Tunbridge Wells 4-1 Hollands & Blair - Farnie: Some of our football was excellent - EXCLUSIVE

TUNBRIDGE WELLS 4-1 HOLLANDS & BLAIR
Wednesday 6^th December 2006
Kent Senior Trophy Second Round
Stephen McCartney reports from Culverden Stadium

Tunbridge Wells may be bottom of the Kent League table but they outclassed Kent County League minnows Hollands & Blair to reach the last eight of the Kent Senior Trophy.

Last season’s runners-up have set up a mouth-watering tie at Whitstable Town in the quarter-finals.

But there was a clear difference in class as Tunbridge Wells could have scored a lot more against a side that only entered the Kent County League two years ago.

Any fears of a cup shock were put to bed after just 180 seconds when skipper Jason Bourne scored his second career goal.

The right-back unleashed a right-footed screamer from 35-yards that went in off the left upright.

Eighteen-year-old left-sided midfielder Elliott Everson impressed on his debut and he almost doubled the lead when his shot bounced off the crossbar within a minute of the opening goal.

A driven cross from the right from the experienced Wayne Balmer presented a chance for striker Luke Wallond after fifteen minutes but he blazed over from six-yards.

Gillingham based outfit Hollands & Blair took 26 minutes to create their only chance of the first half.

Former Dartford goalkeeper James Simpson was on hand to beat away a fierce shot from Brian Greenfield and was relieved to see Billy Johnson’s follow up shot deflect past his post.

But Tunbridge Wells regained their dominance of this one-sided encounter and Balmer unleashed a right-footed volley, which crashed just past the foot of the near post, following a deep cross from Alex Rich.

The woodwork saved the visitors for the second time when Everson’s header clipped the crossbar following another perfect cross from Rich.

But the debutant, who was plucked from the reserve side, was not going to be denied for too long as he scored two minutes before half-time.

Leaving two defenders in his wake, Everson cut in from the left hand side and was fortunate to see his cross-come-shot fly into the top far corner of Ronan Arnott’s net.

Confident Everson almost added another on the stroke of half time when his 25-yard shot bounced off Dan Poet’s head and flew just over the crossbar of an open goal.

Rich turned provider once again as Tunbridge Wells scored their third goal just five minutes into the second half.

His corner was met by a towering header from Adrian Hatcher, who came up from his defensive duties to power home his header over a defender standing beside the right upright, to score his second goal of the season.

Substitute Dave Blundell, top scorer with eight goals, cut in from the left but his 25-yard shot flew into the grateful arms of the visiting goalkeeper.

Hollands & Blair squandered their second chance of the night when Ben Christy’s shot lacked power and rolled to a grateful Simpson in the 73^rd minute.

But three minutes later the striker scored a consolation when his low shot found the bottom left-hand corner.

And Simpson made a fine save to deny Cliff Elridge as Hollands & Blair almost scored an undeserved second goal.

Tunbridge Wells struck the woodwork for the third time when Blundell poked Ross Campbell’s driven cross from the right, against the foot of the near post.

But they wrapped up the victory in the 90^th minute when Ben Hilden exchanged passes with Rich before rifling the ball into the roof of the net with a left-footed shot to score his second goal of the season.

Jubilant Martin Farnie, the manager of Tunbridge Wells, said EXCLUSIVELY to www.kentishfootball.co.uk after the rout that he was pleased with the comfortable victory.

“It thought it was a nice comfortable victory tonight,” he said. “We hit the woodwork three times tonight.

“I think if the pitch had been a bit more quicker, a bit harder, we could have wrapped up five or six more.

“I thought we gave them a couple of chances late on but generally I thought they were pretty poor to be honest. They tried to knock it about but we had too much for them.

“I thought we were excellent tonight. I thought some of our football was spot on.”

Farnie, whose side have picked up just five points from eleven league outings, travel to Deal Town on Saturday before enjoying the Maidstone nightlife afterwards.

“Looking forward to it to be honest,” he said. “It’s our boys’ night out Saturday as well so we’re all excited about going out for a beer and having a good time with each other.

“But we’re looking for three points Saturday. We’ve got to start getting our league form up and running, get some points.

“Deal are in and around us at the moment so we’ve got to pick up some points against them.”

Farnie heaped praise on debutant Everson, adding: “I thought he was excellent tonight. I’ve seen him play for half an hour and I’ve had some good reports from the reserve team manager.

“I thought this was the perfect opportunity to see him and he’s done really well. I was quite impressed with him to be honest.”