan McVicar, Michael Adcock, Danny Tipple (Tom Parker 45), Josh Maine, Steven Lloyd (Jake Gess 55), Tommy Martin (Marcos Perona 60), Clint Gooding, Sam Denly, Stuart King (Danny Lawrence 55), Jon Neal, Andy Constable (Sam Prett 60).
Sub: Alex Hossick

Goals: Andy Constable 16, 20, Sam Prett 76

Attendance: 50
Referee: Mr David Buck (Istead Rise)
Assistants: Mr Adam Crane (Tunbridge Wells) & Mr Mark Higgins (Tunbridge Wells)