Tunbridge Wells 1-3 Windsor & Eton - Too many people have under-achieved and unfortunately the Vase dream is over for another year, admits Tunbridge Wells boss Steve Ives, as Bentley drives the Royals' into the Last 32

Tunbridge Wells 1 – 3 Windsor & Eton
Location	Culverden Stadium, Culverden Down, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN4 9SG
Kickoff	13/12/2025 15:00

TUNBRIDGE WELLS  1-3  WINDSOR & ETON
The Isuzu FA Vase Third Round
Saturday 13 December 2025
Stephen McCartney reports from Culverden Stadium

TUNBRIDGE WELLS manager Steve Ives says his side lacked desire and that too many people have under-achieved during their self-inflicted FA Vase exit at home to Windsor & Eton.

Rob Webb’s side will host Ajay Ashanike’s Fisher in the Last 32 on Saturday 17 January after putting in a professional job to beat Tunbridge Wells at Culverden Stadium to extend their unbeaten run to 14 games across all competitions.

Home goalkeeper, George Bentley, 25, suffered a horrendous zero out of 10 performance as he was at fault for all three of the Royalists’ goals and often came out of his penalty area and his kicking was awful too.

Right-winger Isaiah Chase-Kelly headed in following Bentley’s initial save to give Windsor & Eton the lead, before a cross from within the left-channel sailed over Bentley and clipped the far post and went in off left-back Jack Gallagher for an own goal.

Tunbridge Wells threw caution to the wind and had Webb’s side on the ropes for a large period of the second half and midfielder Rory Webb stroked in his third goal of the season with 22 minutes remaining, but a massive howler from Bentley gifted substitute lone striker Ethan Darcy his sixth goal of the season on a counter-attack to kill the game.

Tunbridge Wells finished the game with 10 men as Ward picked up his second yellow card after being cautioned by referee Joshua Langley-Fineing for simulation - and then dissent, nine seconds into stoppage time.

“I think we’ve let in three very poor goals and you’ve got your back against the wall to win any football match in that scenario,” admitted Ives, who also saw his side lose at this stage of the competition last season, losing to Crawley Down Gatwick on penalties after a 2-2 away draw.

“I thought we played ok in between those areas and I thought when we got it back to 2-1, we kind of had them worried at the very least. Having said that, they did defend their penalty box quite well and we didn’t, in a nutshell.

“I thought they’re very together, that’s obvious from the moment they turned up. They defend their box really, really well and they don’t let many goals in.

“I think what we had to do is make sure that we didn’t give them any sort of gifts but yes, it’s like early Christmas (present) really weren’t it from us. I think all three goals are borderline comical, if you’re not involved.”

Windsor & Eton arrived in Kent sitting in sixth-place in the Combined Counties League Premier Division North, having picked up 35 points (10 wins, five draws and one defeat) from their 16 games.  They are seven points adrift of leaders Broadfields United.

The Royalists’ last tasted a League defeat on 23 August and were unbeaten on their travels in the League, so were always the favourites’ against the 2013 FA Vase runners-up.

Windsor & Eton have beaten Whitchurch United (2-0) and Kevin Stevens’ Bearsted (2-0) to reach this stage of the competition, while Tunbridge Wells failed to replicate their surprise 1-0 win away to neighbours Rusthall in the First Round, before a 4-0 home win over Sheerwater last time out.

Three players were listed as wearing the number 12 shirt on the team-sheet as Ben Martin-Coward had his name scrubbed off just seconds before the sheet was going to be handed in to the match referee 45 minutes before the kick-off.

Chairman Scott Bartlett told Ives that the player wasn’t registered in time of the original deadline – a day before the original fixture – which was called off seven days ago due to a waterlogged pitch.

Ives wrote James Shield’s name on the team-sheet before the exchange and made a call to the player and had to leave a voicemail message, so Ives drafted in Hayden Marshall as a last minute unused replacement instead.

