Tunbridge Wells 1-1 Rusthall - We've got to beat champions Faversham and then we need favours from other people as well because it's not in our hands, says Rusthall manager Jimmy Anderson

Tunbridge Wells 1 – 1 Rusthall
Location	Culverden Stadium, Culverden Down, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN4 9SG
Kickoff	21/04/2025 15:00

TUNBRIDGE WELLS  1-1  RUSTHALL
Presence & Co Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division
Easter Monday 21 April 2025
Stephen McCartney reports from Culverden Stadium

RUSTHALL manager Jimmy Anderson says his club need favours from other people and it’s no longer in their hands after throwing away their place in the Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division play-off zone with one game of their best ever campaign remaining.

A crowd of 1,110 were inside Culverden Stadium to witness this battle of Tunbridge Wells but local bragging rights were shared for the second time this season after both of these sides also played out a 1-1 draw a couple of miles away at Jockey Farm Stadium back in August.

The Rustics joined the play-off picture following their impressive 20-match unbeaten run before they lost to the runners-up and third-placed finishers in their last two outings.

Rusthall lost 2-0 at VCD Athletic before they suffered their first home defeat since 24 September, as Jamie Coyle’s Wembley bound Whitstable Town issued a statement 6-0 win.

Tunbridge Wells, meanwhile, are playing 10 games in April and their manager revealed post-match that he had 16 players unavailable for this game, including Matthew Black (ankle), Ryan Hine (ACL), Nathan Moseley (hamstring), Kazzeem Richards (dual-registered), James Shield (elbow), Daniel Tear (quad), Lewis Unwin (knee), Jack Walder (family commitments) and Rory Ward (second of a three-match suspension).

After a first half stalemate, Rusthall grabbed the lead through Italian winger, Yassin Fares, who won the penalty and rolled in his 16^th goal of the campaign, as his season is now finished as he serves a four-match ban following his red-card  on Easter Saturday.

However, Tunbridge Wells restored parity just 75 seconds later when midfielder Tom Jones scored his first goal for the club.

“To be fair, I thought it was two points dropped,” admitted Anderson.

“We’ve beaten by a pitch today to be fair. That’s how I thought we’ve been beaten, the pitch.  I’m not saying it suits them but it certainly don’t suit us and even their goal has bounced over Serine, what’s comical and unbelievably bad but yes just the whole thing.

“I’ve got players that are trying to dribble on it because that’s how they play and the ball’s hit them in the chin.

“Yes, it’s just disappointing but what I will say is Rusthall’s supporters’ were unbelievable today. That’s all you could hear for 90 minutes, they were superb and what a season we’ve had or having, sorry, can I correct that, having.

“Yes, we had to (react). Saturday was completely out of the blue and it took everyone by shock, the scoreline, but by the looks of things, did Whitstable draw with Fisher today? So they obviously took all of their, I don’t know, enjoyment out on us because I think they’re a top side, so they obviously took the foot of the gas today.”

Tunbridge Wells manager Steve Ives added: “I think it was quite a frantic game. I think we scored our goal at a really good time, just so soon after they took the lead and I felt we were under the cosh for the last 10 minutes.

“Obviously, the context of the situation, it’s a game they really needed to win and they were throwing everything at us.

“I was a little bit concerned after how we ended against Corinthian on Saturday, letting in two goals in stoppage time from dead ball but credit to the players, baring in mind the minutes most of them we’ve had to go through in the last couple of weeks, they’ve stood tall and refused to be beaten so that’s quite pleasing.”

Tunbridge Wells made four changes to their side that lost 2-1 at home to Corinthian at the weekend, while Anderson kept faith with the same starting eleven that suffered a humiliating defeat to Whitstable Town, who were playing their fourth game in six days.

Tunbridge Wells created the first opening after 240 seconds.

Jack Gallagher floated a free-kick into the Rusthall penalty area and fellow central midfielder Lewis Allan found space to guide his header bouncing past the far post from 16-yards.

Tunbridge Wells missed a glorious chance to take the lead with only five minutes and 18 seconds on the clock.

Goalkeeper Serine Sanneh played out from the back and centre-half Robbie Bissett opened the gate for 24-goal striker Regan Corke, who lacked composure and sent his right-footed drive sailing over the crossbar from 18-yards with the goal at his mercy.

Ives said: “My over riding memory was when Reg managed to pick Bissett’s pocket and he’s blazed it over, which the form that Reg has been in, it was a big, big chance.  I think if that goes in it just settles everyone down a little bit but c’est la vie.”

