Bromley 1 Wrexham 0

Match 143/21/2007 - Sunday, 28th May 2022 - FA Trophy Final

Bromley (0) 1 Cheek 64
Wrexham (0) 0
Attendance: 46,111
Admission: With Vase
Programme: Not purchased
Mileage: 0/8,519

Match Report

New personal best, mainly due to this being a monumentally long season. Never before, I would hazard a guess, have I started with a pre-season friendly on 26th June and ended with competitive games 11 months later!

I doubt whether I’m ever going to improve on 143 games as (a) I cannot visualise another season of such length; (b) with fuel costs surging beyond £1.70 a litre, nearly 9,000 miles on football alone is not sustainable and (c) I’m not getting any younger!

High point would have been beating Torquay in the Trophy but, with all that went on in the week previously, St Albans was emotional. Low point would have to be a toss up between the FA Cup disaster at Hayes & Yeading or Braintree away, which I would probably go for as the performance matched the place, utterly depressing. One of the best games was the Christmas A26 derby between Crowborough and Tunbridge Wells on an absolute mud heap. It was a special night at Cray Valley when Tonbridge Angels Under-18’s stepped out for an Isthmian Youth League game for the first time in four years and an even better one at Glebe when, in a season of few wins, a first success was gained.

Sadly, it was another year in which goodbyes were said to several from the football family and comradeship is what it’s all about. May they look down on me in 2022/23 as the journey begins again in just 38 days time!

Littlehampton Town 0 Newport Pagnell Town 3

Match 142/21/2006 - Sunday, 28th May 2022 - FA Vase Final

Littlehampton Town (0) 0
Newport Pagnell Town (1) 3 Barnes 19 Shepherd 55, 63 (pen)
Attendance: Combined with Trophy
Admission: £10
Programme: Not purchased
Mileage: 132/8,519

Match Report

Hildenborough Athletic 5 West Kingsdown 0

Match 141/21/2005 - Saturday, 21st May 2022 - Les Leckie Cup Final

Hildenborough Athletic (4) 5
West Kingsdown (0) 0
Played at Larkfield & New Hythe
Attendance: 230
Admission: £4
Programme: With admission
Mileage: 33/8,387

Tonbridge Angels Academy 4 Bromley Academy 3

Match 140/21/2004 - Wednesday, 18th May 2022 - Academy Summer League

Tonbridge Angels Academy (2) 4 Barden 9 Nicholls 38 Williams 67 Lazell 78
Bromley Academy (3) 3
Headcount: 2
Admission: Free
Programme: None
Mileage: 32/8,354

Staplehurst Monarchs United Reserves 1 Deal Town Rangers 2

Match 139/21/2003 - Saturday, 14th May 2022 - Kent County League Divison Two

Staplehurst Monarchs United Reserves (0) 1
Deal Town Rangers (1) 2
Headcount: 43
Admission: Free
Programme: None
Mileage: 2/8,322

Stansfeld O&B 0 Kings Hill 1

Match 138/21/2002 - Friday, 13th May 2022 - Kent Intermediate Challenge Shield Final

Stansfeld O&B (0) 0
Kings Hill (0) 1 Olidapupo 45+3
Attendance: 341
Admission: £5
Programme: £1
Mileage: 32/8,320

Sutton Common Rovers Under-18 3 Worthing Under-18 2

Match 137/21/2001 - Thursday, 12th May 2022 - Isthmian Youth League Champions of Champions Final

Sutton Common Rovers U18 (3) 3 Sbaiti 4 Jones 13 Dobell 34
Worthing (1) 2 O'Brien 2 Chadwick 85
Estimated attendance: 100
New Ground: 349
Admission: Free
Programme: Free
Mileage: 144/8,288

The last time I watched this Final was back in 2017 when Tonbridge Angels lost to Metropolitan Police and also called time on their participation in the Isthmian Youth League. There almost seems a parallel that on the Angels return this season to the competition the best team in the Eastern Division, Sutton Common Rovers, win the Champions of Champions Trophy after a pulsating final against Worthing but, sadly, have also withdrawn from the League for next season.

Bedfont Sports were the hosts for the final and provided a new ground for me. Once the ground has been found, tucked away after the satnav gave up looking, it is nicely appointed with a 3G pitch and pockets of seating on three sides of the ground. And as you can see from the photographs, it is very colourful.