Ives said: “I doubt if he was ecstatic about it but it’s not really any conversation to be had. It's one of the Rules. It was an oversight on our behalf.  Thankfully Hayden Marshall, who’s a young lad, who’s been with us since pre-season was back from Southampton University and we were able to call him up.  Yes, disappointing because Ben’s just come back to the club and he’s been training well – but his time will come.”

The Wells were also without Muiz Alaka (suspended after picking up two yellow cards in the two earlier rounds), Rhys Bartlett (attending a wedding), Deshon Carty (cup-tied), Ryan Coltress (suspended), Jacob Feasey (ACL), Lucas Murrain (working in Doah, Qatar for the next three months) and Nathan Moseley (ACL).

Windsor & Eton came out of the traps with all guns blazing at the start of both halves and missed a glorious chance after only 54 seconds.

Centre-half Toby Bridges drilled a free-kick down the line towards the unmarked Chase-Kelly, who whipped in a cross from within the right-channel towards the back post where unmarked four-goal striker Jabir Laraba headed down and past the left-hand post from eight-yards.

“I think they started both halves a lot faster than us and they had chances at the start of the second half as well, so that was disappointing, especially when you’re at home,” highlighted Ives.

“There’s been occasions where we have come flying out of the blocks and you can obviously set the tempo for the game but a little bit of a let off.”

Tunbridge Wells centre-half Tom Penfold was in resilient mood as Windsor & Eton controlled the opening exchanges and doubled up on 11-goal attacking midfielder D’Armando Lawrence.

Talisman winger Regan Corke – who scored the only goal of the game at Rusthall in the First Round – was nowhere to be seen, going missing without trace and offered no threat at all.

“I would say both struggled to get into the game,” admitted Ives.

“Some of that was down to us not being able to give them the ball in the right areas.  Some of that was down to their own movement or lack of it and maybe we have to give Windsor some credit.

“I’m not sure if I noticed any special tactical game plan. I just think it was more a short-falling on our behalf, including them to be fair.”

The first half lacked quality, with both teams often kicking the ball out of play, before Tunbridge Wells started to get back into the game, creating their first opening in the 21^st minute.

Gallagher clipped the ball into the left-channel and Lawrence cut the ball back to Ward, who put in a cross from the left, which came out to Jonathan Shea but the central midfielder drilled his right-footed shot across the keeper and past the far post from 25-yards.

Gallagher threw the ball short to often frustrated striker Trevor McCreadie, who held the ball off his marker close to the penalty area within the left-channel before Gallagher whipped in a cross into the area and Ward poked the ball towards the by-line and Corke ghosted in at the last minute and lashed his right-footed shot high over the crossbar from a tight angle (22:53).

Windsor & Eton went route one and took the lead with the next phase of play, with 23 minutes and 28 seconds on the clock.

Goalkeeper Finley Purcell launched a big kick straight down the middle and Tunbridge Wells centre-half Ryan Hine opened the gate and let in Laraba through on goal. His right-footed chip saw the advancing Bentley stuck out his arm and palmed the ball looping towards his own goal and the ball bounced for the unmarked Chase-Kelly to knock the ball over the line with his head from three-yards out at the near-post.

“No he couldn’t (miss). I mean if we’re missing headers, that’s obviously where the situation’s originated,” reflected Ives.

“We’ve had a miss-communication between Hinsey (Hine) and Leo (Vowles) and Hinsey, I think he’s told Leo, he’s got a free header. I haven’t had a chance to have a real debrief but they’ve allowed the ball to just drop on the floor.

“I don’t think Bents can do a massive amount than what he does with it and I’m not even sure why the bloke wasn’t being marked.

“The original mistake is just not clearing the flipping header and it was an innocuous situation. It didn’t look threatening. It didn’t look like we were in any sort of trouble and we’ve really have mastered our own downfall there.”

