Tunbridge Wells 2-2 Sevenoaks Town - Exceptional Czanner denies ten-man Sevenoaks

Saturday 15th August 2009

TUNBRIDGE WELLS 2-2 SEVENOAKS TOWN
FA Cup (Sponsored by E.ON) Extra Preliminary Round
Saturday 15th August 2009
Stephen McCartney reports from Culverden Stadium

TUNBRIDGE WELLS boss Martin Larkin praised his Slovakian goalkeeper Mikelle Czanner for keeping his side in the FA Cup to earn a replay on Tuesday night.

The giant stopper, who missed the convincing 6-0 home win over whipping boys Sporting Bengal through holiday last weekend, pulled off five stunning saves to leave their neighbours frustrated.

The two west Kent clubs will lock horns again at Greatness Park to see who will travel to Ryman League Division One South side Dulwich Hamlet on 29th August.

Sevenoaks, who were defeated 2-1 at Erith Town on the opening day, were by far the better side throughout on a sunny and warm day at Culverden Stadium, but they fell behind to a fine Alex Rich strike ten minutes before the break.

But they recovered and raced into a 2-1 lead by the 53rd minute, through strikes from Chris Walker and Matt Foreman, before midfielder Guy Smith was red-carded in the 64th minute.

But Sevenoaks pressed and were denied by Czanner on many occasions and had to settle for a draw when Tunbridge Wells’ substitute John Pilbeam broke their hearts with an equaliser with ten minutes left.

But it was clear to everybody who was the star of the show - Czanner.

“He’s exceptional,” Larkin told www.kentishfootball.co.uk afterwards. “He’s been exceptional for the last eighteen months and he’s pulled off three or four one on one saves there that were just top, top drawer.

“He’s a very good goalkeeper and a big part of our team.”

Czanner was first called into action inside the opening eight minutes. Smith hooked the ball to right-back Tony Webb, who was later booked for time wasting whilst preparing to take a goal-kick, and his ball over the top released striker Joe Creasey, who looked up before unleashing an angled right-footed drive, which brought a low save from the goalkeeper.

Creasey then turned provider for Sevenoaks after 17 minutes, flicking the ball up for Smith, whose angled drive spun off Czanner’s body and bounced out for a corner.

Stunned Tunbridge Wells finally called Sevenoaks goalkeeper Barry Andrews into action after 29 minutes.

Rich swung in a corner with his right-foot from the right and this was met by former Oaks striker, the physically strong Benji Agana, who powered a header towards the near post and Andrews was on hand to make a fine reaction save.

But Tunbridge Wells grabbed a 35th minute lead, which on reflection, was totally against the run of play.

Right-back Brad Sandeman, the home side’s player assistant, fed the ball into Agana’s feet, who shrugged off the challenge of central defender Adrian Griffiths, cut in and rode Michael Cook’s sliding challenge, before looking up and squaring to Rich.

The unmarked left-winger, lurking inside the box, drove the ball past Andrews to give the home side an undeserved lead.

Agana once again showed his talents when he held off his former team-mates and squared the ball for Brad Draper, whose left-footed drive across Andrews flashed past the far post.

Whatever was said by the Sevenoaks management team inside the modest dressing rooms at Culverden Stadium had the desired effect as they were level after just 82 seconds into the half.

And what a goal it was! Nippy right-winger Walker exchanged passes with Foreman and from the edge of the penalty area cracked a stunning right-footed drive, which he lashed into the top right-hand corner, leaving Czanner rooted to the spot.

“That was a stunning finish for the equaliser,” Sevenoaks Town manager Simon Jones told www.kentishfootball.co.uk afterwards.

“But he needed to do that after mucking up and not marking for their first goal - but it was a good finish.

“Chris Walker was a good player today. I think there were some good performances from the guys all round.”

Things got even better for the visitors, taking a deserved lead after 53 minutes.

Smith released left-winger Joe Minter down the left and he skinned Sandeman, who was left grounded, before squaring to Foreman, who smashed the ball past Czanner with his left-foot and was mobbed by ecstatic team mates by the corner flag.

Sevenoaks felt they should have had one foot in the preliminary round just before the hour-mark - but Czanner had other ideas.

Wells central defender Jon Lord could only raise his arms as Walker played the ball past him for Foreman to latch onto and race through on goal.

Giant Czanner advanced, stood tall and made a fine block but the striker picked up the loose ball and floated the ball from right to left for Creasey, whose header was saved by the heroic goalkeeper.

But the turning point arrived in the 64th minute when Smith was red-carded.

Smith was penalised by Sittingbourne referee Mr Saul Kay for going in strong on Wells midfielder Draper, who also gave as good as he got, and was sent-off for retaliating as things reached boiling point.

Smith’s frustration was obvious when he stormed off the pitch, banged the dressing room door and returned to watch the rest of the game in front of the stand, criticising the referee’s performance on a regular basis.

But Sevenoaks were frustrated again by Czanner just a minute later when Foreman cut inside Lord and with only the keeper to beat, his shot came off the goalkeeper and looped over the bar.

