We're motivated to end our campaign with a win over Hythe, says Wells boss Martin Larkin

MOTIVATED Tunbridge Wells boss Martin Larkin says he wants to end their campaign with a win over champions-elect Hythe Town at Culverden Stadium on Saturday afternoon, writes Stephen McCartney.



Scott Porter’s side must claim at least a draw to clinch the Kent League title and to bring Ryman League football to Reachfields Stadium for the very first time.

But Larkin insists his side will not lie down and die.

”It’s an end to a long season, we’ve had a good year, so that’s what we’re looking forward to,” Larkin said on the eve of the make-or-break weekend.

”But the league title doesn’t really concern us until after the game.  We won’t be talking about it in terms of motivations. We’ve got our own goals we want to achieve tomorrow and that’s what we’ll be concerning ourselves with.”

Sixth-placed Tunbridge Wells have sealed 13 wins, 5 draws and 11 defeats in the Kent League this season, and Larkin, whose side have two more points than Erith Town and arch rivals Sevenoaks Town, wants to cement a top six finish.

And with a crowd of at least 400 expected at Culverden Stadium tomorrow, Larkin said, “Hythe are coming down and hopefully bringing quite a lot of fans with them making it a big day and a big crowd, which will be good for us, but we’ve got our own goals we want to concentrate on.

”We want to finish as high as we can in the league.  The league target is to do better than last year – we’ve got more wins than last year – we’ve scored, I think, 35 more goals in all competitions, more than we did last year so we’ve hit those.

”We finished seventh last year so we’re keen to maintain sixth or get fifth if we can.

”We’re a motivated bunch and we want to do well and that means getting something from the game.

”The reason is purely for us.  It’s got nothing do with anyone else, it’s purely for us.”

If Tunbridge Wells inflict Hythe’s fifth league defeat of the season and Herne Bay win at third-placed VCD Athletic, then Simon Halsey’s Herne Bay will dramatically grab the title and the Ryman League football.

For that to happen, ”We need to match them for work-rate and desire,” added Larkin.  “I imagine they will be very motivated so we have to match that and we have to take our chances when they come along.

”We’ve scored a lot of goals this year and we have to defend very well.  They’re top of the league for a reason – they’ve put together a good side.

”They’ve got some players there who shouldn’t be playing in the Kent League.  They’re a very, very good football team so we have to be aware of their strengths.

Larkin added, “There’s no reason why we can’t get a result.”

The last time the Kent League title was decided on a dramatic final day was five years ago.

League leaders Beckenham Town (who didn’t have the facilities equipped to host Ryman League football), were held to a draw at Erith & Belvedere, and Maidstone United snatched the title and promotion into the Ryman League with a comfortable 4-0 win at Sevenoaks Town.

The Stones went on to clinch back-to-back titles and Hythe Town have the quality to do well in the Ryman League next season, should they cross the line in first place.

Striker Brendon Cass took his tally to 37 goals with a hat-trick during Hythe’s convincing 6-2 home win over Beckenham Town last Monday, and Larkin knows Hythe are dangerous all around the park.

”It’s just not him is it?  It’s everyone else he’s (Porter) got as well in terms of Simon Austin and Craig Thompson.  Dave Cook’s back (from suspension) and Pat Kingwell.

”They’ve got a very good side with all good players and Cass is one of those we have to be aware of.  We’ve got a game plan of how we want to set ourselves up in attack and defence and hopefully that will be good enough to deal with their players.”

Whoever wins, both Hythe Town and Herne Bay (players, management team and board) must be congratulated in taking this gripping title race right to the last kick of the season.

”That’s what the Kent League want,” said Larkin.  “It’s nice for the league it’s gone to the last day.  It’s a league that has frustrated followers in terms of the size of the league and how it’s run.

”It’s good that it’s gone to the last game.  Herne Bay and Hythe have been very good for the last two years and have battled away this season so it’s exciting for those two teams and there’s other clubs in the league who want to be involved in it and it’s a good benchmark for everyone else to look at.

Larkin is delighted that his side go into their last game of the season with something to play for.

Tunbridge Wells suffered defeat in the Kent Senior Trophy Final earlier in the month to Erith Town and Larkin said, “It’s nice for us after our Cup Final.  It would be easy for our season to drift away but we’ve reacted very well with a couple of good wins and to have two home games, one was a derby game (against Sevenoaks) which we won and the other one is the potential league winners coming to us as well. 

”It’s great as it means the season hasn’t drifted away and it’s given us another big boost.

”It’s worked out quite well for us.  I imagine Hythe will be looking forward to it as well, so hopefully it’s a good day.”

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

Tunbridge Wells  v  Hythe Town
Safety Net Associates Kent League
Saturday 30^th April 2011
Kick Off 3:00pm
at Culverden Stadium, Culverden Down, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN4 9SG