Tonbridge Angels (3) 4 Fagg 3 Fielding 14 Soares-Jr 25 Lyons-Foster 50
Gillingham U21 (0) 0
Attendance: 644
Admission: £8
Programme: None
Mileage: 38/255
Weather: 20degC., cooling quickly
Pre-season ploughs on with some degree of frustration. When Charlton Athletic and Gillingham were announced, in good faith, it was presumed that, as EFL clubs, they would arrive with competitive squads but for the second time supporters were left disappointed. Not disappointed with the home side, they did what they had to do and did it well. Supporters of step two, or below, clubs know that EFL clubs no longer send first team squads pre-season but should there not, at least, be a sense of pride to field a team that makes a game of it?
The most frustrating element for me, as a Tonbridge Angels supporter, is that in both games they’ve played well. Partnerships all over the pitch are developing nicely; goals are being scored even without a recognised striker and defensively sound as a bell. But how good are they, because of the weakness of the opposition, how are we to know until we visit Worthing?
On Saturday, at Scarborough, with opposition of similar standing, perhaps a clearer indication might be becoming. Sadly, due to a train strike, I cannot be there to witness.
The evening ahead for Gillingham was set in the opening two minutes when, after 10 seconds, an over-zealous trialist piled into the back of Jamie Fielding followed by two cynical fouls that required the referee to remind the perpetrators of the game’s status. Desperation was already the watchword and for the next 45 minutes the blue shirts (Tonbridge were in their mint away kit) they chased, not particularly successfully, shadows.
Makeshift striker Tommie Fagg put the Angels in front after just three minutes when he turned the ball home at the near post following a right wing cross from the once again impressive Ruben Soares-Junior.
In the Gills goal, Tait Holtam did well, until the 14th minute, when a header from the left hand angle of the six yard box, trickled past him and into the bottom corner.
When Soares-Jr touched home a Lewis Gard right-sided cross for 3-0, a rout looked the only outcome. So perhaps this Gillingham side deserve some credit that this was avoided, albeit with the help of the woodwork four times.
After five second half minutes, defender Kodi Lyons-Foster showed some nimble footwork to create a yard of space and slot the ball home from eight yards for 4-0 but, from that point, multiple substitutions disrupted the flow of the game.
Following last week’s 800-odd against Charlton, the feel good factor surrounding Tonbridge Angels continued with another 644 attending despite the knowledge that Gillingham’s first team were entertaining Charlton at Priestfield.
The phoney war’s conclusion is fast approaching, unlike Saturday morning’s train to Scarborough.
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