Dover Athletic 2 Tonbridge Angels 0

Match 63/25/2405 - Tuesday, 10th March 2026 - National League South

Dover Athletic (1) 2 Wilkinson 22,54
Tonbridge Angels (0) 0
Attendance: 731
Admission: £17
Mileage: 94/3,840

When the fixtures drop in July, there are dates that are immediately pencilled it, Boxing Day, the Maidstone games and perhaps there is a new ground to visit. On the flip side, there are the visits that are done out of nothing more than loyalty while secretly hoping that a valid excuse surfaces to give it a miss.

Such is Dover Athletic, charmless and unfriendly, whose modus operandi seems to be to make visiting supporters as unwelcome as possible.

Where was the communication that this would be a segregated game. I’ve no issue with the decision to segregate given the recent history of both club's set of youths, but to only find out on arrival at the ground is poor, very poor.

For those of you who have never been to Crabble (lucky you), the stadium is set atop a hill, not just any old hill, it’s a mountain that with a bit of snow could host the downhill at the Winter Olympics. After a torturous climb to reach the turnstiles, with no help from club officials informing you in which direction to walk, I decided to put a step counter on the return descent which recorded a near half-mile hike down a treacherous, unlit pathway.

On the playing field, I have nothing but respect for Dover’s manager Jake Leberl. He took over a basket case of a club with a notoriously difficult chairman in a pretty toxic atmosphere and has led them to promotion and relative safety in National League South on what I can only imagine is a small budget in comparison to the division’s big hitters that certainly doesn’t include Tonbridge Angels.

One area in which Dover have always excelled is with their academy and it was fitting that a scholar of their programme, George Wikinson, was the architect of their 2-0 win.

Tonbridge went into the game on a high following Saturday’s win against Worthing, but on the night have to reflect on an evening of possession aplenty but with no cutting edge and ending up on the receiving end of two very good goals, the first a beautifully crafted team goal and the second a wonder strike from 25 yards.

On a heavy pitch, manager Alan Dunne opted for an amount of rotation with four changes to the starting XI with Bradley Williams, Matty Warren, Naz Bakrin and Alfie Pavey included.

A game unfolded that was high on endeavour, low on quality but, uncharacteristically defined by two moments of excellence. After 20 minutes of nothingness, a series of one-two’s within the Angels box opened up the space for Wikinson to roll the ball past Matt Rowley into the far corner.

Frankie Baker’s persistence and pace offered the Angels a route back into the game but this foundered throughout on the defensive solidity of two brick outhouses in Jalen Jones and Harry Beadle.

Bunmi Babajide, as always, was full of energy and it was his effort just before the break that was deflected into the welcoming hands of Mitch Walker that brought the first involvement of the Dover stopper.

Dunney’s Plan B was left with a Crabble-sized mountain to scale after 54 minutes when a headed clearance was met on the half-volley from Wilkinson which found the top corner like a tracer bullet. It was some hit and one I guess he won’t replicate ever again.

The goal brought a trio of the Dover oiks to goad the Angels support, undoubtedly the segregation plan was well founded, if ill-timed.

A full complement of substitutions, the vast majority of possession and plenty of “penalty area entry” failed to unduly stretch Walker although a cross-cum-shot from Bailey Akehurst drifted only narrowly wide and Akehurst was also responsible for a shot that cannoned off the goalkeeper’s chest.

Roll on July, fixtures being scanned in excited expectation, but this one won’t set the pulses racing.

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Tonbridge Angels 1 Worthing 0

Match 62/25/2404 - Saturday, 7th March 2026 - National League South

Tonbridge Angels (0) 1 Korboa 90+2
Worthing (0) 0
Attendance: 1,137
Admission: Season Ticket
Mileage: 38/3,746

Another remarkable result in season of remarkable results that only leaves me scratching my head as to why Tonbridge Angels have spent any time looking over our shoulders.

Worthing arrived at the Yeomans with continued praise ringing in their ears following their 4-0 demolition of the Angels in the FA Trophy in November but departed having been made to look bang average.

It is a shame that those of us with non-league in our hearts are subjected to reading almost every week of another club issuing an apology for supporter behaviour and because of previous discretions from youths that have attached themselves to Worthing, this match was segregated. In all my time, there has never been a problem with Worthing, so it must be difficult for genuine supporters of the Sussex club to stomach the reputation they now carry.

Manager Alan Dunne made three changes to the starting XI at Hemel Hempstead with Scott Wagstaff, Marcus Sablier and Bunmi Babajide returning.

