Tunbridge Wells continued their fine early season form with a well deserved victory against higher League opposition & now go to the seaside to play Eastbourne.

Whitstable started the brighter of the two teams & in the 9^th minute Craig McGuire found himself on the edge of the area & his shot was parried away for a corner by Chris Oladogba.

In the 12^th minute Tunbridge Wells got a penalty when Carl Cornell was in the area when Joe Kane fouled him & up stepped Joe Fuller & he hit it straight down the middle beating Luke Watkins who couldn’t do what he did on Saturday.

Whitstable were rocked by this & it took them seven minutes to make a half chance when a corner to the near post was headed over the bar buy John Guest, then in the 22^nd minute a through ball for Josh Stanford who was definitely playing his last game for Wells & Watkins came out & blocked his shot for a corner & from the resulting corner into the middle of the area rose Sean Johnson unopposed & his header flew into the net.

Whitstable nearly got back into the game in the very next minute when a corner by Nicky Southall to the near post saw Guest’s header force Oladogba to push away for a corner & then from the resulting corner Southall saw his shot cleared of the line by Lee Radford, another half chance came in the 29^th minute when a long throw into the Wells area was flicked on to Southall on the back post & his shot was saved by Oladogba.

In the very next minute a Scott Heard cross to the far post saw McGuire but his shot went wide. Wells had the last chance of the half when Cornell received the fortuitously & went across the area before passing back to Jack Harris whose shot from 20 yards was deflected for a corner.

Half time arrived & the Whitstable players must have been in shock but the Wells players who kept their shape all the way through the half job half done.

The second half started with a triple substitution by Whitstable with Southall, Harvey & Takaloo being replaced by Jordan Wells, Huggens & Smith. Whitstable in the first 15 minutes dominated possession & had a few chances but Tunbridge Wells held firm.

The first half chance came in the 52^nd minute when Kane got to the by-line & his low cross evaded everyone before being cleared & two minutes later Steve Haffner free kick into the area found Guest & his header was tipped over the bar by Oladogba & then two minutes later weather he meant it or not Heard on the right saw his cross force Oladogba to tip over the bar. Tunbridge Wells were still in command & on the break were dangerous especially as Whitstable were trying to force a goal & leaving spaces.

In the 63^rd minute Haffner saw his free kick from 25 yards curl round the wall & again Oladogba was there to push over the bar. Oladogba made another save in the 68^th minute from Guest‘s header.

For all the half chances Whitstable were having Tunbridge Wells kept their shape & deservedly kept the lead. The final whistle went & Tunbridge Wells celebrated a well earned victory.

 

Teams:

WHITSTABLE:

1. L.WATKINS 2. J.KANE 3. C. McGUIRE 4. S.HAFFNER 5. J.GUEST

6. G.COOK 7. N.SOUTHALL (45) J.MORRISH 9. L.HARVEY (45)

10. M.TAKALOO (45) 11. S.HEARD

USED SUBS: 12. J.WELLS (45) 15. P.HUGGENS 18. C.SMITH

UNUSED SUBS: 14. J.McKENZIE 16. B.COBB 17. D.WELLS  20. M.LAMPRELL

 

BOOKED: G.COOK (79) J.MORRISH (86)

 

TUNBRIDGE WELLS:

1. C.OLADOGBA  2. J.BOURNE 3. L.RADFORD  4. S.JOHNSON (64) 5. S.WHILBEY

6. A.BOYLE 7. B.INCE (69) 8. J.FULLER  9. J.HARRIS  10 C.CORNELL (90+1)

11. J.STANFORD

USED SUBS: 12. T.DAVEY (64) 14. B.LARGE (69) 13 J.PILLMAN (90+1)

UNUSED SUBS: 16. R.SINDEN 17. A.IRVIVE 18. M.CZANNER

 

BOOKED: J.HARRIS (40)

 

GOALSCORERS:  J.FULLER ( 12, PEN ) S.JOHNSON (22)