Purcell was called into making a save just past the half-hour mark (30:17) when Ward played the ball inside to holding midfielder Christopher Lawal, who was given time and space to crack a low right-footed drive towards goal from 30-yards, which was spilt by Purcell, low to his right and Owen Lawrence’s offside flag was raised to thwart McCreadie scoring his first goal of the season from inside the six-yard box.

“There were a few speculative shots wasn’t there,” said Ives.

“I think probably the best one was Chris, that the keeper spilt and Trev’s poked it in the net and the flag’s gone up.

“There wasn’t much of a complaint but I did think because they defend their six-yard box so well, you either have to try your luck from distance or you’ve got to try to go around them and get in behind but we didn’t do so well with that.

“I think he done alright again. Trev’s a forward that feeds off the service and I don’t think our crosses, I thought they lacked a lot of imagination in the first half. We were pretty much putting it on the first man’s head the majority of the time.

“So you’re talking about someone who’s had to feed to scraps. He’s put the ball in the net to be judged offside.”

Windsor & Eton doubled their lead through a comical goal, timed at 35 minutes and 33 seconds on the clock.

Attacking midfielder Leo Decabo rolled the ball out to left-winger Enzo Pashaj, who was left unmarked within the channel as Tunbridge Wells’ right-back Leo Vowles was nowhere to be seen.

Pashaj delivered a cross towards the back-post where goalkeeper Bentley and Gallagher were positioned and the ball clipped off the far post and appeared to have taken a nick (off Gallagher) on the line and bounced over the goal-line.

“It’s a speculative cross, which for some reason between Bents and Gallo, nobody’s got anything on and I think it’s floated straight in,” said Ives.

“I think it’s a mess from our own perspective to be honest.  As I said, they haven’t had to work particularly hard to put the ball in the net three times today and that’s really disappointing.

“But that’s the reality of the game isn’t it. You can’t keep giving away soft ones like that.

“If you don’t let in many goals (11 goals), you don’t lose games do you and we’ve given them the perfect sort of cushion there.”

Tunbridge Wells needed half-time to come at this point and Windsor & Eton created another chance (42:11) when central midfielder Ross McKernan picked the pocket of Shea before releasing Laraba in the middle but his scuffed right-footed shot rolled past the goal from 25-yards.

Windsor & Eton’s defensive weak-link was down their left (Tahir Carmichael) as Vowles got in behind and reached the by-line to clip a cross towards the near post for McCreadie’s header, which seemingly deflected past the far post.

“Trev’s had the header, which was going in and the referee’s given a corner, so I assume it’s flicked off one of their players, so to give him his dues, he’s hit the target twice. One’s been ruled out for offside and the other one went out for a corner.”

Corke appeared in the game (44:02) when he cracked a right-footed drive from 25-yards, which was comfortably held by Purcell but Tunbridge Wells don’t seem to tick when Corke is kept out of games and he went missing during this one.

When asked what was missing from his side during the first half, Ives replied: “I think it was cutting edge and that’s not necessarily just the forwards, it’s the speed that we move the ball, it’s the decisions, it’s the running of the ball.

“We just lacked a little bit of invention and maybe desire, particularly in the first half.”

When asked about his half-time team-talk, Ives replied: “We talked about the quality of our final ball, what they do. I’ve watched them against Bearsted and watched them play a League game (a 5-0 home win over North Greenford United) and what they do, whenever the ball goes into wide areas they retreat back on their six-yard line, so we just said the balls have got to be cut-back. There’s no point drilling balls at four blokes.

“I said even me and my coaching staff, if we stood on the six-yard line, we’d probably head most of them away, so just said we’ve got to vary up the runs that we’re making and we’ve got to vary up the angles that we’re delivering the ball from.

“That was pretty much the message really because I didn’t think tactically we were being found out because neither of the goals, I didn’t think they offered much of a threat to be completely truthful. We were just the architects of our own downfall.”

Windsor & Eton created an opening after only 20 seconds and Fisher will need to be wary about Webb’s sides fast starts at the start of both halves in the next round.

