CHANGING fortunes were in evidence for a feisty A26 derby as Tunbridge Wells beat neighbours Crowborough Athletic and referee George Lowe handed out nine yellow cards – seven for the home side.
The Wells kept up their remarkable revival in form which has seem them go unbeaten for eight games, winning seven of them.
They are now just three points behind their local rivals in the Southern Counties East League Premier Division with three games in hand.
In contrast the Crows, who finished third in the top flight last season and were runners-up in the previous campaign, have lost six of their last seven matches.
A crowd of 351, the biggest in the Southern Counties East League Premier Division last weekend, was on hand to watch a game that was played at a furious pace with neither side prepared to yield.
SUPER SUB: Tom Pearson scored the Wells winner PHOTO: Victor Bethell
The visitors finally broke the deadlock on the stroke of half-time when a fiercely struck free kick by Jason Thompson beat the Crowborough goalkeeper Ryan Burbridge.
In the second half Crowborough reverted to a more robust style of play which saw them pick up five yellow cards to add to their two bookings in the first period.
They equalised in the 62nd minute when a cross-shot from Ansu Janneh slid past the unsighted Callum Hampson in the Wells goal.
But the substitute Tom Pearson put the visitors back in front as he stooped low to head in what proved to be the winning goal.
Tunbridge Wells now travel to Gravesend to take on Punjab United on Saturday [January 5, kick-off 3pm].
