Richard Styles’ return to Martyn Grove saw his old side taking the spoils as Lordswood made it three games without defeat as Tunbridge Wells missed the chance to close on the top four in the SCEFL Premier table.

On a grey cold afternoon at The Grove, Styles would have been forgiven for thinking that it wasn’t going to be his side’s day when home keeper Rilwan Anibaba made a near point-blank miraculous reflex save early.

This came just moments after a looping header from Jai McKinley (or more precisely his shoulder) left Wells keeper Simon Overland rooted to the spot.

And then again after the break, just as the Wells were beginning to get the home side on the back foot, Lordswood sub Alex Brefo thundered in a shot that beat Overland before crashing down off the underside of the bar and into the visitors net off the back of a bewildered keeper.

It was the visitors who were so close to taking the early lead when Anibaba’s heroics denied a combination of Josh Froggatt and Danny Powell from point blank range after Jason Thompson’s fine ball.

Meanwhile the home side fashioned their first chance when defender Emmanuel Maja’s free kick was literally an inch too high as it whistled over Overland’s cross bar.

At the other end, Powell headed over from a corner before Lordswood took the lead when Jai McKinley connected with Taylor Fisher’s free kick and the ball looped into the Wells’ net.

It was nearly two just a short time later as Antwon McKenzie had a shot well kept out by Overland after a great run from Tyler Anderson-Parr, but then in the remaining time of the opening half, Lordswood lost both McKinlay and Anderson-Parr to injury.

Behind at the break, you sensed that Styles may be looking for an improvement in his side in the second half and almost immediately, Anibaba was at his alert best to deny Ryan Cheek from Thompson’s free kick.

Brefo was then introduced for the home side and in their next attack, the sub powered home a shot that would have really proved to Wells boss Styles that it wasn’t going to be his side’s day, as Brefo’s drive cannoned down off the crossbar and hit Crossland squarely in small of the back before almost apologetically dropping into the net.

The visitors were convinced that they should have had a late penalty when a blue shirted attacker rode one foul challenge wide on the right allowing referee Cannon to wave the advantage – an advantage that was stopped inside the box by what appeared to be a second foul only for Mr Cannon taking play back to the spot of the original foul out by the corner flag! 

It really wasn’t Styles’ day…

LORDSWOOD – Anibaba, Williams, Fisher, Maja, McKinlay, Gillman, McKenzie, Patterson, Pepple, Krasniqi, Tyler Anderson-Parr

Subs – Dasofunjo, Cameon Anderson-Parr, Brefo, Price, Medley

TUNBRIDGE WELLS – Overland, Rogers, Nurden, Huggins, Cheek, Lawal, Thompson, Blake, Powell, Froggatt, Sahadow

Subs – Bartlett, Wells, Woodcock, Rogers, Hope

REFEREE – Mr Cannon

ASSISTANTS – Mr Wilson & Mr Quirke