Wigmore Wanderers And Swanscombe Tigers Draw 3-3 Before Tigers Win On Pens

Wigmore Wanderers FC hosted Swanscombe Tigers First at Beechings Way #2 on 26 October 2025, with a 10:30am kick-off in a fiercely contested cup tie. The match ended 3-3 after 90 minutes, with Swanscombe edging the penalty shootout 6-5 to progress.

Wigmore Wanderers lined up in a 4-3-3 formation, deploying Harley Tutt in goal. The back four consisted of Tom Spearink at right back, Alex Toms and Finley Leah as central defenders, and Harry Smith at left back. The midfield trio featured Jason Yuen on the right, Leon Vidler centrally, and Liam Apps on the left. Up front, the attacking trio was Jack Downey on the right wing, James Lundie leading the line as striker, and Kai Wong operating on the left. The substitutes available were Ben Brewster, Jake Woolman, Charlie Ivey, George Alp, and Harvey Edkins.

The 4-3-3 setup promised width and attacking intent, with the wide midfielders and forwards expected to stretch the opposition defence, while the central midfielders aimed to control the tempo and link play. Defensively, the full-backs would support both attack and defence, while the central defenders were tasked with maintaining solidity at the back.

The match burst into life in the 26th minute when James Lundie converted a penalty with his left foot, expertly dispatched following an assist from Jack Downey. This early breakthrough gave Wigmore a deserved lead. Just nine minutes later, the home side doubled their advantage as Kai Wong tapped in from close range, finishing with his right foot after a clever back heel assist from Jason Yuen.

Shortly after this second goal, Wigmore made a tactical substitution at the 35th minute, with Ben Brewster replacing Tom Spearink at right back. This change was swiftly followed by another tactical switch a minute later, as Jake Woolman came on for the goal scorer James Lundie, signalling a shift in attacking options.

The first half concluded with Wigmore holding a 2-0 lead, but the second half brought immediate drama. At the interval, two more tactical substitutions were made: Charlie Ivey replaced Leon Vidler in central midfield, and George Alp came on for Finley Leah in central defence, both aiming to refresh the squad and maintain intensity.

However, Swanscombe Tigers responded quickly after the restart. In the 48th minute, they pulled a goal back with a close-range tap-in finished with the right foot, signalling their intent to fight back. Wigmore then suffered a setback in the 54th minute when Kai Wong was forced off injured, replaced by Harvey Edkins.

Wigmore restored their two-goal cushion just a minute later when Jack Downey scored inside the box, slotting home with his right foot after a neat short pass from Jake Woolman. This goal at 55 minutes seemed to steady the Wanderers.

Further tactical adjustments followed as Tom Spearink returned to the field at the expense of Harry Smith in the 62nd minute, reinforcing the defence. Then, at 69 minutes, James Lundie was reintroduced, replacing Jake Woolman to bolster the attack once more.

The Tigers refused to lie down and clawed their way back into the contest with two goals in quick succession. The first came in the 72nd minute, an inside-the-box finish with the right foot that reduced the deficit. Four minutes later, they levelled the match at 3-3 with a close-range tap-in using the left foot.

Wigmore sought to regain control with further substitutions, bringing Kai Wong back on for Ben Brewster in the 84th minute, and then reinstating Harry Smith for Tom Spearink five minutes before the final whistle.

Despite the end-to-end nature of the contest and the home side’s efforts, neither team could find a winner in normal time, leading to a penalty shootout. The shootout was a tense affair, with Swanscombe Tigers edging it 6-5, thus ending Wigmore Wanderers’ cup run.

Jason Yuen was named player of the match for his influential performance on the right midfield, contributing both creativity and work rate throughout the encounter.

The referee managed the game well, maintaining control over a highly competitive fixture with an 80 performance score. With just 14 spectators present, the players delivered a memorable cup tie full of drama, goals, and tactical intrigue at Beechings Way #2.