The occasion also gave me the opportunity to offer my good wishes to Steve McKimm, whose son Toby in the Sutton Common goal, proved to be the saviour for his side. After losing his job at Tonbridge Angels, Steve has been installed as the new manager of Carshalton Athletic.

Worthing flew out of the traps and were ahead within two minutes when they ended up with a man over on the left hand side of the box and Kyle O’Brien rifled a shot into the roof of the net.

The lead was only to last two minutes when the Worthing goalkeeper, Adam Nash, had a clearance charged down and Abdul Sbaiti was able to stroke the ball home.

The game’s frantic opening continued and Worthing’s Owen Spicer had a couple of chances, one of which needing a good save from McKimm. SCR’s Oliver Hamstead steered a header wide after 10 minutes but three minutes later from a left-sided corner his header came back from the bar for Tom Jones to score from the rebound.

Sbaiti was proving a real handful for the Worthing defence and he saw an effort cleared from the line by Billy-George Fuller and moments later was denied by a fine save by Nash.

In the space of five minutes, McKimm made a trio of saves to preserve his side’s lead before, after 34 minutes, an intended cross from Cameron Dobell was palmed into his own net by Nash to put SCR 3-1 up.

Worthing wasted a great chance to put themselves back in the game when a well worked move saw Reuben Livesey-Austin put a shot wide from 10 yards.

The two goal lead might have slightly flattered SCR at the break and their defence was to come under severe scrutiny throughout the second period.

By the hour mark, McKimm had made a further four saves, all with his feet, which led to a comment from a Worthing supporter alongside, “goalkeeper’s played well, does he ever use his hands!”

Worthing laid seige on the SCR goal for the last 20 minutes. They struck the post with a Joseph Alman header after 76 minutes and McKimm's feet were further employed to deny Rocco Gamblin.

Five minutes remained when a shot from fully 25 yards by Finlay Chadwick flew into the top corner, giving the West Sussex side the impetus to throw everything and the kitchen sink at SCR. In the last minute, McKimm excelled with a brave save throwing his body in front of a close range shot and, not without scares, SCR saw out the five minutes of added time. Overall, Worthing could probably feel aggrieved that they were unable to take the game into extra time, or to penalties, I never got to the bottom of that ruling.

This game doesn’t bring an end to the season, I’m so close to a personal best of in excess of 141 games that I will shamelessly eeke out the season, but some of the games are going to be without team sheets, etc., which makes writing a bit haphazard. I will record the games with photos and if I can find reports, I will link to them.

St Albans City 2 Tonbridge Angels 3

Match 136/21/2000 - Saturday, 7th May 2022 - National League South

St Albans City (2) 2 Clark 13 Goddard 19
Tonbridge Angels (2) 3 Bender (o.g.) 3 Coombes 42 Turner (pen) 72
Attendance: 1,457
Admission: Pass
Programme: Not Purchased
Mileage: 152/8,144

That Was The Week That Was! A tumultuous week in the history of Tonbridge Angels that was dramatic, but sometimes bordered on farcical, ended on Saturday with a win under the stewardship of Academy manager, Tommy Parkinson, that brought tears and happy faces as the club embarks on a new era.

A week that saw the departure of Steve McKimm as manager after eight years at the helm with a resultant outpouring onto the various social media platforms that was at times abusive, certainly angry but hidden in the vitriol were voices of reason that welcomed a new beginning. All of which left an uncertainty of the reaction of supporters that were going to pitch up for this final game of the season at St Albans. But, they came in their numbers and were truly magnificent, to a man, woman and child they focused on giving their support to their club and at the end of the day, managers and players come and go; directors are mere custodians but supporters are forever, they are the lifeblood that gives the club its soul.

All this in a week that in relative calm, the diggers arrived at Longmead and another new beginning was heralded.

It was a pleasantly warm afternoon in Hertfordshire with that joyous end of season atmosphere that always comes with the final game. Tommy Parkinson, with Craig Braham-Barrett alongside him on the bench, brought his Academy skipper Joe Tyrie into the team to partner Sonny Miles in central defence.

The afternoon could not have had a better start with Tonbridge in front after just three minutes when Tom Bender could only divert the ball into his own goal after a Adam Coombes cross from the right brushed the head of Jamie Fielding but did enough to distract the attention of the St Albans defender.

St Albans were level on 13 minutes when a cross from the right from John Goddard found Michael Clark at the far post via a couple of deflections for a straightforward finish.

Six minutes later the home side were in front and a long afternoon was feared. Two simple passes across the 18 yards box left Goddard with a clip over Jonny Henly.