The Berkshire outfit kicked down the slope after the interval and Pashaj whipped in a left-footed cross from the left, Gallagher cleared his lines at the back post and the ball was cleared out to holding midfielder Sam Hutchings, who drilled his right-footed drive over the crossbar from 25-yards.

Ives said: “They went straight down the end and whipped one across the goal and you think ‘you’ve just sort of given everyone the ‘come on boys, the next goal’s crucial’ kind of rhetoric and we’ve almost killed the game against us but in fairness I felt we played significantly better in the second half.”

Vowles was inside his own half and launched a long ball over the top for Lawrence to wake up from his slumber – the number 10 arrived at Culverden Stadium just 65 minutes before kick-off and if you’re going to arrive late to a home game on a Saturday, at least do not put in an awful personal performance!

Lawrence cut inside McKernan and had the option to have a shot at goal himself but he chose to square it to McCreadie but Windsor & Eton centre-half Luke Appleton shut the gate and made a vital block (7:50).

“Ultimately, football’s all about goals and if you’re not making good chances, so you’re noy likely to score but I thought we played quite well between the penalty boxes but yes we struggled with final passing, decision making and movement to be honest,” admitted Ives.

Tunbridge Wells were now playing on the front foot and Lawal’s right-footed drilled free-kick from 35-yards was comfortably gathered in Purcell’s midriff down on his knees in the 65^th minute.

Tunbridge Wells kept two defenders (Hine and Penfold) at the back and pushed bodies forward and they deservedly pulled a goal back, with 22 minutes and 59 seconds on the clock.

Carmichael was once again nowhere to be seen and allowed Vowles to get in behind him and whipped in a right-footed cross within the channel.  The ball was cleared away and the ball was set to Ward, who stroked his left-footed shot through a crowd of players and across the diving keeper to trickle over the line to find the bottom right-hand corner.

“I think we did mount of a little bit of a fight-back and I felt we were playing really well. I thought the goal was coming, I felt like it was coming,” said Ives.

“I don’t think there was many people that would begrudge us the goal at that point in the game based on our trials and efforts, if nothing else.

“It was just whether we’ll have a bit of quality and Rory has stepped up and he’s put his foot through it and I actually felt they were rocking at that point.

“There was plenty of time. I think there was the best part of 22 minutes plus (six minutes and 17 seconds) of stoppage time, so there was plenty of time for us to back that up with another one, which I was quite optimistic.”

Tunbridge Wells then dropped off their high tempo that brought them their consolation goal and dominated the possession of the ball as Windsor & Eton were resilient with over six footers traditional centre-halves Bridges and Appleton in resilient mood, as the home side threw bodies forward.

But Tunbridge Wells lacked quality to get a shot on target during their dominant spell in the game.

There were 20 players inside the Windsor & Eton half before Appleton smacked a volleyed clearance out of their crowded penalty area upfield and lone substitute striker Ethan Darcy chased a lost cause as the ball went bounced towards goalkeeper Bentley.

However, Bentley kicked the ball straight at Darcy, who took a touch before calmy slotting his left-footed shot into the empty goal to score his sixth goal of the season to kill the game off with 32 minutes and 7 seconds on the clock.

Bentley – whose kicking was awful during the entire game, especially when he rushed out of his penalty area on several occasions earlier on – sunk to his knees outside his penalty area as his team-mates tried to get him out of jail at the other end.

“Then probably the third (goal is) probably the worst one of the lot, wasn’t it,” admitted Ives.

“I mean the striker’s done what he should do, which is to chase down lost causes when you’re up there on your own like that and I guess it just proves that if you chase down enough lost causes you’ll get your luck.

“It’s just a bad mistake from Bents. He doesn’t make many of them. So, what can you say? Noones meant to do it. He’s held his hands up already. He’s a real good lad. He’s been brilliant for us but yes, it’s a mistake and that has then given us a mountain to climb hasn’t it.

