Kentish Football 
Tunbridge Wells 1-2 Corinthian - Wayne Burnett has been a bit of a mentor to me, says Matt Longhurst
TUNBRIDGE WELLS 1-2 CORINTHIAN
Kent Hurlimann Football League
Monday 13th May 2013
Stephen McCartney reports from Culverden Stadium
CORINTHIAN manager Matt Longhurst hailed his young side after they completed their best ever Kent League campaign in fourth-place.
The Gay Dawn Farm outfit leapfrogged over Lordswood after collecting a deserved three points against a Tunbridge Wells side that had to settle for seventh-place on 52 points from 32 games, seven points adrift of Corinthian.
Andy Irvine, 26, scored his 20th goal of the season to give Tunbridge Wells a first half lead, but Corinthian ensured Tunbridge Wells’ 50th game of a gruelling campaign ended in defeat, when midfielder Matt Holder and striker Jack Howlett, both 18, scored in the second half.
It was the perfect tonic for Corinthian, who suffered a 4-1 defeat to league champions Erith & Belvedere in the Macron Kent League Cup Final at Park View Road on Saturday lunchtime.
“Unbelievable, absolutely unbelievable,” said Longhurst, 32, on his side’s top-four finish.
“We were 1-0 down at half-time but I didn’t think that was deserved. I thought we were the better side.
“We started with six teenagers tonight. The front three (Alfie May, Howlett and Denzel Gayle) were all teenagers and we changed it from Saturday. We was a little bit disappointed with Saturday because I didn’t think we passed it enough so we changed it tonight and tried to play, although it’s quite a difficult place to come here in terms of the pitch and stuff, but it’s as good as I’ve seen the pitch here so it’s allowed us to play.
“Going across the whole season, I’ve just said to them in there, it’s absolutely unbelievable, outstanding, every single one of them!”
Longhurst added: “I just said to them before the game there’s no pressure, just go out and play and I think the occasion got to us a little bit on Saturday.
“We changed the personnel tonight (making four changes) as well to try and play and play a little bit more and that forced us to do that.
“Dan Bent went back into the back four. RJ (Ryan Johnson) came through into midfield and Matty Holder came in and was brilliant tonight. I thought Ben Wilson, our left back, was probably as good a player on the pitch tonight.”
For Tunbridge Wells boss Martin Larkin, 32, he admitted he was disappointed in his top-seven finish, but was delighted with their Kent Senior Trophy success over Lordswood and their trip to Wembley in The FA Carlsberg Vase Final.
He said: “It’s disappointing. It’s a tough way to end the year. I was just saying to Brad (Sandeman, my assistant manager) there it’s difficult. We’ve actually had everyone fit and available for this last sort of month and a half or so. We’ve had so many games. We have put our best team out on many occasions so tonight we had five players unavailable.
“The game should’ve been won in the first half and we didn’t score enough goals. Second half, fair play to them, they scored two decent goals and that’s it. Job done!”
Larkin added: “The league table don’t lie, so you have to look at it that way. At the same time no-one’s had to play seven games in ten days so we’re better than that. We know we are!
“If people think that we’re not then they’re in for a shock next year so it’s a case of making sure we use that as motivation to go away.
“We’ve had a fantastic season, we really have. We’ve won a trophy, we’ve been to Wembley. I’m sure everybody bar Erith & Belvedere and VCD, everyone would swap their year for our year. I’m sure there’s players at those two teams would also swap it.
“We’ve had a great year. Now we’ve got the summer to build on it and we’ll go from there.”
Corinthian created the first chance after only 69 seconds when Howlett shrugged off the attentions of Tunbridge Wells’ two central defenders (Scott Whibley and Andy Boyle) before laying the ball off to Denzel Gayle, whose low left-footed drive from eighteen-yards brought a low save from Chris Oladogba beside the post.
Tunbridge Wells wasted a good opportunity from their opening corner shortly afterwards.