But the Angels stayed in the game and after Aaron Smith-Joseph fired over the bar they found an equaliser on 42 minutes. A free kick awarded after a bad tackle on Joe Turner that brought a yellow card for Kyron Wiltshire. Henly launched the free kick forward and Smith-Joseph was on the end of it to fire in a shot that St Albans goalkeeper, Michael Johnson, did well to parry but from the half-clearance Turner lofted the ball back in for Coombes to score with a diving header.

It had been a thoroughly entertaining first half, one that you hope for on the last day of the season, two teams with little to play for, playing a bit more expansive football than they were able whilst the threat of relegation or striving for a play-off place hanged over them.

The second half started in the same vein with Turner firing wide and Smith-Joseph missing a great chance before St Albans struck the post on 56 minutes. But Tonbridge held the larger share of the possession and deserved their lead on 72 minutes when Turner drove into the box and was unceremoniously brought down by Huw Dawson. Turner dusted himself down and fairly leathered the ball home from the spot.

From a right wing corner, Henly made an instinctive save but, in fairness, Tonbridge saw out the game in relative comfort.

The end of the Week That Was was a great away day, a superb win that with results elsewhere lifted Tonbridge to 16th place, away from the bottom four, ironically one of Steve McKimm’s stated objectives. Parkinson departs the manager’s chair with a 100% record and the Tonbridge supporters were the star turn of the afternoon, and now, with bated breath, we await The Week That Will Be.

Enfield Town Academy 1 Tonbridge Angels Academy 1

Match 135/21/1999 - Wednesday, 4th May 2022 - National League Under-19 Alliance Champions of Champions

Enfield Town Academy (0) 1 Noel-Williams 62
Tonbridge Angels Academy (0) 1 Hartley 52
Enfield Town win 3-1 on penalties
Headcount: 24
Admission: Free
Programme: None
Mileage: 126/7,992

Tonbridge Angels Academy bowed out of the Champions Cup following a penalty shoot out defeat at Enfield Town after a hard-fought game finished 1-1 at 90 minutes.

The game had a bizarre start when the referee failed to arrive. After some frantic phone calls from the Enfield officials, a substitute referee was found but because he would not be arriving for the best part of an hour it was decided to start the match with members of the home side’s staff officiating. After seven minutes, Enfield opened the scoring with a goal that was clearly offside and as a result, the Enfield management called a halt and ordered a restart when the proper referee arrived.

Enfield were the quickest out of the traps on the restart, forcing Nat Gibb into a save after four minutes and Tom Green made a fantastic goal line clearance to deny them after some fine work down the right had left the Enfield man with what appeared to be a tap-in moments later.

The Angels weathered the early storm and started to make an impression on the game with Luca Woodhouse having a shot saved and following a good build up involving Joe Tyrie, Shea Brennan and Mason Nicholls, Woodhouse fired over.

In the final minute of a thoroughly entertaining first half, a short corner routine saw Tyrie head against a post from the resultant cross by Rhys Anderson and in added time another corner was headed back across goal by Tyrie to Green who headed it down for Finn Hartley to stab the ball goalwards but the keeper was down to save.

Tonbridge carried the momentum from the end of the first half and opened the scoring after 52 minutes when Brennan’s pass sent Hartley clear to despatch past the advancing keeper.

Enfield seized back the initiative and had a couple of chances before Noel-Williams scored with a good header at the far post.

Noel-Williams was to the fore again as Gibb did well to save at his feet and the game became stretched with chances beginning to appear at both ends of the pitch.

Leo Vowles was narrowly wide; Woodhouse saw an effort saved whilst Enfield also had their chances to win the game before the game went to penalties.

Gibb saved Enfield’s first effort and Sam Grant scored to give the Angels the advantage but three subsequent saves from the Enfield goalkeeper and three successful spot kicks saw Enfield into the quarter finals.

Tommy Parkinson was pleased with his young squad’s display commenting: “This was a really good performance from our scholars with eight first years in the squad against a second/third year team. We were the better side for long periods and unlucky not go through.”

Crowborough Athletic U18 2 Tonbridge Angels U18 1

Match 134/21/1998 - Tuesday, 3rd May 2022 - Friendly

Crowborough Athletic (0) 2
Tonbridge Angels U18 (1) 1 Knight 22
Headcount: 41
Admission: Free
Programme: None
Mileage: 44/7,866

My apologies go to those who are expecting to read a report from Tonbridge Angels Under-18’s post- or pre-season friendly at Crowborough Athletic. For 45 minutes the game had my full attention and the new intake of Angels youngsters were performing very well on a tired, end of season pitch. But the half-time break brought the compulsive look at the phone and a tweet leapt out and hit me like a house brick, Steve McKimm has been sacked as the manager of Tonbridge Angels.