“I don’t think we downed tools. I don’t think we stopped trying but you’re asking, 3-1 with probably 15 minutes to go, we haven’t really got a chance.

“He’s held his hands up, he’s apologised and no-one’s going to hold it against him for the rest of his life.  You know, it’s just one of those things.”

Ward swung in the home side’s eighth (of 10) corner in from the left and the ball was cleared out to Lawrence, who cracked a right-footed half-volley straight down Purcell’s throat from 25-yards but Windsor & Eton – who have only conceded 11 League goals this season – were not going to concede a second goal.

“There were periods of good play between the two penalty boxes. I think we controlled, controlled is a stupid word really. I think we had a lot more of the ball than them but ultimately what happens in the penalty boxes is what decides games of football and they’ve defended their box a lot better than us, so I take the need to work on our defence.  We didn’t have either of our first-choice full-backs playing today,” revealed Ives.

“What do I take from it? There’s a lot to work on. I think is what I’ll take from that. Good luck to them, they defended, yes, they’ve got Fisher next.

“Yes, I feel, look, there’s no point crying because we’ve let in three crap goals and we’ve only scored one, so they’re the facts, so fair play to Webby and fair play to Windsor.

“I’m sure they’ll have a lovely coach drive home and they’ll look forward to the next round. They deserve it. Well done. We are capable of winning that game of football.  Too many people have under-achieved, that’s the bottom line.”

Bentley, Hine, Shea, Lawrence and Corke just failed to perform, while Joshua McCartur-Nolan came off the bench in the 64^th minute in a bid to shift momentum in a positive way and you can’t carry so many passengers in the latter rounds of The FA Vase.

Referee Joshua Langley-Fineing pulled out a second yellow and then a red card for Ward (45:09) for dissent, after being cautioned for simulation after going down after cutting along the by-line in the 73^rd minute.

“After the game we go and see who are behind that goal. Now, I’m not naive enough to think that all our fans are completely unbiased, so they’re all saying ‘he’s blatantly got his legs hooked away’.

“I’m not sure why you would go round someone and then throw yourself to the floor, so we’ll look it back on the (recording) once it uploads.  Why would Rory dive in that situation?

“So, at best it’s not a foul, at best, in my opinion. I’ll watch it back and if I have to eat humble pie and If I have to apologise (to the referee), then that’s what I’ll have to do but I can’t Pathom… I’m 60-yards away, same as yourself (standing behind the home dug-out). What do you think? Did you think it was a penalty?”

Unfortunately, this website does not have the budget for cameras that provide
 live action replays of games in the lower reaches of the non-league game (ninth-tier of English football).

“Anyway, whatever, so he’s now on a yellow and he’s had about three or four kicks at him, which in fairness the referee has eventually given us the free-kick (on the half-way line) and he’s gone, I’ve heard him now he’s shouted it ‘how many times do I have to get kicked before I get a free-kick?’

“In fairness, that probably is dissent and we unfortunate have had a bit of a bad run with dissent, so we’ve all got to have a look in the mirror because it’s killing us a little but – but what a cheap sending off.

“He’s got sent off for getting fouled twice and that’s the irony of the situation and there wasn’t any dissent for the first one, he’s been booked for simulation. I don’t know, I don’t know. I just find it hard.”

Meanwhile, there were eight Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division games today and as a result Tunbridge Wells slipped down three places into eleventh, having picked up 26 points (eight wins, two draws and eight defeats) from their 18 of 36 games.

Newly-promoted side Faversham Strike Force visit Culverden Stadium next Saturday and they lost 3-2 at home to Punjab United today.

Chipie Sian’s side are now in fifth-place in the table with 30 points from 19 games, while Faversham Strike Force sit in the bottom five (fifteenth) with 18 points (five wins, three draws and 10 defeats), seven points clear of the relegation zone that contains Stansfeld and Hythe Town.