Another change was needed as Kyle Smith went down with a recurrence of an injury within the first five minutes and needed substituting by Nazir Bakrin.

Worthing had none of the fluency of November, or even in defeat at Woodside Road in September under the guidance of Craig Nelson. In the first half they were restricted to one chance, two minutes before the break, when a shot from Joel Colbran was parried by Matt Rowley to the head of Shiloh Remy but his tame header was easily collected by the Tonbridge goalkeeper.

Tonbridge had started the game brightly with Smith seeing his free kick saved by Taylor Seymour; Frankie Baker firing over and Sablier also having a shot comfortably saved by Seymour.

Early in the second period, came the Angels most heart stopping moment of the game when a free kick saw a missed overhead attempt from Coleman De Graft confusing the Angels defence with the ball falling at the feet of Remiero Moulton at the far post but the alert Rowley was quickly plunging at his feet to smother the shot before it was hacked to safety.

On 58 minutes, substitute Callum Morton should have done better than steer a header wide, but from that moment Tonbridge contained the visitors with ease and, on the break, were offering dangerous moments of their own.

As the clock ticked into added time, Tonbridge supporters were probably happy with a hard earned point when Bradley Williams, who had made a huge impact on the game from the bench on 56 minutes, fed the ball to the left to Ricky Korboa, who cut in, found enough space to pick his spot into the final corner to send Angels supporters into raptures.

Eight agonising minutes, that turned into 11, had supporters baying for the final whistle, but as it had been for the most part of the afternoon, the visitors final push was tepid at best and seen off comfortably.

Twelve points clear, 13 in reality with a vastly superior goal difference, surely safety is as good as assured. Football Web Pages think so, but at one point this afternoon they had Larkfield winning their SCEFL match 22-3 when they actually lost 4-2! So let’s get to 50 points before cracking out the bubbly!

Pictures: David Couldridge and Wes Fitness

Tonbridge Angels 4 Gillingham 3

Match 61/25/2403 - Tuesday, 3rd March 2026 - Kent Senior Cup Quarter Final

Tonbridge Angels (1) 4 Babajide 37 Baker 53,66 Bakrin 84
Gillingham (1) 3 Dayal 43 Theodore 53 Booth 82
Attendance: 407
Admission: £10
Mileage: 38/3,708

Tonbridge emerged for the second time in three years victorious in the Wink Derby with a 4-3 win in an exhilarating Kent Senior Cup Quarter Final.

Whilst we at Tonbridge refer back to 1975 for our last Kent Senior Cup success, remarkably, Gills supporters have to have very long memories as their wait goes back to 1948!

Gillingham did what they always do by fielding a youth side and refusing to play any Kent Senior Cup game at Priestfield whatever the draw as terms of their entry.

What they did bring to the Yeomans was a talented group of youngsters that thrilled going forward but lacked a bit of resilience defensively.

Card marked before the game by old friends who have survived the toxicity of the final years of the Scally era (unlike myself) to watch out for Sullivan Booth, who was very good, but eyes were drawn to the sparkling wing play of Damian Theodore, who embellished his performance with a superb strike.

Scott Wagstaff, it was revealed on the day, has been appointed Youth team Manager at the Gills and he would be more than welcome to send these two lads our way on loan next season.

Spring has meteorologically sprung but it remained a chilly evening as Alan Dunne almost completely rotated his squad following Saturday’s defeat at Hemel Hempstead.

Gills started brightly, and dominated the opening half-hour, with Theodore immediately to the fore, perhaps a touch too many at times but never anything less than a real threat.

Tonbridge’s first attempt on goal came after 31 minutes when Sean Shields brought a save out of substitute goalkeeper, Benji Spencer before they went ahead on 37 minutes when Bunmi Babajide received the ball on the left to bury a shot into the far, bottom corner.

The Gillingham youngsters were not to be cowed by going behind with a cross-cum-shot from Kelly Adams that only narrowly drifted wide of the right hand post. The equaliser that their first half performance richly deserved came two minutes before the break when Theodore crossed to the for Louie Dayal to steer the ball home from 12 yards.

Perhaps the telling factor of the second half would be that from the bench, each substitution made the Angels stronger and this brought an immediate dividend as substitutes Ricky Korboa and Frankie Baker combined for the latter to convert Babajide's right-sided pass inside.

