Monday 1st May 2023 ko 14:45

Kent County League Premier Division

TENTERDEN TOWN 2 (Kirby 3 Sharp 31)

Burton sent off 57 (2nd booking)

TEN-EM-BEE 1 (Nelson 7)

Att 41

Free Entry

From leafy Surrey it didn’t take long to relocate to leafy Kent, and no the difference wasn’t massive! Tenterden lies close to Ashford, and maintains a feeling of gentle affluence. In fact Robyn and I took full advantage, after the game we decamped to the White Lion for a quite superb meal. It seemed churlish not to. 

Part of the fun of groundhopping is the match-ups you find, or in this and other cases the mis-match-ups. You may remember the Milton Derby in the Wessex League that really isn’t, well on that basis here’s another mis-derby- the Derby Of Ten!

Tenterden’s name is derived from the the Old English “Tenetwaradenn” meaning “Pasture for the swine of the men of Thanet.” Now if you think that’s a little on the obscure side, try Ten-Em-Bee’s!

It comes from the 1975 merging of the Tenth branch of the Metal Box Company in Rotherhithe were the club’s first players all worked with the Brixton Beehive pub where they drank. Even now the links to the area are still strong, the club still feeds SCEFL outfit Lewisham Borough and I did note the Millwall kit! The club are notable for having nurtured the talents of both Ian Wright and Shaun Wright-Phillips!

Tenterden Town play at the Recreation Ground set just off the centre of town allowing quite a view of St Mildred’s Church in the background. The pavilion does look a little tired, but it did offer some protection from a sharp shower which was appreciated.

The game’s significance was all derived by the home side, the win relieved any lingering worries about relegation. Sadly for Ten-em-bee their fate had long been sealed and were destined to finish bottom with only 7 points. 

It was a tough game for both sides, perhaps best summed up by the dismissal, two bookings for a rough challenge, then a dive. Tenterden got what they wanted, Ten-em-bee got the fixture completed and the hoppers there all made for home. It had been a most satisfying day.