FA Vase Fourth Round Preview
Tunbridge Wells are poised to embark on another raiding party to the West in the FA Vase – this time in Wiltshire with Highworth Town being the destination and a place in the last 16 the prize. The Worthians - as Highworth are known - are in the Fourth Round of the competition for the first time.
Before we focus on the match, let’s take a look at the wider landscape of the competition this season which is strewn with felled giants. There have been some significant results with a number of the big guns from the North who’ve traditionally dominated the competition in recent years falling by the wayside.
Gone in the Third Round were Bet Victor’s much-fancied Shildon, Whitley Bay and 1874 Northwich Victoria. Run aground in the Second Round, West Auckland Town and AFC Rushden & Diamonds. With many of the so-called giants gone, some might allow themselves to believe the Vase is taking on a more open look...Not Tunbridge Wells’ first team boss Martin Larkin!
“We aren’t thinking about that to be honest,” he told www.tunbridgewellsfc.com as he looks to keep his side focussed on the task immediately in front of them. “As we ourselves proved two years ago, there is no team more dangerous than one that is constantly winning to keep breaking their club record in the tournament. AFC Portchester were trying to go further than before in the last round, and Highworth are as well so there’s a huge motivation for them.
“The only thing some of us tend to look at is how the teams are getting on that we have a bond with. Jason Bourne still speaks to Darren Moore the captain of Spennymoor who broke his leg before the final. He’s now playing for Shildon so we kept an eye out for them, and we were surprised when they went out. And I always look out for Dunston as that was such a pivotal game for us two years ago.
“I suppose the stand-out thing to look at is how many SCEFL teams are left in the Vase still - although we all have very tough games this time around. Ultimately, we are solely concentrating on our game with Highworth.”
Who are Highworth?
Formed in the 1890s, Highworth spent the first 90 years of their existence playing District League football, and their affiliation with the Hellenic League began back in 1984. Since then they’ve gained promotion to the Premier Division and won it in 2005.
While The Wells were winning their Third Round tie in Portchester, not a million miles away Highworth were winning theirs at Blackfield & Langley - coincidentally by a single second half goal. They’ve got TJ Bohane to thank for that, a forward who has netted more than half of their league goals this season.
“We’ve had them watched and will prepare accordingly,” Larkin adds. “They have an exceptional forward who will be their go-to guy, so we’ll need to be aware of him. They do like to play football so I am expecting a tough game and we know we will have to be at our very best to compete as being at home is a huge advantage! Highworth are on a good run at the moment so I think the tie is up for grabs for both teams.”
Until now, Highworth have never been on a lengthy Vase run, and before this year had never won more than three Vase games in a season. According to Highworth manager John Fisher on progressing to the Fourth Round, “…getting this far makes me feel like we’re in Europe”. Fisher has outlined in his midweek programme notes that he’s “confident we will be able to at least match [The Wells], and if we play to our strengths and can capitalise on home advantage then who knows how far we can get.”
Take Me to the Greek
Although Highworth don’t have any previous form against Kent League/SCEFL opponents in any competition, The Wells do have a track-record against Hellenic sides in the Vase. Although these encounters aren’t ever so commonplace, you only have to go back two years to the games against Wantage Town and Binfield that provided the bedrock to the road leading all the way to Wembley.
Martin Larkin-managed sides have beaten all three Hellenic League sides they’ve played, while throughout the club’s history The Wells have played Hellenic League opponents on five occasions in the Vase, losing just once, and winning four. From those encounters, The Wells have scored 15 goals and conceded just three. So there you go, history shows a generally happy outcome from meetings with Hellenic opponents…
Fourth Round
Rather less pretty is Tunbridge Wells’ overall FA Vase Fourth Round record. Saturday’s match will be The Wells’ eighth ever Fourth Round match. The club won its first ever match in the last 32 at the seventh attempt two years ago with the 1-0 win over the previous year’s holders, Dunston UTS. Until then the Fourth Round record was pretty woeful, with The Wells only scoring in two other Fourth Round games before that.
Chart A represents the win/loss ratio at this stage of the competition, and shows that this is a stage of the competition that Martin Larkin’s troops will be keen to build on. During Larkin’s tenure as manager, Tunbridge Wells have won a game and lost a game at the Fourth Round stage. Can he swing that in a positive direction on Saturday?
Chart A (Pie Chart): Win/Loss Ratio for Fourth Round Matches Played by Tunbridge Wells
Summary
So what will the Fourth Round bring? Are there more giants to be beaten? Can The Wells maintain their impressive record against Hellenic League sides, and improve their historic Fourth Round record more generally, or will Martin Larkin’s observation that there’s nothing more dangerous than a side winning its way through uncharted territory hold true?
Most importantly, will the travelling contingent of Tunbridge Wells fans make the away tie feel like a home one? The standard of the last two rounds looks set to be continued - two coaches are fully-booked with travelling support, and additional supporters are travelling independently. It should be a great day off the pitch. Over to the playing and coaching staff now to deliver on it!