Anderson said: “There was nothing in it, I don’t think. There was one mistake on Regan’s.  He’s through on goal and put it over the bar.  It was just a little bit of lack of communication and obviously there’s a bit old crowd behind (the goal).

“I don’t think Rob’s heard Serine say ‘yes, we’ll play’ and Regan’s got in and he’s put it over the bar.”

Tunbridge Wells were edging the first-half stalemate and their second chance was also off-target in the 18^th minute.

A square pass from Rusthall right-back Louis Anderson was intercepted by the impressive Jones, who played the ball inside to Corke, who laid the ball off to fellow striker Rhys Bartlett, who cut inside and his left-footed drive from 22-yards angled over the top of the far post.

Tunbridge Wells were winning the pitch battle and Anderson was one of numerous visiting managers who voiced their concerns about the playing surface.

Anderson said: “The first thing I said when we went in, I just said ‘how bad is it?, how bad’s the pitch?’ to the boys and they all just looked at me and smiled and was like ‘Jimmy, it’s terrible!’

“Obviously we’re a team, everyone knows we try to play football the right way. You can’t here unfortunately, so we were doing things completely different in the first half.

“I felt like the first half was a bit of a pinball game to be fair, it was back and forth, back and forth. It’s not a game I really enjoy. I’m not really one for non-league where you’re just booting the ball.  The boys had to play the conditions and we tried to do the best we can.

“Hopefully, Tunbridge Wells sort themselves out with whatever’s going on, I don’t really know but the first thing they do need to sort out is this pitch! That would help them as a club and the League should be encouraging them to do that.”

Ives was asked how he feels when rival managers criticise the playing surface.

“I think in all honesty, they’ve got a point! I mean it isn’t fantastic but at the end of the day they only have to come here once.  We’re playing on it week-in-week-out and we just sort of learn to control what you can control.

“It isn’t fantastic, it isn’t ideal for ball carriers and Rusthall have got some good ball carriers, Yassin, Jack Lyons, Noddy, so they’ve got some good ball carriers.

“But it’s like everyone thinks it’s somehow doing me a massive favour. I’ve got Regan (Corke), I’ve got Festos (Kamara), I’ve got Tom Jones. We want to carry the ball as well. It’s difficult.”

Gallagher clipped the ball up from within the centre-circle and Bartlett knocked the ball down and the unmarked Jones dragged his left-footed shot across the keeper from 20-yards, the ball bobbling and trickling past the foot of the far post.

Allan shoulder-barged Fares and the referee awarded Rusthall a free-kick, which saw left-back Jack Lyons whip his left-footed free-kick over the three-man wall and also over the Tunbridge Wells crossbar in the 24^th minute.

Gallagher (seven), Harry Hudson (five) and Rusthall holding midfielder, Frank Griffin (six) launched numerous long throws into the penalty area.

Anderson added: “We don’t normally do long throws, up until this game I didn’t know Griffin had a long throw!  We don’t have any big players in my team – unless you bring on Thompson (Adeyemi) like we did today – but we don’t have any boys what are big to actually throw it to.

“Look, it hasn’t worked today, it didn’t work for them. I didn’t feel like they caused us any problems with their long throws either.”

Ives added: “I mean compared to Corinthian on Saturday, the throw they’ve got, Keeble I think his name is, he can throw it half the pitch. I’ve never seen nothing like it!

“We’ve got Lewis Allan as well, so we’ve actually got three players who have reasonably got a long throw on them. Why wouldn’t you use it?

“I mean you can try and play quick and short on here but statistically you’ve probably got more chance of getting found out, so if you’ve got someone who can put it in there, you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do, haven’t you?”

Gallagher’s third long throw was cleared back out to him and he was outside the box on the right-hand side and he recycled the ball back into the box and Tunbridge Wells’ centre-back James White headed down and wide of the left-hand post from 10-yards from within a crowd of players.

Anderson got a positive reaction from his side, with centre-halves Robbie Bissett and Daniel Blunn in resilient mood.

“Rob was ill on Saturday, so he was a lot better today and Dan’s been superb all season for us,” said Anderson.

“I’ll be honest with you, I didn’t think they caused us much problems in behind.  They’re a direct team and that’s fair enough, that’s how they play but I didn’t think they caused us too many problems in behind.”

Tunbridge Wells created the first shot on target in the 39^th minute.

