Tunbridge Wells 2-0 Hadleigh United - We've reached semis without spending a penny - Martin Larkin

TUNBRIDGE WELLS  2-0  HADLEIGH UNITED
The FA Carlsberg Vase Quarter-Final
Saturday 2^nd March 2013
Stephen McCartney reports from Culverden Stadium

TUNBRIDGE WELLS manager Martin Larkin says reaching The FA Carlsberg Vase Semi-Finals in front of the club’s record crowd at Culverden Stadium was massive for his players and eclipses their win over the holders Dunston UTS two rounds ago.

The Kent Hurlimann Football League club are only 180 minutes away from playing at Wembley Stadium after deservedly beating Thurlow Nunn Eastern Counties League side Hadleigh United 2-0, courtesy of a brace from striker Andy Irvine – although the winning margin should have been far greater!

”It’s fantastic!  I said to the guys there it’s not an accident. It’s not a mistake. It’s three years’ of hard work,” said Larkin afterwards. “First year we were here we stabilised things. We didn’t win a single Cup game and once we stabilised we progressed from there.  We target the Cups, particularly the Vase. We’re improving every year.

”That wasn’t a mistake. We thoroughly deserved that. We were by far the better side and we could’ve scored a lot more!

”If we had won five or six nil no one would’ve complained about it, because we’re very, very good going forward and we’ve got the ability in the side.

”We gave Hooley (Carl Cornell) a little kick because Jack (Harris’) been playing really well. He was sensational Hooley today and obviously Irvs took his goals really well.”

The crowd of 1,180 was the largest since 967 watched Maidstone United’s visit back in 1969 and they went home impressed with the way that Larkin’s side played as they made Hadleigh United look very ordinary.

Tunbridge Wells became only the third Kent League club to reach the Semi-Finals, replicating Herne Bay’s achievements last season.  Simon Halsey’s side went down to a heartbreaking 4-3 aggregate defeat to West Auckland Town, who went on to lose the Final to Dunston UTS, who crashed out of this season’s competition here when Irvine scored the only goal of the game two rounds ago.

The only Kent club to win The FA Carlsberg Vase was Tommy Sampson’s Deal Town side, who defeated Chippenham Town in 2000, courtesy of THAT goal from Roly Graham.

Larkin hailed this as his best day of his career.

”I think so, because of the size of the crowd and the fact that’s got us to the semi-finals. It’s massive.  Dunston will always be a very special day because they were the holders but this eclipses it!”

However, only two of the semi-finalists are known tonight.  Big spending Northern League club Spennymoor Town beat Gornal Athletic 3-1 at home, whilst Walsall Wood and Guernsey played out a goal-less draw and Shildon and Ascot United had to settle for a 1-1 draw and must replay next Saturday.

Tunbridge Wells would be delighted to avoid Spennymoor and Guernsey (if they progress) in the semi-final draw, which can be heard on Talksport Radio at 3pm on Monday afternoon.

Larkin made a couple of changes to his side that played in their last game – their dramatic last-minute 4-3 win away to Bath-based Larkhall Athletic in The FA Carlsberg Vase last sixteen round tie last Saturday.

Perry Spackman returned to partner Scott Whibley at the heart of the defence – and Tom Davey came in for Andy Boyle in the middle of the park.

Hadleigh United arrived in Kent sitting in seventh-place in their league with fourteen wins and four draws from 24 games – eight points behind leaders Dereham Town.

But Tunbridge Wells, going into their biggest game in their history on a confidence boosting six-match unbeaten run, sat in ninth-place in the Kent Hurlimann Football League table, with nine wins and three draws from sixteen games, but they must play their last sixteen league games of the season in the last remaining two months of the season.

Hadleigh United created the first chance of the game, with only 44 seconds on the clock.

Striker Lee McGlone looped a throw into the box and Spackman and Whibley both tried to head the ball away and Liam Jennings cracked his hooked right-footed half-volley over the bar under pressure from seventeen-yards.

That was to be a rare goalscoring opportunity for the Suffolk side as Tunbridge Wells turned on the style in front of their largest crowd.

Right-winger Jon Pilbeam cut the ball back to right-back Jason Bourne who floated over a cross from the touchline and the ball was headed away by Jennings and Andy McMath’s right-footed drive from 25-yards bounced twice to visiting keeper Dan Heath, who made a comfortable save.

Tunbridge Wells created another chance just 92 seconds later.

McMath swung in a right-footed corner from the left which was palmed away by Heath in amongst a crowded six-yard box and the ball came out to Davey, who hit a speculative overhead kick from sixteen-yards, which screamed past the left-hand post.

Hadleigh United created a half-chance when another McGlone throw was flicked on at the near post by central defender Paul Donnelly for keeper Chris Oladogba to easily gather.

Despite a frenetic opening, the game settled down for ten minutes before Tunbridge Wells went close.

Carl Cornell played the ball inside to left-winger Josh Stanford who was given time and space to whip over a cross from the left, which was headed away by Donnelly and Pilbeam sent a right-footed drive sailing over from sixteen-yards.