Keelan Mooney swung in a right-footed corner from the left, which was headed away by the first defender and the ball came out to Boyle, who shot into the ground and the ball bounced up and Jason Barton headed the ball straight into Richard Stroud’s gloves from six-yards.
Highly-rated Oladogba then caught Alfie May’s header after Corinthian skipper Ryan Johnson (back in the middle of the park after Gillingham bound Daniel Bent reverted to the heart of defence) retrieved the ball and whipped in a cross from the left after the home keeper punched the ball away a couple of times following Ben Wilson’s corner from the right.
Tunbridge Wells’ right-winger Jon Pilbeam played the ball inside to Barton, who took a touch before stroking a left-footed drive wide of the right-hand post from 25-yards.
Impressive Corinthian attacker Gayle then cut the ball inside to Holder, who swept his right-footed shot high into the crowd from 30-yards.
Mooney then played the ball inside to Irvine, whose left-footed drive from 25-yards rolled well wide of the target.
Irvine, who scored seven goals in the FA Carlsberg Vase this season en-route to their Wembley Final, which they went down to a brave 2-1 defeat to Spennymoor Town nine days ago, gave Tunbridge Wells a 21st minute lead.
Central midfielder Barton was given time and space to float a cross towards the far post where an unmarked Carl Cornell cushioned his header down across the face of goal and Irvine poked his shot past Stroud to score from four-yards.
Larkin was full of praise for Irvine, who finished two goals short of Jack Harris, 19, who has higher league club’s interested in him.
“He’s had a good year, scored some good goals,” Larkin said of Irvine.
“Him and Hooley (Cornell) always link up well, so it’s another assist from Hooley, another goal from Irvine, so it’s good.”
Longhurst was disappointed with the way his side conceded Irvine’s goal.
He said: “There’s one criticism on us in our own 18-yard box. We need to be a little bit nastier. We need to be a little bit braver and I think after Saturday to be able to come back from going a goal behind as well just shows the character of these kids that we’ve got here. I think they’re going to be brilliant next year. Hopefully we can keep hold of them!”
Corinthian’s much-sought after striker, Alfie May, 19, cut in from his wide position on the left and stroked a right-footed shot from sixteen-yards which was saved low down by Oladogba.
Corinthian should have done better when Johnson played the ball into May’s feet, who spun past his marker, Jason Bourne, to sprint into the penalty area before he cut the ball back to the edge of the box but Johnson’s scuffed his first time left-footed shot past the near post.
Poor goalkeeping from Stroud almost gifted Tunbridge Wells a second goal when he came a long way out of his goal to meet Lewis Mingle’s ball over the top and his clearance fell to Pilbeam who looped his right-footed shot narrowly over the crossbar from 40-yards.
Corinthian created a couple of late chances, but failed to go in at the break on level terms.
Left-back Wilson clipped the ball over for Howlett to latch on to and after beating his marker steered his right-footed shot wide of the near post when he only had the keeper to beat.
Oladogba, who can clearly play at a much higher level than this, ensured Tunbridge Wells went into the break in front.
The impressive Gayle played the ball inside to left-back Wilson, who played the ball to Howlett, who teed up Josh James who hit a low right-footed drive from eighteen-yards, which forced Oladogba into making a low save to his right – the last kick of the first half.
Longhurst added: “I think they’ll find it difficult to hang onto him, their keeper. He’s as good a goalkeeper in this league. He’s done well with a couple of corners early on and a great save just before half-time as well.”
Both managers were asked what was said during the half-time interval.
Larkin said: “Just keep doing the same things and keep enjoying yourselves. It’s that end of the season game and we wanted to score some more goals.
“It’s another fantastic crowd in again but we never really got started I suppose in that second half. There wasn’t enough quality on the ball for us to make an impact on the game.
“It’s been a long season. We’re, what, almost three weeks over the normal end of the season. Yesterday we were still doing Wembley stuff with a civic reception with the Mayor and end of season awards and that kind of stuff.
