Tunbridge Wells 1-2 Rusthall - I'm pleased my boys did the business, says proud Ronaldson

Sunday 25th July 2010

TUNBRIDGE WELLS 1-2 RUSTHALL
Pre-Season Friendly - George Piper Courier Cup Final
Sunday 25th July 2010
Stephen McCartney reports from Culverden Stadium

VICTORIOUS Rusthall manager John Ronaldson says his club should host next summer’s Courier Cup after producing two giant-killings to clinch the silverware at the first attempt.

This competition used to be contested between Tonbridge Angels and Tunbridge Wells, but organisers, The Kent and Sussex Courier Newspaper have also invited Crowborough Athletic and Rusthall, who were a late replacement for Sevenoaks Town.

Rusthall were the lowest ranked side in the competition, but they stunned the highest ranked side, Tonbridge Angels yesterday, beating their more illustrious opponents 6-5 on penalties, after a 1-1 draw, although the Angels fielded just one first teamer in Liam Baker.

Speculation was rife around Culverden Stadium today that Tonbridge Angels - who have much bigger commitments - could be replaced by East Grinstead Town next summer.

Tunbridge Wells reached the final with a 3-0 win over Crowborough Athletic yesterday, and were the favourites to land the silverware for only the third time.

But on an awful, rock-hard, rain-starved pitch at Culverden Stadium, the hosts grabbed the lead against the run of play during the first half through midfielder Andy McMath, but Rusthall stunned the home side as two headed goals from Brad Moon and Danny McGann brought the silverware to Jockey Farm for the very first time.

“It was pleasing. We tried to play football, get the ball down and play like we did against Tonbridge, we knew it was going to be a tough test against them, but we played some good football,” Ronaldson told www.kentishfootball.co.uk afterwards.

“We’ve brought a few youngsters through and that’s what it’s all about.

“I think the chances we had, especially in the first half, we should’ve been a couple more ahead. We went a goal down, but came back and the boys did the business, so it’s quite pleasing.”

Tunbridge Wells manager Martin Larkin held an inquest on what went wrong with his assistant Brad Sandeman out on the pitch before admitting to www.kentishfootball.co.uk that his side wilted in the heat.

He said: “I never want to lose a game, particularly Cup final games, so in terms of the footballing side, it was disappointing. We wanted to win the game.

“We treated it how we treat every single game, every pre-season game, we treat it like a League game - We did our approach properly.

“It was slightly different today as it was the second game in two days. A lot of the guys are carrying knocks and are a little bit tired so we met a little bit earlier, had a little run and a stretch.”

Rusthall deserved their win, creating the better chances against a Tunbridge Wells side, who just weren’t up for it.

The Kent County League players picked up any shirt - instead of the allocated shirt number listed on the team sheet - but there was nothing amateurish about their approach on the concrete hard pitch.

Rusthall’s first effort arrived after 15 minutes when Danny McGann cut the ball back to Stuart Crush and he scuffed his right-footed shot past the post.

Chris Mearing should have done better when he was presented with a chance inside the Tunbridge Wells box, despite offside claims, but after getting the better of left-back Alex Rich, his right-footed half-volley bounced into the arms of Slovakian keeper Michal Czanner.

Rusthall’s best opening arrived after 20 minutes when Dave Jackson released Mearing down the right and his centre was dummied by Moon and Jackson’s hooked volley was blocked inside a crowded goalmouth.

Czanner made a comfortable save to thwart Mearing, when he clipped a shot towards goal after a run and cross from Moon.

Therefore it was a surprise when Tunbridge Wells grabbed the lead, against the run of play, after 33 minutes.

McMath picked up the ball and smashed a daisy cutter with his left-foot, which left Bromby rooted to the spot as the ball found the bottom near corner.

The goal swiftly lifted Tunbridge Wells out of their slumber, creating a couple of goalscoring chances.

McMath stabbed the ball through for Cable, who appeared yards offside, but the much-travelled striker, who has also played for Rusthall, chipped the ball over the crossbar.

Bromby almost scored a bizarre own-goal when he kicked a bouncing back-pass from right-back James Mills against his own crossbar.

But Rusthall went up the other end and should have levelled when McGann - who has arrived from minnows Pembury - drove a low shot towards goal, which was gathered at the second attempt by Czanner.

Sulky Cable started swearing at himself early in the second half when his right-footed free-kick from 30-yards curled past the far post.

Wells right-sided midfielder, Keelan Mooney should have done better when he looped his header, following Benji Agana’s cross from the left, into the former Erith & Belvedere keeper’s arms.

Tunbridge Wells almost grabbed a second when Rich’s in-swinging corner from the right sailed over everybody, but Rusthall substitute Karl Mitchell punted the ball away from his position on the goal-line beside the far post.

But you can say that home keeper Czanner could have done better with both Rusthall’s goals.

