Tunbridge Wells 2 v 2 Sevenoaks Town

Saturday 15th August 2009
FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round
Culverden Stadium, Tunbridge Wells
Attendance 127
Admission: £6.00
Programme: £1.50




Always one of the best moments of the season this weekend...the opening round of the FA Cup, and my first game of the weekend took me to one of my local clubs, Tunbridge Wells. Culverden Stadium will always be one of my favourite grounds at this level, in an attractive setting surrounded by trees and with terracing behind the goal which gives an excellent view of the pitch as well as a (relatively, for this level) passionate atmosphere.

An added bonus of this game was it being a local derby, which Tunbridge Wells usually has the upper hand on in recent encounters, and several players had made the move south from Sevenoaks to Tunbridge Wells over the summer, adding more spice to the game. Tunbridge Wells were favourites for this game too, on the back of a 6-0 opening day win (admittedly against the Kent League whipping boys, Sporting Bengal).

On a gloriously sunny day, this was an even game in the first half, with Tunbridge Wells taking the lead 10 minutes before half time. However, Sevenoaks were the superior side in the second half and within 10 minutes of the restart, were leading 2-1, fully deserved. Although Sevenoaks continued to have the edge, Tunbridge Wells wasted some excellent chances and it wasn't a surprise when they equalised 10 minutes from time, and a draw was how it ended to take the tie to Greatness Park, Sevenoaks for a replay. A fair result overall, and I wouldn't like to call the outcome of this tie, probably Sevenoaks would be slight favourites to earn a lucrative trip to Dulwich Hamlet in the next round.