Hadleigh United should have done better when Whibley’s poor header gifted the ball to Danny Bloomfield who slipped the ball through to Scott Chaplin, but his scuffed shot bounced to Oladogba, who made a comfortable low save in the 21^st minute.

Tunbridge Wells then began to press and Pilbeam won a foot race with McGlone (who was tracking back) to reach the by-line before whipping in a cross which was brought under control by Spackman at the near post to cut the ball back to McMath, who sent his right-footed curler sailing wide of the top of the far post from 20-yards.

The home side’s two left-sided players then combined for another chance.

Stanford cut the ball back to full-back Lewis Mingle, who didn’t get enough power to his right-footed angled drive from the edge of the box, which rolled into Heath’s gloves.

Tunbridge Wells went route-one on the half-hour mark when Oladogba kicked the ball straight down the heart of the pitch.  The ball was knocked across by Irvine and McMath sent his right-footed half-volley into the keeper’s hands from 30-yards.

Hadleigh United created a chance just 32 seconds later when Marcus Josiah played the ball to Chaplin’s feet, the winger cut inside before stroking a left-footed shot from 20-yards, which was comfortably gathered by Oladogba.

Another chance went begging for Tunbridge Wells when Davey’s hooked pass found Cornell, who laid the ball outside to Pilbeam, but the ball got struck underneath his feet and in the end he sent his left-footed shot over the bar from seventeen-yards.

But Tunbridge Wells deservedly opened the scoring with 36 minutes on the clock, turning defending into a devastating clinical attack.

Bourne made a well-timed sliding tackle to poach the ball off Josiah on the edge of the box before the loose ball ran to Pilbeam inside his own half.

Man-of-the-match Pilbeam raced forward, making a 50-yard run, before playing the ball inside to Cornell, who swept the ball to McMath, who played a low centre to find Irvine at the near post, on the corner of the six-yard box.

Irvine swept his right-footed shot across Heath and the celebrations started as soon as the ball nestled inside the bottom far corner – in front of hundreds of fans on the terracing behind the goal.

”It’s a really good goal,” said Larkin.  “Bourney made a tackle in the box, which is fantastic by Bourney. A really, really good run (by Pilbeam) and we attacked with pace and power and Irvs has got a goal.

”I’m well happy we scored a goal at that end in front of the crowd. That’s what we wanted to do. We wanted to get the crowd in the game and it was a good goal.”

Another slick move could have given the home side a two-goal cushion before the break, but Heath caught McMath’s chip after a free-flowing move involving McMath, Irvine and Davey.

When asked what was said to his excitable players during the half-time interval, Larkin replied: “Just keep going.  They were a little bit excited.  I told them to relax a little bit.  I said keep doing what we’re doing, we’re going to score goals.

”I felt the back four were a little bit hesitant at times. We needed to get the ball and do things quicker, which we did.  Chris didn’t have a shot to save second half.   We were very, very good today.”

Tunbridge Wells produced their third sweeping move within the opening nine minutes of the second half, which forced Heath into making his first major save of the game.

Pilbeam, McMath and Cornwell combined down the right and McMath’s right-footed shot from 12-yards forced Heath into pushing the ball away whilst he dived to his right to make a fine block, but Irvine put the loose ball over the bar.

Hadleigh didn’t look like scoring because Spackman and Whibley formed a shield in front of Oladogba in goal – but Tunbridge Wells kept probing.

The introduction of substitute Jack Harris (for Cornell) was the inspiration that Tunbridge Wells needed to finish Hadleigh off.

They issued a warning when Harris charged forward and carved a chance for Irvine, whose left-footed shot from 20-yards curled over the crossbar.

But Tunbridge Wells doubled their lead with fourteen minutes remaining.

Harris showed strength and composure to win back the ball some 30-yards from goal before he spread the ball out wide to Pilbeam, who took the ball on before cutting a low centre across the face of goal and Irvine slid in with Donnelly to bravely poke the ball into the net with his right-foot to score his thirteenth-goal for the club from six-yards.

Larkin was delighted that hard graft on the training ground has paid off on the big stage.

”We work on that a lot in training,” he said.  “Both goals today were almost identical drills that we do in training quite a bit.  We like to get our wingers in the game and it was a good goal.”

Although Irvine picked up the official man-of-the-match award, the award should have gone to Pilbeam, who set up both goals and terrorised Hadleigh left-back Shane Wardley throughout.

Larkin said his wingers Stanford and Pilbeam have “been good all year!”

He added: “Josh is a revelation and Pilbs is quality.  Again it’s about making sure we can keep them at the club to be honest because they are our danger players. They’ve got the ability to open up the hardest and biggest defences and their place and quality is superb at times.”

Hadleigh were not going to come back from that and the home side continued to carve open their opponents at will.

Larkin added: “I thought we stopped them.  It’s no coincidence that teams play well and other teams play bad.  It’s because we stopped them from playing. We did our homework. We had them watched. We knew what they were going to do. We knew what their shape was. We knew what their danger was. We closed them down and stopped them playing and that’s why they didn’t play well.   We were very, very good today.”

