Josh Stanford’s goal lit up Wembley for the travelling 11,000 or so Tunbridge Wells fans, but they were to lose the FA Vase Final 2-1 to Spennymoor Town.

After a cloudy morning, the sun had shone brightly at Wembley as Tunbridge Wells’ army of fans from all over the county forgot usual rivalries as Kent’s footballing army converged to see if the Vase would be returning to Kent for the first time since 2000.

But after an intriguing Final, sadly it wasn’t to be as a late pile driver from Man of the Match Keith Graydon ten minutes from time proved decisive and broke the hearts of Martin Larkin’s side and his 14 heroes dressed in Red and White and their new Army of fans at the end of an absorbing final!

Barry Cogdon’s 17th minute header separated the two sides at half time, before Josh Stanford gloriously volleyed Larkin’s side level twelve minutes from time after skipper Jason Bourne’s cross had only been partially cleared.

Sadly as the travelling Kent fans went wild and threatened to lift the roof off of the national stadium, Graydon was on hand to drill home from the edge of the box to win the trophy for Spennymoor, and keep the Trophy in the North East for a fourth successive season.

It really was tough on Larkin’s side and the near 12,000 fans from Kent, but in reflection the Vase was won by the better side, and in winning, Spennymoor continued the Northern Counties League complete dominance of the competition!

With the Red and White Army of the Wells stretching half way round the great stadium – making up more than two third’s of the 16,000 gate – the proudest man in the ground was skipper Bourne – born and bred in Tunbridge Wells and there he was leading out “his” team with his two son’s – Sidney and Connor – alongside him as mascots.

Sadly for the junior Bourne’s it was the side from the North East who dominated early on, and claimed the all important opening goal on 17 minutes – and in truth it was a goal that could have been dealt with. A deep cross from Chris Mason wasn’t cleared and when Keith Graydon centred again, Cogdon powered home his header past a despairing Chris Oladogba in the Wells goal.

Wells then endured a long spell of having to play catch up before half time as they kept giving the ball away in midfield and were indebted to keeper Oladogba who excelled with an incredibly brave save to deny Cogdon, before going full length to sensationally deny Mark Davison.

Davison thread a fine ball down the inside left channel and as Cogdon advanced into the penalty area, Oladogba sprinted from his goal line to snaffle the strikers shot as he shot with a really brave and courageous save!

Lewis Mingle then saw an attempted clearance of his own come back off the Wells left post, as the defender climbed highest to “defend” a corner before Oladogba’s magnificent full length save to claw away Davison’s curling effort that has threatened to creep inside the right post.

It wasn’t all one way traffic however, as when the Wells did get forward they did worry the Spennymoor defence particularly when Josh Stanford got the ball at his feet. And it was from one such rampaging run that Stanford almost equalised.

Leaving three players in his wake, the young winger sprinted through a gap superbly created by Andy Irvine, and as Stanford raced into the box, he saw his fierce drive brilliantly turned aside by keeper Robert Dean.

At the start of the second half, Wells were again indebted to Oladogba and his defensive colleagues as first the keeper made his second top drawer save of the game – this time away to his left to turn Cogdon’s drive aside, before a combination of Bourne and Scott Whibley blocked Davison as he struggled to battle his way through.

The Tunbridge Wells boss then made a double switch and the fresh legs of Tom Davey and Jack Harris seemed to do the trick as Larkin’s side gradually got their foot hold in the game and Perry Spackman twice went close in a minute!

On the first occasion with an angled drive that had keeper Dean back pedaling to tip the ball over the bar, and then from the resultant corner from Andy McMath – who was playing his last game for the club before leaving for Australia – the giant central defender thumped a head that flew just too high.

The game was really beginning to open up as the players began to tire and chances began to come at both ends. Cogdon was then denied by a fine Mingle block, and Davison should really have done better from a Graydon cross as his header went wide when he really should have tested Oladogba, before Wells finally answered the Red and White Army’s desire for a goal – and what a finish it was!

In the same net as Roly Graham volleyed Deal Town to Vase glory 13 years ago, you can now add Stanford’s name to the list of glorious Kent finishes at the Venue of Legends.

It was fitting that Stanford should be the man to net the Wells equaliser as he had caused the Spennymoor defence problems all afternoon!

Skipper Bourne sent a long dangerous cross into the box which keeper Dean – put under severe pressure by Irvine – could only palm away. As the ball fell to Stanford, he still had a lot to do, but his volley screamed into the Town net giving Wells real hope…

In the build up, manager Larkin had called for the Wells fans to make plenty of noise – the levels had been good throughout the afternoon; Stanford’s sensation strike blew them off the scale!!!

Sadly it was joy that lasted less than 90 seconds as Graydon showed tremendous skill and composure when on hand to smash the ball into the net after the Wells defence struggled to clear after Kallum Griffiths had charged into the box from full back!

There can be little doubt that there are few in the Kent League who would have finished so clinically! Ecstasy to agony in 90 seconds – it could only happen like this under the Arch!

Try as they might, Larkin’s side just couldn’t find an equaliser in the time remaining, although they did come incredibly close when only a sliced defensive clearance from Davey’s vicious free kick denied sub Jack Harris, and top scorer Irvine was denied by a last ditch block which saw the ball loop agonisingly wide.

Agony then for Martin Larkin’s side – defeat may be bitter to swallow today, but in the cold light of day, they were beaten by a good Spennymoor side who would not look out of place one or perhaps two levels higher than their current Step Five standing!

For Tunbridge Wells, manager Larkin has already promised a serious challenge on next season’s Kent League title, but on the day that they’re March on the Arch ended in defeat, it was a glorious defeat as they did themselves, their “new” Army of fans and the county of Kent so very proud…

Thanks for the memories guys!

TUNBRIDGE WELLS: Chris Oladogba, Jason Bourne, Lewis Mingle, Joe Fuller (Tom Davey 58), Scott Whibley, Perry Spackman, Jon Pilbeam (Richard Sinden 85, Andy McMath, Andy Irvine, Carl Cornell (Jack Harris 57), Josh Stanford.

Subs not used: Andy Boyle, Michal Czanner.

Goal: Josh Stanford 77

Booked: Perry Spackman 66, Tom Davey 77

SPENNYMOOR TOWN: Robert Dean, Kallum Griffiths, Chris Mason, Lewis Dodds, Leon Ryan, Stephen Capper, Joe Walton (Andrew Stephenson 73), Keith Graydon, Mark Davison (Michael Rae 75), Gavin Gogdon, Wayne Phillips (Anthony Peacock 64).

Subs not used: Steven Richardson, David Knight.

Goals: Gavin Gogdon 17, Kevin Graydon 80

Booked: Lewis Dodds 84

Attendance: 16,751

Referee: Mr Michael Naylor (Sheffield & Hallamshire FA)
Assistants: Mr Ian Hussin (Liverpool FA) & Mr Dan Robathan (Bedfordshire FA)
Fourth Official: Mr Stephen Martin (Staffordshire FA)

Pictures supplied by www.edboydenphotos.co.uk