“Again, we had five big players missing today, Perry Spackman, Jack Harris, Tom Davey, Josh Stanford and Andy McMath, who were all unavailable. When you take five guys out of any team it’s going to be tough, especially against a team as well organised as Corinthian.”
Longhurst added: “I just said to them, just keep doing more of the same. It’s probably a little bit of a difficult team talk to be honest because I felt we’ve done everything I’ve asked them, they tried to do.
“We didn’t want to go flat because we’re saying keep doing what you’re doing. I felt we probably could’ve played forwards a little bit quicker and through midfield but just a little bit more of the same and take a little bit more care in and around the final third, which I felt we did.”
Gayle went agonisingly close to equalising for Corinthian inside the opening five minutes when he poked his left-footed shot narrowly wide of the foot of the left-hand post from eighteen-yards.
A hooked pass from Howlett released Gayle racing clear down the right before he cut the ball across to Howlett, who had made a run into the box. The striker teed up a chance for Gayle, who curled his left-footed shot agonisingly over the crossbar from 15-yards.
Longhurst was full of praise for Gayle and said: “He was really, really unfortunate not to start in the final as well. We probably went for a little bit more experience and it little bit backfired really, but Denzel was outstanding tonight with his work-rate. He’s a great kid. He plays the game with a smile on his face and he’s been outstanding in the reserves for the last couple of weeks.
“I thought him and Jack Howlett, he’s only 18, the forward who got the second goal, there’s a lot to come from him as well.”
Pilbeam then struck a low left-footed drive from 25-yards, which saw Stroud diving low to his left to make the save.
Corinthian deservedly equalised after 58 minutes when Nuttall played the ball into Holder’s feet, who cracked a right-footed shot on the turn from 25-yards, which Oladogba got his right hand to the shot as he dived but couldn’t prevent the ball caressing the back of the net.
Longhurst said of Holder: “Good finish! Great little player. Little bit regretfully, probably should’ve played a few more games this year but he’s been in and out of the side through injury. As I’ve said previously and I’ve written in our match reports in our programmes, technically he’s as good a player at this level by miles.
“I’ve spoken to him yesterday and said pre-season he’ll have a good run in the side. He’ll be a big player for us next year!”
Larkin added: “When you let a guy shoot, they’re going to score goals. There’s things to work on both of the goals, but we’re not too fussed to be honest.”
Longhurst marvelled at the manner in which his young side scored the winning goal with 22 minutes left.
Nuttall, Holder and May all linked up well with crisp one-touch passing and Howlett finished off the move with a stroked right-footed shot across Oladogba, who once again got his hand to the shot, but couldn’t prevent the ball nestling into the bottom far corner.
Longhurst said: “The second goal is as good a goal you’re going to see as far as I’m concerned, especially on a difficult pitch as well.
“Great goal! Great goal! I just said to the chairman as I came off, I was over the moon with the second goal because it sort of optimises everything that we try and do here. We try and pass it and try and play the right way and we try and do it with young players so that’s phenomenal to be able to do that and you saw the way they celebrated all together, the boys, brilliant!”
Larkin added: “I thought he was offside, but I’m at a funny angle, so he’s taken it pretty well. They play some nice stuff. I thought they were good, until they had a crazy 10 minutes in the cup final on Saturday. I thought they were pretty much in control of that game as well. They’re a decent side and that winning goal was a very good goal!”
More good link-up play in the final third, this time from Gayle and Howlett, should have been finished off by Bent, but his shot sailed into the trees behind the goal so couldn’t give his club a goodbye present before his two-year scholarship with League One newcomers Gillingham.
Tunbridge Wells could have snatched a point 56 seconds into Fergie Time when Boyle launched a throw in to the box and Irvine sent a free back-header into Stroud’s gloves.
Longhurst was proud with his side’s best-ever Kent League campaign.
“Great season, really, really good,” he said. “Erith Town finished (two points) above us and the points they got earlier on in the season probably kept them there because our run was as good as Erith & Belvedere and VCD towards the end of the season, over the last 20 games.