Theodore decorated his performance after 53 minutes when he cut in from the left to bury an exquisite strike into the top corner to bring the scores level once more and for a period of 10 minutes, the Gills were once more on top.

But, after 66 minutes, a shot from 20 yards from Matt Warren wasn’t held by Spencer and the ever-alert Baker was on hand to force home the rebound.

Any thought that that was that for evening’s highly engaging entertainment were dispelled eight minutes from time when Booth collected a through ball and sped through a gaping hole in the centre of the defence to finish clinically past the advancing Laurie Shala.

With penalties on the horizon, as was the case two years ago, the Angels found a winner on 84 minutes when a free kick swung into the box saw Ethan Sutcliffe head the ball back into the centre of the goal to the feet of Nazir Bakrin who poked it home from six yards.

The Angels move forward to the semi-final where they will visit Chatham Town. It is not the FA Cup, but one feels that, good though the Chats were back in October at Longmead, Tonbridge didn’t do themselves justice on the day and it will be something of a compensation to put one over them before looking forward to a Kent Senior Cup Final where the old enemy, Maidstone United lie in wait.

Photo: Dave Couldridge

Hemel Hempstead Town 1 Tonbridge Angels 0

Match 60/25/2402 - Saturday, 28th February 2026 - National League South

Hemel Hempstead Town (0) 1 Dowrich 90+5
Tonbridge Angels (0) 0
Attendance: 651
Admission: £12
Mileage: 160/3,670

Once is unfortunate, twice is careless, three times is a pattern and one that is driving Tonbridge Angels supporters to despair.

Three times in the last five games, the winner has been conceded in time added at the end of a match, goals in the 94th, 93rd and 96th minutes have cost the Angels vital points that would almost certainly have guaranteed safety.

That the latest, is the word heartbreak or annoyance, came without surprise at Hemel Hempstead Town, who after laying to rest the hoodoo’s that were Worthing, Torquay, Salisbury and the Gallagher, now take the title of the Angels ultimate graveyard.

In truth, it was a nothing game from which neither team deserved the full complement of points.

Larry McAvoy taking the post-match interview: “It’s not the first time this season, over the past month we have been burning points in terms of these late goals. It is not fitness, not desire, but we are young in terms of mentality and making mistakes.”

The omens were good, a trouble-free drive through the tunnel and round the M25 to the most out-of-form team in the league, but it’s Hemel, where something always happens and it’s never good.

On a dry afternoon that was deceptively cold, Manager Alan Dunne made two changes from Tuesday’s home win against Hampton with Naz Bakrin and Sean Shields starting for Matt Warren and Bunmi Babajide.

In charge, for her first National League South game, was Grace Lowe and she made her mark on the game with a yellow card for Tonbridge’s Tom Leahy for a high foot within the first minute.

Chances were at a premium throughout the game and the Angels goalkeeper, Matt Rowley, was called upon to deny the first half’s best effort on eight minutes when an outstretched leg denied Isiah Noel-Williams.

A minute later Ms Lowe had her second Angels name in the book that of Noah McCann.

In a tight first half, Tonbridge just about edged the possession without overly stretching the home goalkeeper, Michael Johnson.

The second half produced much of the same although, now kicking down the slope, it was the home side that now enjoyed the better of the possession with a mounting corner count and on 73 minutes a shot from Kyran Wiltshire rebounded off a post.

And so the game entered its added time of four minutes and when Ms Lowe booked Rowley for time wasting the game edged into its 95th minute with a cheap free kick given on the left. The ball was lofted into a crowded penalty area, blocks and half-clearances ensued before the ball dropped to Dorian Dowrich whose sweetly hit volley gave Rowley no chance.

McAvoy concluded: “We are trying to get the players to be better at game management. It does come with experience but we’ve got to learn and learn quickly and deal with those moments in the game, be more streetwise.”

Tonbridge Angels 2 Hampton and Richmond Borough 0

Match 59/25/2401 - Tuesday, 24th February 2026 - National League South

Tonbridge Angels (1) 2 Leahy 37 Baker 51
Hampton & Richmond Borough (0) 0
Attendance: 648
Admission: Season Ticket
Mileage: 38/3,510

A bad day a work, home and straight to the fridge where’s there’s a single can of lager with your name on it. Slump into your favourite armchair, crack the ring pull, the pressure is released and, suddenly, all seems right with the world.

As supporters, the past three days have for some while been seen as a pivotal point in Tonbridge Angels season, win them both and the finishing line in terms of safety was on the horizon, lose them, well, we really would be in the cack.

