Tonbridge Angels (1) 1 Payne 39
Stansfeld (1) 1 Parkinson (pen) 24
Est. attendance: 150
Admission: Free Senior
Programme: None
Mileage: 38/178
Weather: 23degC., cooling
This pre-season friendly against Southern Counties East (Step 5) club Stansfeld offered the opportunity to blood Academy players alongside several trialists in a competitive game.
Assistant Manager Tom Parkinson said after the game: “That was a good exercise. It was good to see some academy players, who we are looking to get out on loan, and see how they fare against a step 5 team, and it was good to see a couple of trialists. Stansfeld are good, physical, and they’ll be challenging near the top and that’s the level we’ll be looking to get some of these boys out to.”
The Angels made most of the early running with the Stansfeld goalkeeper, Charlie Cottrell, excelling, especially in the fourth minute when he first saved a Joe Tyrie header but also managed to repel two further efforts on goal from the resulting melee in front of goal.
The only senior Angels player on show, Stefan Payne getting some valuable minutes, brought good saves from Cottrell before ex-Angels leading goalscorer, Ben Hermitage brought a smart save out of his former team mate, Nat Gibb.
Stansfeld were gaining a foothold in the game when they went ahead on 24 minutes when Macey Malyon was brought down by a trialist which allowed Dan Parkinson to send Gibb the wrong way from the penalty spot.
Payne saw a free kick from the edge of the box go narrowly wide and was also denied by Cottrell with a near post save before equalising on 39 minutes. A through ball was brilliantly dummied by Hayden Velvick who allowed the ball to run on to Payne, who produced a composed finish past the advancing goalkeeper.
The referee brought the first half to a close a few minutes early as Stansfeld’s Parkinson sustained a nasty head injury.
Second half substitutions included an appearance for Ned Lewis, ex-Academy striker who has been on a scholarship at Harcum College in Pennsylvania.
On the hour a multitude of substitutions were made with several Academy players and a couple of Isthmian League Under-18’s entering the fray, including goalkeeper Jay Blake, who last season played Under-16’s Kent Youth League for the Angels.
The game remained competitive with a trialist hitting the post for Tonbridge on 55 minutes, whilst the woodwork also denied a goal for former Angels’ favourite Tommy Whitnell.
Picture: Dave Couldridge
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