Left-back Muiz Alaka put in a left-footed cross and the ball was cleared out to Hudson, who took a touch before drilling a hooked shot from 30-yards, which bounced and was comfortably saved by Serine Sanneh.

“I personally thought it was a cagey affair. There wasn’t a massive amount of football played and there wasn’t a massive amount of clean-cut chances,” admitted Ives.

“Baring in mind the distance, the only thing is you’ve got to try your luck on here. Hudson hit it into the ground as well. The keeper’s been found out on this surface before. We did say ‘try your luck from anywhere sort of 20-25 yards out.’

“The keeper done well to hold most things. A couple of erratic moments from him but yes, he done alright.”

Anderson added: “Like you said, you said it was cagey. I don’t think there were many chances in the first half. If a team went in 1-0 up, you’d say ‘oh, that’s a mistake or the pitch has played its part’, but yes it was nil-nil.”

Rusthall also had one attempt on target during the first half (45:52) after Bartlett pulled Griffin’s shirt.

Lyons whipped in the resulting free-kick with his left-foot and Blunn rose within a crowd of players and steered his header straight at goalkeeper George Bentley, who saved comfortably.

“Dan isn’t the best in the air but he found himself free there and got a good connection and it’s hit the keeper. Either side of the keeper, maybe it causes a problem,” added the Rustics manager.

Ives added: “It was a bit of a weak header, weren’t it?  I’ll be completely honest, Jack Lyons, great dead ball delivery. I get it in for the 300^th time, I work with Jack, coached with Jack. He played with my son, they were in the same Rusthall youth side together and Jack’s a fantastic talent and I will be very surprised if he doesn’t go on and do really good things in the game, so every time he was standing over a dead ball, I’ll be honest, I was flipping worried but as it was, we manged to survive it.”

Both manager’s were asked their thoughts at the break.

Eastbourne resident Ives (who works in Tunbridge Wells) said: “We talked about the spaces out of possession. I felt the spaces between our back line were a little bit too big and they’ve got some mobile runners, which I felt could hurt us a little bit.

“We talked about adjusting our dead ball. I thought throw-ins and corners, I didn’t think our deliveries were good enough but we did also say we did have the two best chances of the half, so got to take some encouragement.  We defended the slope, kept a clean sheet.

“If you’ve got to motivate people for this game then they’re in the wrong place aren’t they, so I haven’t really done anything motivational today. I just sort of let them take their motivation from the occasion.”

Orpington resident Anderson added: “Just you’re going to have to try to get this over the line as best you can with the conditions we faced and we have enough quality amongst this team and squad to get it done.”

Tunbridge Wells kicked down the slope for the second half but their goalkeeper Bentley made a comfortable save, five minutes and 45 seconds into the second-half as Rusthall attacked down the heart of the pitch.

Central attacking midfielders Jack Kirby and Kalani Barton both linked up well before Barton cracked a first-time right-footed drive from 25-yards, which rolled towards goal and was comfortably gathered by Bentley.

“That hit a divot and then killed. We had phases of play in the second half where we got on the ball and tried to play the best we can but like I said to you, it’s so hard to try and play on here,” added a frustrated Anderson, who was naïve to think his creative players could play their usual passing game on this pitch and they had to ditch that philosophy and play a more direct style of football to win to keep their spot in the top-five.

Reflecting on his goalkeeper’s performance, Ives replied: “Bents has pretty much done everything he’s had to do, well today. Other than kick. I thought his kicking was a bit off, in fact we spoke about that at half-time, but what can you do? You can’t tell someone to kick it better. There was a bit of a cross breeze and it was making it a bit difficult but Bents had a good game.”

Rusthall grabbed the lead, however, with eight minutes and 34 seconds on the clock, through fans’ favourite Fares.

Barton hit a long diagonal over the head of Tunbridge Wells’ right-back Joshua McArthur Nolan and Fares cut into the box and McArthur Nolan was booked for bringing down the talented winger close to the by-line on the left.

Fares kept composed to roll his right-footed penalty straight down the middle, as Bentley dived to his left and ran over to the vocal Rusthall fans to receive their acclaim in what COULD be his final game for Rusthall because he is too good for the ninth-tier of English football.

Anderson said: “It was a pen. Josh jumps in, gets a yellow card. Yassin does what he does, wins a penalty, puts it away and then you’re going to ask me what happens next aren’t you? Go for it.

“Obviously, he got sent off in the last game and he gave a little message to the fans. He’s loved here, he loves it here….”