Agana spun past his marker in the 71st minute and his deflected drive flashed just past the foot of the near post.

And from Andrew McMath’s resulting corner from the right, Draper’s far post header went just wide.

Pilbeam’s introduction certainly woke up the home side and in the 75th minute, after twisting and turning, the substitute cracked a right-footed drive into Andrews’ midrift.

But Tunbridge Wells grabbed an 80th minute lifeline through Pilbeam - and created a couple of late chances to steal victory.

Substitute Sam Phillips slid the ball onto Kyrone Joseph’s hand and played a short free-kick to Newman, who chipped the ball into the penalty area.

Pilbeam, with his back to goal, brought the ball down with his chest, turned and cracked a left-footed volley, which gave the stranded goalkeeper no chance.

Sevenoaks substitute John Alegbe was then thwarted by the advancing goalkeeper in another one-on-one. The striker wriggled through the heart of defence, following Creasey’s cut-back from the right by-line, but the Slovakian was in world-class form.

Tunbridge Wells almost grabbed victory at the death as Agana twice went close.

He was first denied by a fine fingertip save from Andrews and after latching onto Phillips’ ball over the top, he forced himself wide and with an angled left-footed chip, the ball agonisingly bounced down off the crossbar.

Sevenoaks would have been in the next round of the FA Cup if it wasn’t for Czanner’s heroics and Jones added, “with probably four or five on the board as well to be perfectly blunt!

“He’s pulled doff a great one one one in the first half and then he’s pulled off three, maybe four really world class saves so credit to the guy. He’s kept his team in it. But saying that our goalkeeper, the last two saves kept us in it!”

Jones added: “We felt a little bit hard done by the equaliser, we felt the marking let us down a little but then bang at the end Barry’s pulled off an absolutely stunning save, a goal bound effort from Benji Agana, our old striker, which would have been catastrophic for us but that’s another story!”

When asked his opinion on Smith’s red card, Jones replied, “I’m not here to comment on referee’s. That’s the endd of it. I wouldn’t honestly know (why he was sent off) to be perfectly blunt.”

But he added: “I find it very, very unusual that in a highly competitive game only one team gets any bookings! That’s all I have to say.”

But Jones was pleased with his side’s showing.

“I would say on performance today we deserved to win, although the result didn’t show it,” he said.

“That’s probably credit to Tunbridge Wells because they battled hard and they took the opportunities that were presented to them, like the referee’s opportunity with Guy getting sent off.

“They adapted to the conditions, we unfortunately didn’t adapt to the conditions with the sending off, but overall I thought we were excellent today.

“Our football was slick, I thought it was attractive, everything I like for a football game. At times we were untouchable.

“Some of the moves that we made in the second half, another game we would’ve finished five or six clear so from my point of view bring on Tuesday, but we have to play like we did today.”

Wells boss Larkin, meanwhile, who got married a couple of days ago, blasted his team for their lacklustre performance.

“We set our standards last week and standards through pre-season that we didn’t hit a single one today,” he bemoaned.

“We weren’t at the races, we were flat, we weren’t tight enough, we weren’t sharp enough, our energy levels weren’t quite there for some reason.

“We’ll address that and it’ll be very, very different Tuesday night! The players know that and we’ll see what happens!”

Larkin, who was assistant last season, added: “The boys know themselves that they didn’t play well. There’s two or three that had a very bad game and we’ll address that. A couple of changes will be made for Tuesday, freshen it up a little bit and we’ll go from there.”

One positive note was the performance from Agana.

“He’s a really good player,” said Larkin. “He’s come back this year, I really didn’t want him to leave last year to be honest. He’s come back and done well.

“He’s very strong, physical and holds it up well, brings people into play. He’s got to work on his shooting and all round game really but the attributes that he’s got are very, very good and if we can keep him for a while he’ll certainly score goals and create for us.

“We’ll improve him as a player and if we don’t go up, I’m sure he’ll move up because he’s got all the parts to him.”

Tunbridge Wells: Mikelle Czanner, Brad Sandeman (John Pilbeam 67) Steve Ashmore, Matt Newman, Jason Bourne, Jon Lord, Andrew McMath, Brad Draper, Benji Agana, Mike Lord, Alex Rich (Sam Phillips 56).

Subs: Kevin Brown, Luke Wallond, Brad Mortimer.

Goals: Alex Rich 35, John Pilbeam 80

Barry Andrews, Tony Webb, Michael Cook, Adrian Griffiths, Lee Demaerteraere, Guy Smith, Kyrone Josephs, Chris Walker, Joe Creasey (Billy Shinners 90), Matt Foreman, Joe Minter (John Alegbe 78).

Subs: Michael Smith, Dean Montgomery, Billy Simpson, Michael Mullan.

Goals: Chris Walker 47, Matt Foreman 53

Booked: Kyrone Josephs 41, Tony Webb 86

Sent off: Guy Smith 64

Attendance: 127

Referee: Mr Saul Kay (Sittingbourne)

Assistants: Mr John Ridout (Maidstone) & Mr Jim O’Cock (Maidstone)