With the new season just over a week away for all three Youth teams at Tunbridge Wells, the U14s played host to Maidstone United at Culverden Stadium on August 26^th for a friendly. Both sides agreed to play 4x20 minute matches, to allow their entire squads to gain match practice and try out different formations before their respective league campaigns begin on Sunday, 6^th September.

Match 1 (0-0)

The game started positively for The Wells, who seemed to settle the better of the two sides. Manager Paul Shipley had seven players making their debuts for The Wells following the successful trials held back in May. Somehow, the opening 20 minutes remained goalless, but with plenty of goal-mouth action and all players putting in solid performances in humid conditions.

Match 2 (1-1)

Both teams rang the changes for the second match with Maidstone immediately benefiting, taking the lead following good approach-work down The Wells' right. Despite the set-back, Tunbridge Wells gathered their composure and played their way back into the game, levelling the scores at 1-1 after a tremendous solo effort from George Budden, who surged forward from within his own half to unleash a shot from fully 30-yards into the bottom left corner.

Match 3 (0-0)

Match three turned out to be a predictable affair with both teams changing players and positions to ensure all their players were utilised. The Wells new-look back five were now starting to gel with new goalkeeper Taylor Gable in outstanding form, and the ever-present Ryan Hinkson and Marcus Evans carrying their good form over from last year to ensuring the game remained level going into the last match.

Match 4 (1-0)

The final game was probably the best match of the four, with both teams pushing for a winner, whilst testing the summer fitness regimes to the full. A game of end-to-end action was essentially settled when a period of Tunbridge Wells pressure told, and new signing Seb Pettitt scored his first goal for the club with a shot from 25-yards hitting the back of the net before the impressive Maidstone goalkeeper could move. The Wells pressed hard to increase their lead with good efforts from Ben Carter and Jack Galvin being well saved.

The final whistle blew with the aggregate score being 2-1 to The Wells. The overall Man of the Match award was shared by George Budden & Connor Ward.

“We’d like thank all those who represented Maidstone United for making the evening such an enjoyable event, both on and off the pitch,” a statement from the U14 management team read. “We look forward to repeating the fixture in the near future. The players would also like to thank their kit sponsors Twyford bathrooms, and the Red Fort restaurant in East Peckham.”

This weekend, the Wells U14s travel to Crayford to take part in a ten-team 11-a-side tournament, before their final pre-season fixture next Wednesday.

Tunbridge Wells U16s played Charlton’s Academy side as part of their pre-season build-up on July 23^rd. With a squad of 15 players, Darrell Cousins, U16s coach, included two new signings and three triallists in the game that was specifically arranged to assess how far the side had come over the course of the last year.

The game started positively for The Wells and they seemed to settle the better of the two sides, playing some free-flowing football which was making their opponents work very hard. For the first twenty minutes the game was thoroughly enjoyable to watch, with all the players putting in a great performance. Tunbridge Wells took the lead when Jack Huke received the ball just inside the Charlton half, turned and played a peach-of-a-pass out to the right which found Abbas, and Abbas rounded a defender and smashed the ball into the roof of the net - 1-0.

Charlton responded with some neat football but didn't trouble The Wells defence, which was holding firm under the stewardship of captain Ben Williamson and Adam Carrick.

On the half-hour a flurry of substitutions from both sides seemed to slow the flow of the game down before The Wells began to gain the ascendancy again. Had it not been for some excellent goalkeeping from the Charlton Academy keeper, the visitors could have found themselves two or three goals to the good into the second period.

On the hour, more changes were made, again affecting The Wells’ flow more than Charlton’s, and this time within five minutes, Charlton leveled at 1-1. The equaliser seemed to give them some belief, and the Tunbridge Wells defence came under some pressure, but stood up to everything Charlton threw at them.

With 10 minutes remaining, The Wells could have hit a winner, but Mushed hit the bar, and from further Wells pressure the impressive Jack Harris had a couple of chances, only to be denied by the impressive Charlton keeper - so in the end, the whistle blew with honours even: 1-1 the final score.

“This was a truly great effort against an academy side, and the boys should feel proud of this result, with solid performances from new lads Jack Huke, Joe Williams and with Bennett-Large-Ephraim doing themselves credit on their trial debut,” commented Cousins. “It’s looking like we will have a very good squad for the coming season, and credit must be given to Jamie Wagland who came to support the players despite not being able to play due to injury sustained in training.

Just over a week on from the friendly, and Darrell Cousins revealed to www.tunbridgewellsfc.co.uk that the club has signed Jack Huke and Joe Williams, and kept three others on to have a closer look at them. “Charlton have made contact since, and are monitoring several players," he added.

“We now have a friendly this coming Sunday away to Bly Spartans, then two more games against Ashford Borough at home on 30th August - 11am, then on 2nd September at home to Jarvis Brook, 6.45pm, after which I will pick my final squad of 16.”