Sometimes when you go through these little runs it’s nice to have a break because you can go on and we can forget about the league and we can have a good away day as a group and hopefully get a positive result, says Tunbridge Wells boss Richard Styles

TUNBRIDGE WELLS manager Richard Styles says their FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round trip to play Walton & Hersham on Saturday gives his side a nice break from the Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division.

 

The Wells are in the bottom five having lost 3-1 at home to Sheppey United on the opening day, before getting their first point on the board in a 2-2 draw at K Sports on Monday night.

Goalkeeper Aaron Lee-Wharton made two penalty saves to deny Victor Aiyelabola and Ian Batten during the game and centre-half Harry Hudson headed in a late equaliser.  Jordan Wells smashed in a 35-yard screamer to equalise for the first time nine minutes into the second half.

Walton & Hersham play at the same level as Tunbridge Wells and are top of the Cherry Red Records Combined Counties League Premier Division South table.

The Swans have kicked off their league campaign with two home wins, 3-1 over Balham and 1-0 over Banstead Athletic on Tuesday night.

“It’s a nice break from the league at the moment,” said Styles.

“Sometimes when you go through these little runs it’s nice to have a break because you can go on and we can forget about the league and we can have a good away day as a group and hopefully get a positive result, which is, for sure, what we’ll be looking to get.”

When asked how he thinks the league will pan out this season, the former Lordswood manager said: “Tough! Hopefully it will finish.  I think it will be a tough league. I don’t think there will be a front runner and it will be very tight with around four or five teams.

“I’d like us to be one of them and that’s certainly the plan.  There’s other clubs with more resources than us and bigger budgets than us but I believe in our group.  I believe in the boys I’ve got and I believe in my team sheet every week.  Yes, if we can get through this patch, we’ll be absolutely fine.”

Visit Tunbridge Wells’ website: www.tunbridgewellsfc.com

Walton & Hersham  v  Tunbridge Wells
The Emirates FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round
Saturday 7 August 2021
Kick Off 3:00pm
at Waterside Drive, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey KT12 2JP