Pilbeam released Harris down the right and his low centre should have been tucked home by Pilbeam, the winger hitting a left-footed shot over from six-yards.

Pilbeam was then to be denied by Hadleigh keeper Heath from similar distance, the  keeper making himself big to smother the shot with his body.

Out-played Hadleigh created the last chance inside stoppage time but Oladogba was happy to see Oliver Brown’s right-footed shot on the turn from 18-yards whistle wide, before the final whistle brought a pitch invasion from jubilant home supporters.

Larkin took it all in and said: “It’s massive for the players’ and the club. We’ve been doing it for a while now. We’ve got a really, really strong unit here and they’ve got to make the most of it because squad’s like this don’t come around very often.

”To get to the semi-finals without spending a penny is an unbelievable achievement.  The teams that are left in it are spending a hell of a lot of money.  I don’t think there’s many teams that have got this far before as purely amateur and that’s credit to everyone at the club in terms of the environment they create so people want to be here.

”A few of the guys left in the summer for bigger offers and I’m sure they’re pretty happy they’ve come back now!”

Larkin thanked the crowd for their amazing support.

”It’s an amazing crowd. That’s the atmosphere you want to play in week in week out,” he said.

”The noise when the goals went in with those standing – I was really happy we scored the first goal at that end. It’s rewarding and we want them to come back.” 

The two-legged semi-finals will be held on 23 and 30 March and Larkin is looking forward to Monday’s draw.

”We’ll see what the draw gives us on Monday and we’ll work out a plan,” said Larkin.

”We’ve got some big games coming up before then.  We have to sort out these league games and get back up the table and push up.”

When asked whether his club’s name is already on the Cup, Larkin replied, “Not yet!  Not yet it’s not!  The only engrave it once the Vase is finished so no!

”Everyone keeps saying your name’s on the Cup and that kind of thing. We’ve got a lot of work to do yet. Two big games in the semi-finals to sort out and all that depends who we get so there’s some very big teams left in this competition so we’ll see what the draw brings on Monday.”

Skipper, Jason Bourne, 32, the club’s longest serving player, also appreciated the backing that they got from the terraces.

He said: ”Really proud. It was great to see so many people come and support us. It’s a club record since it’s been reformed so that’s obviously a massive highlight for not only for us, the club to get that support behind us, it was definitely the twelve man.  It really made the difference.

”On a personal note getting through to the semi’s was brilliant. Everyone’s ecstatic. After last week’s dramatic win (at Larkhall Athletic) I think it was a little bit more subdued today. I think we controlled a lot more.  Maybe had we taken our chances it would’ve been a little bit more comfortable but we were well worth a 2-0 win today.”

Bourne formed a solid back four that kept Hadleigh quiet and he said: “We don’t let many goals in, our league form shows that as well and that’s something that we’re proud of as a back four, putting our bodies on the line and blocking things. (Lewis) Mingle down the left hand side, he doesn’t get beat for pace. Perry’s a monster and Scott throws his body on the line all the time and then the boys’ in front of us give enough protection to give us a platform to win games.”

Bourne is very proud that only Deal Town, Herne Bay and now Tunbridge Wells have reached the last four in The FA Carlsberg Vase.

”The Kent League gives us a good platform to push on and compete really well in these Vase games. We knew there’s no one above our level and there’s nothing to fear,” said Bourne.

”Deal in 2000, they were an immense side. I remember playing against them when I started playing men’s football and to be talked about in the same vein as Deal and obviously Herne Bay last year - and they were a quality side - so to be spoke about in amongst those boys is a privilege.

”But people don’t really remember semi-finalists and we want to go on and win it. We’ll be disappointed to go out in the semi’s.  Hopefully the draw’s favorable. If it’s not we’ll beat what’s in front of us.

”It’s over two-legs. I’m sure the Culverden will be full for the home leg.”
 
Tunbridge Wells: Chris Oladogba, Jason Bourne, Lewis Mingle, Tom Davey, Scott Whibley, Perry Spackman, Jon Pilbeam, Andy McMath, Andy Irvine (Brad Large 90), Carl Cornell (Jack Harris 70), Josh Stanford (Jason Barton 78).
Subs: Joe Fuller, Michal Czanner

Goals: Andy Irvine 36, 76

Booked: Tom Davey 14, Andy McMath 60

Hadleigh United: Dan Heath, Oliver Brown, Shane Wardley, Liam Jennings (Oliver Canfer 70), Mark Goldfinch, Paul Donnelly, Marcus Josiah (Jerrell Layne 70), Neil Calver, Lee McGlone, Danny Bloomfield (Matt Downing 59), Scott Chaplin.
Subs: Mark Gainsford, Charlie De Lara Bell

Booked: Scott Chaplin 27, Mark Goldfinch 41

Attendance: 1,180
Referee: Mr Nicholas Kingsley (Wickford, Essex)
Assistants: Mr Lloyd Wood (Dagenham, Essex) & Mr Jonathan Pickford (Leigh-on-Sea, Essex)
Fourth Official: Andrew Parker (Stanford-Le-Hope, Essex)