Saturday’s win against Chippenham Town opened the door, perhaps a fourth point against a rapidly improving Hampton and Richmond Borough might be enough.

At the final whistle, the proverbial ring pull was a celebratory one, two wins on the spin (at home, no less) and the magic 50 points is just nine away. Or if you are supremely optimistic, Football Web Pages predicted final table says one more win will be enough, personally I’ll set my sights on the heavenly 50!

Truth was, on the night, Hampton at times looked good but gave us a huge helping hand with a comical goal and a sending-off contributing to their own downfall.

Angels manager Alan Dunne said after the game: “We deserved those two wins, we overran them today, strong team but we got it right, but we have got to be humble, there is a lot of football to play.”

Spring is officially a few days away, but the mild evening that did eventually give way to a chill saw Dunne make three changes with the surprise return of Matt Rowley, on loan for the rest of the season, between the sticks being the main talking point and Bunmi Babajide and Frankie Baker returning to the starting XI.

Hampton started the game with a confidence borne of their splendid 4-0 away win at Bath City on Saturday knocking the ball around in a manner that belied their lowly league position. For 15-20 minutes, barring the normal raucous support from behind the goal, Angels supporters watched on pensively thinking that a long night might well be in store and a goal disallowed on the quarter hour for an offside that was tight was a warning shot across the bows.

A shot narrowly wide from Harry Gardner was also a forerunner to Tonbridge’s opening effort from Ricky Korboa that was saved comfortably by Marcus Dewhurst after a good combination between Kyle Smith and Babajide.

Tonbridge got their noses on front on 37 minutes with a goal that echoes the old saying “what goes around, comes around”. Only 10 days ago, a did it cross the line incident went against the Angels at Hornchurch resulting in a goal, tonight the boot was on the other foot as a scramble in front of goal following a corner was eventually hooked in by Tom Leahy, after a header from Noah McCann, with desperate attempts to clear in vain according to the officials.

In added time, Kwaku Frimpong was shown a yellow card that was to become significant in the early stages of the second period.

Tonbridge doubled their advantage after six minutes of the second half with a crazy goal. Miscommunication was the order of the day as Dewhurst rolled the ball towards a defender but Baker was the most alert, intercepting the pass and tucking the ball home from a couple of yards. Hampton protests followed, but for what who knows.

Things went from bad for worse for the visitors four minutes later when Frimpong saw a second yellow and subsequent red card for a foul on Korboa as the winger looked to break clear.

The game lost its edge as a contest despite a spirited effort from the visitors that had the home support wishing for a lot less than seven minutes on the added time board. But, it was Tonbridge that had the better of the chances and, perhaps, the one regret would be that it was an opportunity lost to wipe out the negative goal difference.

Fast forward now to Hemel Hempstead on Saturday, an absolute graveyard for the Angels, but at least this time approached with renewed confidence.

Pictures: David Couldridge

Tonbridge Angels 3 Chippenham Town 2

Match 58/25/2400 - Saturday, 21st February 2026 - National League South

Tonbridge Angels (2) 3 McCann 3 Sutcliffe 34 Pavey 57
Chippenham Town (2) 2 Haines 13 Touray 39
Attendance: 1,339
Admission: Season Ticket
Mileage: 38/3,472

There are six-pointers and then there are genuine six-pointers.

This was not two teams similarly placed in the table in December, this was two teams staring down the barrel of relegation in late February with the games remaining ebbing away and the points required to safety seemingly becoming ever more distant.

But, in a game when, given Tonbridge’s recent history with late goals, the added time board showing six minutes brought more than a flutter of the heart as the visitors, Chippenham Town pressed forward for an equaliser the Angels, ably marshalled by the central defensive unit of Jordan Thompson and Ethan Sutcliffe, made sure of no late despair and the final whistle was greeted wildly by a crowd of 1,339 which was boosted by tickets handed out to local junior clubs.

Alan Dunne, Tonbridge Angels manager, said in his post-match interview: “I’m pleased with the result because it wasn’t our best performance, but sometimes, winning ugly is what it is all about at this time in the season, picking up the points to get the job done.”

I know far too many people at Tonbridge to suggest that the club have sleepwalked into the situation in which they find themselves but, whatever the reasons, this game and the visit of Hampton on Tuesday have become absolutely pivotal.

The scribble pad has been out, the path to safety has been mapped, but like the local roads, that route is littered with potholes but at least the first one has been avoided.

