Bearsted Cruise in FA Vase as Tunbridge Wells and Rusthall's FA Cup Runs End

It was a weekend of cup action for three of West Kent's SCEFL clubs, with Bearsted making a winning start in the FA Vase while Tunbridge Wells and Rusthall both bowed out of the FA Cup at the Preliminary Round.

Bearsted: Dieko Falade (hat-trick), Matt Day

Bearsted were among the standout performers on the opening Vase weekend, thrashing Redhill with Dieko Falade grabbing a hat-trick and Matt Day adding a fourth. Bearsted now progress to Second Round Qualifying. Tunbridge Wells and Snodland Town are among the clubs who enter the Vase later, at the First Round Proper stage on Saturday 10th October.

Tunbridge Wells and Rusthall had both already booked their places in the FA Cup Preliminary Round with Extra-Preliminary Round wins earlier in August — Tunbridge Wells away at Godalming Town, Rusthall at home to Knaphill. Both ties ended the same way this time round, however.

Tunbridge Wells' run came to an end against Kingstonian, who play at a higher level and proved a step too far. It's the kind of result that will sting in the short term but is worth putting in context — winning through one round and giving a good account of themselves in the next is a reasonable return on a competition that, for the vast majority of entrants, always ends in defeat somewhere along the line.

Rusthall's cup run followed a similar arc, beaten by Sheppey United in the Preliminary Round. Two rounds and out is a familiar rhythm for clubs at this level of non-league football — the FA Cup rewards ambition, but the further you go, the sharper the opposition becomes. Both clubs now turn their full attention back to the SCEFL Premier Division table.