A controversial eighty-eighth minute winner from George Blake gave Richard Styles the perfect start as manager of Tunbridge Wells and left Sheppey United questioning a marginal decision that in the end proved so very costly to the home side.

Deservedly ahead just after the breakthrough Josh Biddlescome (who incidentally had missed a penalty on the stroke of half time), the visitors were pegged back as the Islanders levelled with just eight minutes to go when substitute Billy Bennett hooked the ball home gloriously.

Then, with the home side pressing for an unlikely winner, Wells keeper Tony Taylor was adjudged to have kept the ball in play when there were loud home cried for a corner.  The visitors carried on playing despite the howls of protests and sub Danny Powell outpaced the home defence and rolled the ball into the box for Blake to ram the ball home.

With two much changed sides lined up against each other, the first half was somewhat predictable as both sides struggled to come to competitive terms with their new line-ups.

Neither goal keeper was really tested for most of the half and the final ball into both boxes left a lot to be desired – indeed it was only the Wells who really threatened for half chances at best – Biddlescome shot wide; Ryan Check glanced a header the wrong side of the post; and Euan Sahasow drilled a ball across the face of the home goal!

On the stroke of half time, the visitors were awarded a spot kick when Biddlescome was bundled over.  The Wells number nine dusted himself down only to see his penalty magnificently turned away by Aaron-Lee Watson in the home goal.

Biddlescome though was to have his revenge just after the break as his “shot” from the left deceived Watson and the visitors were ahead.  The goal opened up the game and it became an observing contest and the home side were unfortunate not to level Cheek’s attempted clearance looped off Norden and dropped onto the roof of the net.

In their next attack, George Batten prodded the ball across goal and fellow sub Steven Ita saw his shot cleared by Taylors feet.

Then with just eight minutes left, Bennett hooked home the glorious equaliser en debut from Ian Batten’s corner and Sheppey sensed an unlikely three points.  In the same attack, Jon Ralph and Rob Denness struck the same post, but as the home side pressed, controversy was to strike!

Taylor kept a bouncing ball in play with an acrobatic clearance which fell to Powell.  He outmuscled the home defence and after seeing Blake arriving in the box, laid on the perfect pass and the midfielder couldn’t and didn’t miss!

Even the Sheppey had the chance for an unlikely point, when Norden brilliantly headed Denness’ effort off the line, and from the corner, the home side saw their last chance flash wide from Ralph’s header.

A successful start for the new Wells boss then, but Styles was the first to admit that its just the first game of what will be a very long season – a season that will surely somewhere down the line see a Sheppey challenge come for the SCEFL crown

 

SHEPPEY UNITED – Aaron-Lee Watson, Ola Williams, Greg Benbow (Billy Bennett 62), Dan Birch, Jon Ralph, Richard Hamill (Steven Ita 62). Harrison Carnegie, Danny Leonard, Rob Denness, Ian Batten, Hitcham Akhazzan (Connor Wilkins 54)

Subs not used – George Batten, Jez Hammond

TUNBRIDGE WELLS – Tony Taylor, Jack Hope, James Norden, George Blake, Chris Lawal, Ryan Check, Euan Sahasow (Alex Kendall 82), Jake Beecroft (James Huggins 67), Josh Biddlecomb (Danny Powell 73), Jason Thompson, Josh Froggatt

Subs – Fjord Rogers, Cameron Hall

Referee – Mr Hill

Assistants – Mr Wenham and Mr Jackson