Ives admitted: “They’ve only managed to score from a penalty, which was soft.  I’m not going to say it wasn’t a penalty because I think if Macca goes to ground, he’s allowing a decision to have to be made but it was soft.

“Then we’ve just shown that resilience to bounce straight back and keep ourselves in the game.”

However, Tunbridge Wells showed great character and levelled with nine minutes and 49 seconds on the clock, following a great run and dribbling from Jones.

Alaka hit a long ball with his left-foot to release Jones, who danced past four Rusthall players, got a slice of luck, stroking his shot with the outside of his right-foot across the diving Sanneh, the ball bouncing into the bottom far corner.

“Muiz Alaka, a long pass into Jonesy and he’s done the rest. I think he sat someone on their backside, maybe a little bit of a ricochet, it kind of felt like there were a lot of green and white shirts suddenly converging on him but he’s got very good feet,” said Ives.

“That’s the thing, everyone talks about ‘the worst pitch in the league,’ yes ok, but you can still, if you’ve got good feet and you’ve got good control, as Yassin did to be fair, like Yassin caused us a lot of trouble, so you can play. You just might get found out every now and again.

“Jonesy has done fantastic and that is his first goal for us. He’s trying to prove to me that he doesn’t want to play wing-back anymore, which is where I keep sticking him, so I put him in a more attacking role.

“That’s where you see a little bit about people’s character. That’s where you see if it really matters because everyone says it matters, until you’ve got a response and I think my team have shown today that it does matter, that they do understand what it means to the people of the town and despite not necessarily having everyone available, or not having the best hand dealt to us, we’ve carried on fighting.

“That’s VCD and Fisher (two home goal-less draws) and Rusthall who have all been here (recently) and three of the play-off contenders and none of them turned us over and none of them have managed to score from open play.”

Anderson added: “To be fair that Tom Jones kid was good today. He was their best player and he’s hit it, it’s ricochet, it’s hit a few bobbles to get through and then he’s hit it with the outside of his boot.

“Serine’s got it covered but then it bounces completely over him because of the pitch. The pitch has played its part. It's a tame shot, shouldn’t go in and like I said we’ve played against a pitch today that hasn’t helped us.”

There was an air of controversy when McArthur Nolan escaped a red-card for a bad foul on Fares on the half-way line and was substituted by Ives around four minutes later.

Anderson said: “It was a foul on the half-way line. Josh commits another foul and it should be a second yellow card.  Everyone in the ground knows that as well.

“The referee somehow says ‘no, no contact’, but gives a free kick then.  They take off Josh because they know he should’ve been sent-off and I just feel like, it kills the game.”

In response, Ives replied: “It’s difficult isn’t it because it’s not reckless, it’s not like anyone’s going to get injured. The penalty was soft. If the referee decides that is a penalty that is the first yellow and they just couldn’t wait, could they? They were all piling in trying to get an 18–19-year-old kid sent-off.

“I mean Josh McArthur Nolan has been fantastic for me this season. He’s not a full-back, he’s up against Yassin, who is probably one of the best wingers in the league and another lad who will do really well in the game.

“Josh is a wing-back, who can play the 10 for us, so we flip between two formations. If we play three at the back, he’s my first-choice wing-back. If we play four at the back, then he probably would consider himself more of a 10 but we’re walking wounded a little bit.

“Macca played left-back on Saturday and right-back today, so we have to have players who are pretty versatile and you see that with Harry Hudson, Tom Jones and Festos Kamara. They all get moved around all over the shop and credit where credit’s due. Jack Gallagher is a centre-forward playing holding midfield.

“Sometimes I feel like, fair play to the ref for not letting the occasion and not letting all of the noise from everyone in a Rusthall capacity affect him.

“Yes, it could’ve been a red but it could’ve been a red but there was plenty of marginal things that could’ve been.”

Rusthall went close when Kirby released right-winger Nodirbek Bobomurodov, who cut inside Gallagher before stroking a left-footed drive from 25-yards, which flashed into the side netting.

Sanneh pulled off a fine double save to prevent Tunbridge Wells taking the lead in the 63^rd minute.

Bartlett ran into the Rusthall penalty area before Rusthall got bodies back to shut the gate before Gallagher clipped a left-footed shot towards the top left-hand corner and Sanneh plucked the ball out of the air high to his right but dropped the ball and Sanneh recovered well and smothered Bartlett’s left-footed shot, diving to his right.

