VCD Athletic 2-0 Tunbridge Wells. Ford asks: How can Wells be in the bottom three? - EXCLUSIVES

VCD ATHLETIC 2-0 TUNBRIDGE WELLS
Kent League Premier Division
Wednesday 31^st January 2007
Stephen McCartney reports from The Oakwood

Two clinical finishes from striker Leroy Huggins ensured VCD Athletic climbed into fourth place in the Kent League table tonight, against a Tunbridge Wells side that’s still cursing their bad luck in the bottom three.

Although Vickers collected their 12^th league win of the season, Tunbridge Wells manager Martin Farnie was left frustrated as he thought how another good performance left them pointless.

When these two sides last met at Oakwood, in the second round of the FA Vase back in November, Tunbridge Wells were more defensive in their ways, and although the Crayford side won 3-0, the scoreline was, however, flattering.

But tonight they ventured further up field, helped by the return of striker Dave Hassett from Greenwich Borough, where he scored eleven times this season.

And VCD Athletic midfielder Gary Ward was handed the captain’s armband, as this was his 100^th appearance for the club.

Richard Rabourne, another recent Wells signing from Greenwich Borough, tried his luck from distance but his shot after just 29 seconds sailed over Grant Wallis’ crossbar.

And at the other end Mark Greatorex shot deflected just past the foot of the near post.

Stuart Robins, who was making his Tunbridge Wells debut, having signed from Croydon, flapped at Stuart Abbott’s 25-yard free-kick but he was relieved to see the ball curl just past the post after eight minutes.

A slick passing move from the hosts twelve minutes later saw Ashley Probets unleash a left-footed effort from 30-yards, which sailed over Robins’ crossbar.

Tunbridge Wells’ first chance of the game came in the 28^th minute. Vickers goalkeeper Grant Wallis rushed off his line to thwart Hassett and Alex Rich picked up the loose ball and from distance his lob dropped just over the far post.

Former professional footballer, Bradley Sandeman, playing at right-back, played the ball into Alex Rich’s feet, but his low shot from 25-yards rolled straight to Wallis.

Hassett got behind the hosts defence and his cross picked out an unmarked Luke Wallond, whose header looped wide of the right post after just 15 seconds into the second half.

Former Chatham Town midfielder Andy Boyle played Hassett in behind the defence but after bursting past Martin Driscoll, the ginger haired striker drove wide but his blushes were saved with an offside flag.

But Huggins scored his seventh goal of the season seven minutes and 27 seconds into the second half.

There was a sense of relief when the much-travelled striker turned and fired a left-footed shot which went in off the foot of the right post.

Former Thamesmead Town right-back Marc Merridan started and almost finished a move in the 63^rd minute.

He managed to keep the ball in play on the right hand side and played a simple ball to Greatorex who was waiting in support.

The former Margate man then played the ball to Gary Ward, who noticed that Merridan had continued his run into the box but Merridan’s low angled drive rolled straight to Robins.

Good play from substitute Dave Blundell carved open a chance for Hassett, but his shot took a deflection past the left post.

Then Probets’ volley screamed across the face of goal but went out for a goal-kick.

But VCD Athletic wrapped up the victory with fifteen minutes remaining from their sixth and final corner of the game.

Probets swung in a corner into a crowded goalmouth - VCD’s trademark corner kick routine - and Robins didn’t have enough purchase on his punch.

The ball dropped invitingly for an unmarked Huggins who returned the ball on the volley, which flew into the roof of the net.

Huggins was denied a hat-trick when he was picked out by a drilled diagonal pass from Greatorex but this time his shot was blocked by the advancing goalkeeper.

Huggins returned the favour three minutes later but Greatorex’s shot clipped the near post.

Speaking in an EXCLUSIVE interview with www.kentishfootball.co.uk after the game, Martin Farnie admitted his side was outdone by two quality strikes from Huggins.

“Two great finishes by a quality player is the difference between the two sides tonight. Simple as that,” he said.

“I thought we done really well first half. I thought they had to change it to cope with us second half. Just two finishes and that’s the end of it.

“It’s just another frustrating evening for us. Not disappointing (as) we’ve had some real good positives tonight.”

With Beckenham Town beating Thamesmead Town 5-1 in the Kent League Cup at Eden Park Avenue tonight, Farnie’s side can sneak into the last eight of the competition if they beat Thamesmead on Monday night at Culverden Stadium.

“Strange result,” was Farnie’s reaction when he was told the result at Eden Park Avenue.

“It’s a big game for us now. I anticipated Thamesmead to win tonight then it was going to be a dead rubber but now it’s not.

“I’m going to have to sit down with my assistant manager and see how we’re going to box it for this weekend as we’ve got (an away game at) Beckenham on Saturday and then Thamesmead Monday.

“The next game is the most important then Thamesmead becomes really important because it might give us a little bit of a chance to get into a cup final this year.”

Tunbridge Wells’ problems this season? “Goals. Simple as that,” said Farnie. “Don’t score goals, don’t win football matches. Simple as that.

“Ain’t scored enough, conceded sloppy goals. I thought second goal we could have defended that a little better than we did today.

“We worked on picking up people on corners and dead balls at the weekend (on the community pitch at Dartford’s Princes Park).

VCD Athletic boss Martin Ford, meanwhile, praised Tunbridge Wells on their display.

“They came at us like they did in the FA Vase down here,” Ford said EXCLUSIVELY to www.kentishfootball.co.uk tonight.

“I wasn’t very happy with the lads at half-time (and) I let them know it, which I haven’t done for quite a while.

“I think they needed it. I think a few of them are in the comfort zone a little bit at the moment.

“I lost my temper with a few of them and I thought we were much the better side when we came out for the second half.

“The movement was better, the aggression was better, we shut people down a lot quicker and when you have people in your side like Leroy Huggins you expect them to take them chances and he took two great ones tonight.

“Two great finishes, both clinical and probably at the end of the night that was the difference.

“I thought we out battled them second half. We had a little more quality and we played around them a little bit more and they tired towards the end.”

Ford added: “Martin (Farnie) done well. We expect that from Tunbridge Wells. They’re a good, battling side and I can’t believe where they are in the division but at the end of the day it’s a welcomed three points after the way we played on Saturday, which was diabolical.”

Ford revealed that Mark Greatorex, Gary Ward and Danny Penny are suspended when Slade Green make the short trip to Oakwood on Saturday.

He added: “It’s going to be another tough one for us on Saturday, as they all are.

“I know people are saying the division doesn’t look so strong but I’ve been in the Kent League a lot longer than anyone’s been in this league and there’s a lot of good sides in there and a lot of average sides in there that can give the sides up the top a good game. It’s proved that again tonight.”