This week reality set in at Eastbourne Borough which cost Tommy Widdrington his job after just six months at the helm and in the club’s statement they referred to their plans for life in the Isthmian League and reverting to part-time. It seems that a wealthy chairman is not necessarily the magic bullet.

Eastbourne replaced Chippenham at the foot of the table after the midweek matches and the Wiltshire club have been showing signs of revival of late with eye-catching wins over Maidstone United and Torquay United.

Whilst Spring hasn’t exactly sprung, the weather didn’t carry a chill but the rain couldn’t stay away completely as Dunne made a single change to the side beaten at Hornchurch with Matt Warren coming in for Naz Bakrin, who dropped to the bench.

The game marked one year of the passing of Devonte Aransibia, who was remembered with a minute’s silence with his young son leading out the Angels side.

Tonbridge got off to the best possible start, taking the lead after just three minutes, when, following a corner that saw the Chippenham goalkeeper, Will Henry save well from Alfie Pavey, the ball was recycled for a cross to fall at the feet of Noah McCann who lashed it home from around 10 yards.

The lead was only to last 10 minutes when a free kick into the area was only cleared to the right side of the six yard box to Luke Haines whose well struck half volley found the roof of the net.

The visitors looked anything but a team that have spent the majority of the season propping up the table, popping the ball about and creating decent chances for Billy Phillips and Will King that was comfortably saved by Laurie Shala.

So it was somewhat against the run of play when Tonbridge went back in front after 34 minutes when a Sean Shields free kick towards the far post took a deflection off a visiting defender before Ethan Sutcliffe bundled the ball home.

The Angels might have doubled their lead three minutes later when a close range shot from Thompson was saved by Henry but after 39 minutes a superb cross from Lewis Colwell was met at the far post with a well directed header from Ezio Touray to level the game at the break.

Dunne introduced the livewire Bumni Babajide at the start of the second period and he had an immediate impact as his surge forward and pass to Kyle Smith saw the latter’s right-sided cross turned in at the far post by Pavey.

Chippenham were certainly not as fluid in the second period and the chances to put the game beyond them fell to Shields and Thompson before the added time, kitchen sink time from the visitors.

Dunne concluded: “There’s still 13 games to go, still a lot of work to do and we need to move on quickly to Hampton on Tuesday.”

Pictures: David Couldridge

Tonbridge Angels U18 1 Cray Wanderers U23 0

Match 57/25/2399 - Monday, 16th February 2026 - Kent Intermediate Cup Semi-Final

Tonbridge Angels U18 (1) 1 Fincham 41
Cray Wanderers (0) 0
Headcount: 70
Admission: Season Ticket
Mileage: 38/3,434

Tonbridge Angels Under-18’s have reached the final of the Kent Intermediate Cup, a competition that is principally contested by U23 sides.

The Angels route to the final has seen them eliminate Lordswood, Margate, Deal Town and, in last night’s semi-final, Cray Wanderers, all of which from the older age group.

The final will be held on Wednesday, 6th May at Chatham Town against the winners of Wednesday’s other semi-final between Hollands and Blair and Faversham Town.

For a little bit of historical context, the Kent Intermediate Cup was entered into in the early 2000’s by Tonbridge’s reserve sides and was won in 2006, 2008, 2009, 2012 and, for the last time in 2013.

Cray Wanderers were considered to be the favourites for the competition and proved stern opposition for Dom Welsh’s side, who fielded a couple of the Academy U19’s in Ollie Thomson and Noah Millis.

As expected the game was competitive from the outset with neither side gaining any sense of dominance. The Angels opening opportunity came on the quarter hour when Thomson narrowly headed wide following a corner with chances coming at the other end that never really tested Jacob Hunt.

On 30 minutes a last gasp block denied Richardson’s shot but, four minutes before the break, it was Richardson’s cross that saw Callum Fincham steal in unchallenged to head home and give the Angels a half-time lead that might have been doubled as Fiachra Pritchard’s effort drifted agonisingly wide.

The second half was never going to be anything other than a backs-to-the-wall commitment from the Angels with the missiles that were being thrown into the area from Cray’s Archie Morley, without doubt the longest throw-in’s seen at this level.

But, superbly marshalled by captain Ed Dyer, the Tonbridge youngsters stayed strong and, barring a couple of scares, they restricted the visitors to absolutely nothing that troubled Hunt.

The vocal band of brothers behind the goal greeted the Under-18’s with well-deserved appreciation that they accord a senior team success.