Ives said: “Should’ve scored then shouldn’t we? We should’ve scored one of them. Off the top of my head, Rhy’s Bartlett, eight-yards out on his left-foot, it should be a goal, based on how good Rhys can be but the keeper’s done well.

“I’m pleased for Rhys because he obviously copped a lot of abuse for what happened in the other game (caught on camera damaging the Rusthall pitch following the final whistle) and I thought he stood up and was counted today.”

Anderson said: “He responded well from, it’s not a mistake because obviously he can’t make that mistake. The pitch has played its part and bounced over him but great from Serine. Like I said, he’s been superb for us all season, he’s been great for us.”

Rusthall dominated the rest of the game and Bentley was called into action in the 70^th minute.

Griffin floated in a deep corner from the left, Bobomurodov hooked the ball back into the danger area and Blunn’s flick from within the six-yard box was kicked away by Bentley on the volley.

Griffin’s third long throw came into the box, the ball was cleared away by White and Bobomurodov hooked his 20-yard shot into the ground and the ball bounced up for Bentley to save comfortably.

“We were knocking on the door and yes I feel like if there was probably another five or 10 minutes to play, we might’ve nicked it,” claimed Anderson.

“The (Rusthall) fans’ down that end were superb all game for us and second half we kept on piling on the pressure and we were unlucky not to win it at the end.

“We had a lot and lot of chances, whether it was from corners or open play. I feel like it’s two points dropped, not a point gained but we’ll take it.

“The Rusthall fans were unbelievable, were superb, honestly.” 

Both sides then wasted chances direct from free-kicks with Lyons bending his left-footed free-kick around Tunbridge Wells’ five man wall and bouncing past the left-hand post, before Jones cracked his right-footed free-kick over the Rusthall four-man wall at the other end.

But despite Rusthall bossing possession (with Tunbridge Wells keeping bodies behind the ball and leaving Corke isolated up front on his own), they couldn’t find the late winner, which is exactly what Punjab United found in their dramatic 2-1 win at Stansfeld today to grab the final play-off place with one game left.

Ives said: “Our target for this finish, there were four games and we wanted a minimum of eight points, so losing to Corinthian on Saturday and I felt that would be enough to secure seventh place, which is what we want.

“Losing to Corinthian meant we really had to win all three games so drawing today means the maximum we can now get is seven points, so I’m a bit disappointed.

“But I’ve also got to respect the fact that Rusthall are a good side. There was a hell of a lot riding on today for them. You’ve also got all of the normal derby sort of rivalries and what comes with that.

“I felt if we would’ve taken our chances early on we should’ve won but we didn’t and they finished stronger than us, if I’m going to be honest so yes, I’ve probably got to take the point.”

Report continues below…

WHO WILL JOIN CHAMPIONS FAVERSHAM TOWN IN THE ISTHMIAN LEAGUE SOUTH EAST DIVISION NEXT SEASON?

C  Faversham Town – P37 – W26 – D9 – L2 – F96 – A27 – PTS 87 – GD +69
Manager: Tommy Warrilow
Saturday 26 April – away Rusthall (6)

2 VCD ATHLETIC – P37 – W23 – D10 – L4 – F79 – A35 – PTS 78 – GD +44 (One point deducted)
Joint-managers: Ross Baker and Danny Joy
Saturday 26 April – away Bearsted (10)

3 WHITSTABLE TOWN – P36 – W21 – D6 – L9 – F78 – A44 – PTS 69 – GD +34
Manager: Jamie Coyle
Wednesday 23 April – away Corinthian (9)
Saturday 26 April – Home Glebe (13)
Sunday 11 May – Wembley – AFC Whyteleafe (FA Vase Final)

4 FISHER – P37 – W19 – D9 – L9 – F61 – A37 – PTS 66 – GD +24
Manager: Ajay Ashanike
Saturday 26 April – Home Hollands & Blair (15)

5 PUNJAB UNITED – P37 – W19 – D7 – L11 – F63 – A56 – PTS 64 – GD +7
Manager: Jugjit (Chipie) Sian
Saturday 26 April – Home Erith & Belvedere (7)

6 RUSTHALL – P37 – W18 – D9 – L10 – F77 – A62 – PTS 63 – GD +15
Manager: Jimmy Anderson
Saturday 26 April – Home  Faversham Town (1, champions)


Elsewhere, champions Faversham Town – who claimed the title with a 1-0 win at Tunbridge Wells last week – were crowned champions today with an emphatic 6-0 home win over bottom, already relegated side Lordswood.