Returning to the Under-18’s, they withstood some early Crowborough pressure and gradually grew into the game creating their first chance after 13 minutes when a cross from Joe Newman found Felix Waring but his effort was well saved at the near post. Crowborough responded with an effort that was narrowly wide.

Tonbridge took the lead after 22 minutes with a well worked goal involving Sam Firimans and Harry London setting up Ethan Knight for a shot into the bottom corner.

This gave the Angels the momentum and chances fell for Knight and London before the break.

And then came the break and a total distraction but before we get to that there was a second half played out before my eyes even if I wasn’t taking it in.

Crowborough equalised on the hour when cross from the left was met with a good header at the far post and with it the momentum switched to the home side who took the lead seven minutes later when a long ball forward that saw the striker round Matt Larkin to tap the ball home.

This wasn’t a bad performance with some decent play at times but defensively the Angels deteriorated in the second half.

The half-time news was a bombshell and my phone became red hot! Nothing made sense. The timing, a day after safety was assured in National League South and with just one game remaining, seemed heartless and this was a sacking, Tonbridge’s first for 34 years as McKimm tweeted: “Just had devastating news that I’ve been sacked as manager of Tonbridge Angels after 8 years due to the club thinking I can’t take the club no further. Remit was to stay in the league, job done. Thanks for all your support.”

For the 45 minute journey home, the phone constantly buzzed and, at home, it took the best part of a couple hours to wade through the twitter responses and other social media and the theme was most definitely that of shock and almost total support for the dispensed manager.

The club’s statement issued some time after McKimm’s reveal spoke of a “unanimous” decision on behalf of the board and that it was felt they had “taken the club as far as they could and would not be able to continue to match the ambitions of the club going forward.”

Somewhere along the line, sense needs to made of this, but at this particular time none could be made.

Tonbridge Angels 2 Eastbourne Borough 0

Match 133/21/1997 - Monday, 2nd May 2022 - National League South

Tonbridge Angels (0) 2 Beere 49 Elliott (o.g.) 50
Eastbourne Borough (0) 0
Attendance: 1,238
Admission: Season Ticket
Programme: £3
Mileage: 38/7,822

“We are staying up, we are staying up” rang out of the South Stand as two second half goals within a minute confirmed the Angels’ National League South status for another season.

Steve McKimm made two changes from the side that lost at Bath City on Saturday. Jerry O’Sullivan returned at full back which allowed Tom Beere to resume his midfield position whilst Ibrahim Olutade was selected up top with Ricky Modeste and Adam Coombes taking their places on the bench.

The first half was a nervy, cagey affair with very few chances being created by either side. An early raid down the left saw Craig Braham-Barrett fire into the side netting and a good shot from distance by Tom Parkinson tested ex-Angels goalkeeper, Lee Worgan, for the first time after 16 minutes.

But the best chance of the half fell to Eastbourne Borough when a right-sided corner saw Chris Whelpdale make a late run into the area to meet the cross with a firm header that was cleared from the line by O’Sullivan.

After such a quiet opening 45 minutes, nobody in the attendance of 1,238 was quite ready for the opening five minutes of the second half.

After 49 minutes, following good work initially from Braham-Barrett, Olutade wriggled his way to the bye-line from where he pulled back a short pass to the near post for Tom Beere to tuck home.

Within a minute, Tonbridge had their league safety completely in their grasp as Joe Turner drove into the right side of the box to fizz a low cross from which Jake Elliott turned the ball into his own net under severe pressure from Olutade.

The Angels were now rampant and were close to a third goal on 57 minutes when a short corner routine saw Smith-Joseph cross for Parkinson to head narrowly over.

A fine solo effort from Olutade ended with his curling shot drifting narrowly wide before substitute Charlie Walker forced Jonny Henly into his own real save of the half.

The game was seen out in relative comfort leaving supporters with the unusual celebration of spades in hand, digging up the pitch!

A delighted but reflective Steve McKimm commented after the game: “We’ve crossed the line and I’m pleased with that. But I cannot be shouting from the rooftops because we haven’t hit the heights I’ve wanted to.”

The fans will shout for you Steve, “We are staying up, say we are staying up!”