“I felt had Erith Town not had that run under their previous management team (of Tony Russell and Ray Powell) then we’d have sneaked in there as well.
“Overall I can’t complain. It’s fourth in the league with a team full of kids. It’s unbelievable!”
Longhurst revealed the contribution that Dagenham & Redbridge boss Wayne Burnett, 41, has made behind the scenes this season.
“I have to mention, I don’t like doing it but because I don’t want to name drop, but Wayne Burnett he’s absolutely unbelievable!
“I’ve been in with Dagenham regularly this season on matchdays and training and he’s been a bit of a mentor to me really. He’s been massive for me Wayne, really, really good. He’s come in with the lads four or five times this year as well to put sessions on and help us out and we’ve all benefited from that. To take the time and do that for nothing is testament to what we’re trying to do here, try to do things properly.
“I’m only 32, I’m still learning. I think I’m far better now. I was probably a pain in the neck when I was a little bit younger. I probably had too much to say for myself on the sidelines. I’ve learnt a lot being under Tony (Sitford) and Wayne and the club’s been brilliant for me.”
Tunbridge Wells will be tipped as one of the favourites to clinch the Kent League title next season on the back of their FA Vase run.
When asked about his aspirations for next season, Larkin replied, “It’s the same as every team. Every team enters the league because you want to win things so we’ll enter the FA Vase – we want to win it – we’ll enter the Trophy – we want to win it – we’ll enter the League Cup and the League – we want to win it. We want to do well in the FA Cup as well. It’s the only one you know you’re not going to win but the rest of them we’ll go about it and see what we can do.
“No-one’s sitting here patting each other on the back about this year. This year is now finished so we now go on and build for the next one.”
Reflecting on tonight’s crowd of 258, Larkin said: “That’s what the legacy is of the Vase run. You hear a lot of rubbish from other clubs that the fact we took 12,000 to Wembley and they weren’t real fans and that kind of thing but of course they were. They were guys who live in the town, live in the county and they want to support us and the legacy is that we get an extra 100 on the gate and that’s what we wanted.
“A crowd of 258 on a Monday when the majority of Ryman clubs don’t get that on a Saturday, so we’ve got to work hard in the summer to keep them all.
“We’re by far the biggest club in our league now, even at the moment we are so it’s now a case we have that sort of status as a squad and we build on that ready for the start of next season.”
Larkin, meanwhile, is confident that he can keep his players at the club – despite the club running without a budget.
“We’ve won a trophy, been to the FA Vase Final and we’ve done things this year that no team in the history of the club has ever done in terms of the Vase run and that kind of thing.
“These guys are the best team that the club’s had! We need to keep them all together, which they’ve all agreed to. Some of the big names in the squad have all decided to sign again, which is fantastic and we’ll build on it over the summer and go again.”
Tunbridge Wells: Chris Oladogba, Jason Bourne, Lewis Mingle, Jason Barton, Scott Whibley, Andy Boyle, Jon Pilbeam, Joe Fuller, Andy Irvine, Carl Cornell (Richard Sinden 36), Keelan Mooney.
Subs: Tom Carr, Steve Ashmore, Michal Czanner, Brad Large
Goal: Andy Irvine 21
Booked: Joe Fuller 76
Corinthian: Richard Stroud, Jaie Nuttall, Ben Wilson, Ryan Johnson, Charlie Burgess, Daniel Bent, Josh James (Danny Nash 66), Matt Holder (Jamie Taylor 78), Alfie May, Jack Howlett, Denzel Gayle (Nathan Palmer 83).
Subs: Peter Afoylan, Lee Barnett
Goals: Matt Holder 58, Jack Howlett 68
Booked: Ryan Johnson 76
Attendance: 258
Referee: Mr Christopher Myatt (Dartford)
Assistants: Mr Leigh Judd (Tunbridge Wells) & Mr David Lunani (Bromley)
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