Whitstable Town were held to a goal-less draw by Fisher, VCD Athletic claimed a 1-0 home win over Sutton Athletic and Punjab United climbed into the play-off zone at Rusthall’s expense.

There is just one play-off place up for grabs and Punjab United host seventh-placed side Erith & Belvedere (50 points – 13 wins, 11 draws and 13 defeats) at the Elite Venue next Saturday, while Rusthall welcome Tommy Warrilow’s champions to Jockey Farm Stadium.

“The boys are too disappointed that we’ve dropped points today,” admitted Anderson, who may have blown his side’s chances with this derby draw.

“I saw the results today, obviously Fisher was 0-0 (at Whitstable) and Punjab have nicked it in injury time, so fair play to them. 

“We have Faversham at home, fantastic team, fully deserve on winning the league. I think they beat Lordswood today quite comfortably, so they’ll come, they’re going to be full of confidence, they’ve won the league but they’ll enjoy their party tonight and we’ll give them a really good reaction when they come to us and we’ll try and put on a shot ourselves.

“We’ve got to beat them and then we need favours from other people as well. I don’t think it’s just in our hands now so yes, it is what it is.

“I said before and I’ll say again, we’ve done superbly well this season from where we’ve come and the run we’ve been on. It just goes to show how competitive this league is and how good the teams are at the top.

“It’s not in our hands. I can’t predict if we’re going to win or not yet, so it’s one game and we’ll see what happens.

“Obviously (the players’) are gutted for the fans really because we’d like to have got the win today but look Tunbridge Wells haven’t beat us this season. We’ve finished above them (for the second time in six attempts), a lot higher than them, so they (our fans) have a lot to sing about anyway.”

Tunbridge Wells, meanwhile, complete their campaign with their final home game of the season when Sutton Athletic visit on Wednesday, before Ives takes his side up the road to Bromley to play eleventh-placed Holmesdale on the final day.

Tunbridge Wells have slipped down a couple of places into 12^th in the table with 47 points (13 wins, eight draws and 15 points) and can climb into the top eight with a win in their penultimate game, with their target of a top-seven finish well in their sights.

In the First Division, only 31 people turned out for the Charlton-derby between Merdian VP and Bridon Ropes and Tunbridge Wells were treated to a lucrative Easter Monday pay day against their noisy neighbours.

“The crowd of 1,110, which is fantastic for football in the town. It’s obviously fantastic for the club, it’s much needed revenue. Hopefully that can be put to good use,” added Ives.

“It goes to show what a big, A what a big game this is and B what a big club Tunbridge Wells are.

“I wish Rusthall well. It seems now they need Punjab to slip up. I guess from a selfish point of view, it’s nice when they’re in this division because we get the derby but in truth if they manage to make the play-offs, I generally wish them well because they’re all good people, maybe people don’t want to hear but that’s my take on it.

“There’s six points to play for and we want to take all six.”

When asked about his plans for next season, ives replied: “I just think why would you think about next season until this job is done? I just want to get over the line, relax, reflect, re-group, talk to all my staff and see if they’re up for it in principle.  Talk to my players, see where their heads are at in principle and then go and sit down with the board and just understand how they think next season will pan out and then we’ll take it from there.”

Tunbridge Wells: George Bentley, Joshua McArthur Nolan (Festos Kamara 62), Muiz Alaka, Harry Hudson, James White, Keanu Barnett, Jack Gallagher, Lewis Allan, Rhys Bartlett (Jacob Feasey 68), Regan Corke, Tom Jones.
Subs: Brendan Austin, Rocco Zilli, Matthew Dunmall

Goal: Tom Jones 55

Booked: Harry Hudson 49, Joshua McArthur Nolan 54

Rusthall: Serine Sanneh, Louis Anderson, Jack Lyons, Frank Griffin, Robbie Bissett, Daniel Blunn, Yassin Fares, Kalani Barton (Thompson Adeyemi 64), Charlie Clover, Jack Kirby (Louie Clarke 76), Nodirbek Bobomurodov.
Subs: Tommy Lawrence, Abdullah Khalil, Steadman Callender

Goal: Yassin Fares 54 (penalty)

Booked: Charlie Clover 58, Robbie Bissett 75

Attendance: 1,110
Referee: Mr Harrison Clark
Assistants: Mr Tyler Diminieux & Mr William Sanderson