He was beaten in the 73rd minute when Mills floated in a free-kick from the right and the keeper appeared to be fouled by Moon as he attempted to punch the ball clear, but the Rustics’ striker applied the finishing touch.

Substitute Josh Farmor issued the hosts a warning when his run and cross from the right was met by a swept right-footed volley from fellow substitute Alex Carey, but this was comfortably saved by the giant Wells stopper.

Rusthall claimed victory with eleven minutes remaining when Farmor was left in acres of space and he had time to deliver an excellent cross, which left Czanner in no-mans land, and McGann leapt to see his header sail into an empty net.

Ronaldson hoped Rusthall’s reward for clinching the silverware is to stage the competition at Jockey Farm next summer.

He said:
“I’d love to see it down Jockey Farm. Hopefully the Courier can endorse that.

“We’ve got a great clubhouse down there, got all the facilities, apart from lights, which is one thing we haven’t got at the moment.”

Larkin was disappointed with Rusthall’s goals, and admitted the Kent County League side stopped his key men making their mark on the game.

“I thought the first goal, sometimes they’re given as a foul against the keeper, sometimes they’re not, so that’s fair enough,” he said.

“We haven’t stopped the cross for the second goal. They scored more goals than we have, they kept going. They played well against Tonbridge Angels, they weathered the storm and played well for the last 20 minutes and won the penalties as well.

“They stopped us playing in the first half, they actually looked after our good players and stopped them from playing and they’ve taken their chances in the second half.”

When asked where Cable’s future lies, Larkin replied, “He was looking at East Grinstead, I think, during pre-season and obviously he was available, so I asked him to come down and play and see if he enjoyed it.

“He knows the situation here regarding the fact that obviously we don’t pay so it’s up to him. When he was here before he liked it, he loves it down here and he’s loved by the players and the fans and everyone down here, so he’ll have a decision to make this week to see what he wants to do.”

Ronaldson, though, felt his side’s goals were top drawer.

“There’s not a lot thy can do about (our two goals) in the last twenty minutes of the game,” he said.

“We should’ve been up before that but the goals at the end, Danny’s header, the keeper had absolutely no chance with that. It’s good to see the young lad, Josh Farmor come on and whip a cross in and really Danny’s only had to put his head on it, so yes, it was great and Brad’s always a battering ram and he’s always going to cause problems to any defence.”

Both managers, meanwhile, were concerned about the notorious Culverden Stadium pitch.

“The pitch has never been great, even when I used to play down here,” bemoaned Ronaldson.

“It’s very difficult down the middle, it’s very rutty, but it’s the same for both sides. It’s how you cope with it.”

In his club’s defence, Larkin replied, “I think Drew Crush has some horrible things on the bottom of his feet, everyone’s got a few blisters and everyone’ tired. I thought our fitness was fine but the pitch is like concrete, which is an issue. It’s not what we want to play on, we want to be playing on a nice pitch to get the ball moving around and we can’t do that.

“As soon as the rain comes it will soften it up and it will be fine. There’s not much we can do about it. We haven’t got underground sprinklers that come out of the ground like the Premier League teams, we’re reliant on the weather to water it and it hasn’t properly rained for three months.”

But come the start of the season, the Courier Cup will be forgotten about.

“I’d rather win the League and the Vase,” admitted Larkin. “We’ve hosted it this time, we’ve changed the format a little bit, got another two teams involved, Rusthall and Crowborough.

“Angels, rightly so, sent their reserve side down, which is fine. They had a big first team game against Eastbourne Borough (yesterday) so I had no issues with that.

“Everyone’s seemed to enjoy it, everyone’s got minutes and time on the pitch. It was a good format.”

Meanwhile, Tonbridge Angels won the third-fourth placed play-off, beating Crowborough 3-2 earlier in the day.

Tunbridge Wells: Michal Czanner, Jason Bourne, Alex Rich (Steve Ashmore 68), Sam Phillips, Scott Whibley, Drew Crush, Keelan Mooney (Nick Graham 62), Andy McMath, Mike Lord (Benji Agana 46), Ross Cable, Matt Foreman (Bruce Gawen 68).
Sub: Jon Pilbeam.

Goal: Andy McMath 33

Rusthall: Matt Bromby, Joe Cameron, Stuart Hunter (Karl Mitchell 60), Stuart Crush (Josh Farmor 72), Adam Lindsay, James Mills, Chris Mearing (Alex Carey 60), Danny McGann (Luke Beaton 83), Brad Moon (Ian Balmer 89), Dave Jackson, Olly Allman.

Goals: Brad Moon 73, Danny McGann 79

Attendance: 250
Referee: Mr Paul Yates (Maidstone)
Assistants: Mr Danny Roberts (Gillingham) & Mr Stuart Crispe (Gillingham)