Ives said: “I know a little bit about Faversham (Strike Force). We haven’t played them yet. It's one of a few teams we haven’t played but from what I’ve been told, they play 3-5-2, they’re quite quick to go back-to-front. It might suit them on this pitch to be fair because I imagine it’s probably still be showing the battle scars of this (game) next Saturday.

“We’ve got to re-group. We’re in a reasonable position in the League. We have dropped places but it is so tight. A few wins are important. We’ve now got Faversham (Strike Force) and Rusthall before the end of the year and what we can’t do is feel sorry for ourselves and let one defeat become a run of defeats.

“Let’s not forget we’ve had a creditable win away at Erith & Belvedere, who I think were sixth at the time, to get through to the Quarter-Finals of the SCEFL (Challenge) Cup, so football is just like that isn’t it.”

Ives then takes his side to Rusthall on Saturday 27 December for the biggest derby in this League.

Jimmy Anderson’s side lost 2-1 at Bearsted (now third) today and have slipped down to fourth-place in the table, with 34 points from 16 games – 10 points adrift of leaders Whitstable Town, who have beaten Larkfield & New Hythe (2-1) and Chislehurst Glebe (2-0) this week to move five points clear of the Larks.

Ives said: “Again, it’s another game. If you’re sort of involved with football at this level, there aren’t many bigger games than the Rocks Derby. They’ll be a minimum 800 people there so in terms of an occasion, why wouldn’t you be involved in football to play in front of 80 people every week?

“It’s a fantastic occasion. Rusthall are a very good side. Sometimes I think I’m leading a bit of a charmed life against them because I haven’t lost yet in three seasons, so I’ve probably put the kiss of death on that but what will be, will be.

“We’ve just got to focus on trying to get our levels back up to eight’s out of 10 plus and I think if we can do that as we showed in the First Round against them, we’re more than capable of matching them but if we’re off it, if we take them for granted, they’re a good side, who could roll us, so I’m under no illusions.”

A small crowd of 225 witnessed the 2013 FA Vase runners-up exit and Ives had this message for the faithful with his side only four points adrift of the play-offs.

“Those that came, thanks for coming. I appreciate your support.  Obviously, unfortunately the Vase dream is over for another year but we’ve still got the Challenge Cup and we’ve still got the League to focus on and they’re continued support and positively will help us get there I guess.

“I still think we’ve got to be looking at the play-offs. I mean it’s by no means a given and if we make it, we would’ve over-achieved but what’s the point in setting out in life to do anything if you’re not trying to over-achieve?

“We’ve beaten teams that are currently sitting in the play-offs, so there’s nothing to be scared off, it’s just, for us, consistency.”

Tunbridge Wells: George Bentley, Leo Vowles (Daika Montague 86), Jack Gallagher, Christopher Lawal, Ryan Hine, Tom Penfold, Regan Corke, Jonathan Shea (Joshua McArthur-Nolan 64), Trevor McCreadie, D’Armando Lawrence, Rory Ward.
Subs: Hayden Marshall, Matthew Dunmall, Bradley Austin

Goal: Rory Ward 68

Booked: Jonathan Shea 45, Rory Ward 73, Jack Gallagher 90

Sent Off: Rory Ward 90

Windsor & Eton: Finley Purcell, Kieran Jordan (Ethan Kitching 90), Tahir Carmichael, Sam Hutchings, Toby Bridges, Luke Appleton, Enzo Pashaj, Ross McKernan (Ben Catt 76), Jabir Laraba (George Weston-Brown 71), Leo Decabo (Luke Phillips 86), Isaiah Chase-Kelly (Ethan Darcy 57).

Goals: Isaiah Chase-Kelly 24, Jack Gallagher 36 (own goal), Ethan Darcy 77

Booked: Isaiah Chase-Kelly 38, Toby Bridges 62, Ross McKernan 65

Attendance: 225
Referee: Mr Joshua Langley-Fineing
Assistants: Mr Matthew Dyson & Mr Owen Lawrence