We're lucky enough that we've got two chances of medals, says Tunbridge Wells boss Martin Larkin

Larkin’s side make the short trip to Tonbridge on Sunday afternoon to lock horns with Lordswood in the Kent Senior Trophy Final.

And preparations are ongoing as the Kent Hurlimann Football League club look forward to their date at Wembley Stadium on Saturday 4 May, when they face big-spending Spennymoor Town in The FA Carlsberg Vase Final.

Tunbridge Wells are only the fifth Kent club to play in a national Cup Final at Wembley Stadium.

Bromley were the first back in 1949, when 96,000 fans watched their 1-0 win over Romford in the first FA Amateur Cup Final to be played at the home of English football.

Dartford were the second Kent side to play underneath the iconic Twin Towers, but they lost 2-1 to Morecambe in the 1974 FA Trophy Final.

Gillingham suffered heartbreak in the 1999 Division Two play-off Final when they were 2-0 up and on their way to the second tier of English football, but Manchester City scored twice at the death and went on to win 3-1 on penalties.

But Gillingham bounced back a year later and needed extra time to beat Wigan Athletic 3-2.

Tommy Sampson’s Deal Town were to take part in the last match at the old Wembley in the same year, a late Roly Graham goal sealing a famous 1-0 win over Chippenham Town in the FA Vase Final.

There was to be more joy for Kent when Chris McPhee’s goal gave Liam Daish’s Ebbsfleet United a 1-0 win over Torquay United in the 2008 FA Trophy Final.

And a last minute goal from Simeon Jackson gave Gillingham a 1-0 win over Shrewsbury Town in the 2009 League Two play-off final.

But before Tunbridge Wells aim to go into Kent footballing history, they face Canterbury City in the Kent League at Culverden Stadium on Thursday night and then Lordswood in the Kent Senior Trophy Final on Sunday.

Larkin said: “It’s a big game. It’s local, being at Longmead so we can get a big crowd out.  Those that have brought tickets for Wembley in their thousands, if they haven’t seen us play, it’s a good time to come down and see us.

“Lordswood are a really good side, got some really talented players, some experienced players as well so it will be really tough.

“We have to concentrate on ourselves and try to perform on the day and if we perform like we did (at Sevenoaks Town on Monday) then we’re going to give people problems.”

Larkin’s side thrashed Sevenoaks Town 6-0 on Monday night and gained a point in a 2-2 draw at home to Deal Town in front of a crowd of 202 only 24 hours later, thanks to two goals from striker Richard Sinden.

The club face a gruelling fixture backlog this month ahead of their trip to Wembley but Larkin will play it sensible but will also remain competitive.

“We’ve got a big enough squad to rotate it around this week to keep the momentum up and keep people fresh and then we’ll attack the game on Sunday,” he said.

“It’s something that we’re excited about because it’s a chance for medals and that’s what it’s all about at this time of the year.

“We’re lucky enough that we’ve got two chances of medals and if people implode at the top of the league we’ve got a chance of a  third one so we’d definitely would rather be doing that week in week out than sitting in midtable with nothing to do.”

When asked what he is expecting against a Lordswood side playing in their first Kent Senior Trophy Final, Larkin replied: “I think in the game’s we’ve had against them this year we got beat 4-1 in the first leg of the League Cup over there when we were awful.

“We then beat them 4-1 a couple of weeks later in the league and we were due to play them last week in the league and it didn’t happen (due to a frozen pitch at Culverden Stadium).

“It’s going to be a tight. We’ve had some players who have played some very big games recently who have picked up some experience in that kind of atmosphere.  We’re expecting a large crowd there to support us as well so it will be which team handles the occasion best and can perform on the day.

“If we perform then that’s all we can ask. If Lordswood put on an unbelievable performance and beat us then we’ll hold our hands up and say well done, but all we’re looking to do is perform on the day to the best of our ability and if we do that then I think we’ll cause problems.”

With games coming thick and fast, Larkin has to concentrate on catching up in the league, but he insists his side will be fit and raring to go to face Spennymoor Town at Wembley Stadium.

Larkin said: “We’re planning for it now. We’re ready to go.  The excitement about it is there. It’s a while off yet, it’s only three and a half weeks and we’ve got the planning to do now.  A lot of work is going on behind the scenes. There’s an awful lot of work. The club are working very hard. 

“Brad (Sandeman) and I are working very hard. We’ve got full-time jobs as well so we just want to give ourselves a chance to perform on the day and that’s all we’re after.”

Tunbridge Wells visited Wembley Stadium last Friday to have a look around and met Crewe Alexandra players and officials ahead of their victorious Johnston’s Paint Trophy win over Southend United.

Larkin, 32, added: “Crewe were there when we were there on Friday looking around the pitch so I had a chat with a few of their guys and they were excited about it.

“The proportion of professional footballers to play at Wembley is absolutely tiny and our guys are going to have a chance to do that.”

Visit Tunbridge Wells’ website: www.tunbridgewellsfc.co.uk  

Lordswood  v  Tunbridge Wells
Kent Senior Trophy Final
Sunday 14 April 2013
Kick Off 3:00pm
At Longmead Stadium, Darenth Avenue, Tonbridge, Kent TN10 3JF