Tunbridge Wells manager Martin Larkin

Elimination from the FA Vase last Saturday might have been a bitter pill for Tunbridge Wells to swallow, but manager Martin Larkin feels the cup run has reinvigorated the club.

The Wells lost 1-0 in the fourth round to St Ives Town, crashing out to a late goal. But the display and the atmosphere generated by the crowd of 404, easily the biggest of the season at Culverden, energised Larkin and his squad.

“It was a very exciting day to be involved in and now we’re keen for more,” he said. “Their supporters were very vocal to start with and ours were too. It took time for us to get used to it, but we dominated for large periods and had three very good chances. We just didn’t take them.”

St Ives were all over the home side for the opening quarter of an hour, during which goalkeeper Dean Nash was kept busy. The Wells then improved significantly, with Andy Irvine narrowly wide with a header and Jon Pilbeam forcing the visiting goalkeeper into a smart save.

Andy McMath also went close, but with eight minutes left Stuart Cobb tapped in the only goal.

“It took a couple of days to get over it,” Larkin admitted. “But last year when we went out [in the third round to Leverstock Green] it was all of our own making. We didn’t turn up at all and had two men sent off. This year we played a very good and experienced side. It was a well-mannered game and we played very well so I’m not as disappointed.”

Having been knocked out of the Kent Senior Trophy a week before by Sevenoaks, the Wells’ only remaining target is to finish as high as they can in the Kent League Premier Division.

They host Fisher this Saturday, with Larkin hopeful they can hang on to at least some of the floating supporters they attracted last week.

“A lot of people watched us for the first time and if a quarter of them come back we’ll be playing in front of crowds of 200 for the rest of the season,” he said.

Results elsewhere saw the Wells drop to sixth, but they have games in hand on the top five. The only players not fully fit are Carl Cornell (ankle), who remains doubtful, and Tom Davey, who injured an ankle a month ago is still out.

Photo by NICK DUNGAN