Tonbridge Angels 1 Maidstone United 1

Match 64/23/2187 - Tuesday, 26th December 2023 - National League South

Tonbridge Angels (0) 1 Higgs 90+4
Maidstone United (0) 1 Rush 57
Attendance: 2,806
Admission: Season Ticket
Mileage: 38/4,654
Weather: 12degC, dry

An incredible Jordan Higgs strike in the last minute of time added brought a euphoric response from the vast majority of the record Longmead crowd of 2,806 as the Angels salvaged a point from their A26 neighbours, Maidstone United.

In order to accommodate the attendance, almost 400 in excess of the previous high of the 2011 play-off game against Lowestoft Town, the kick-off needed delaying for 15 minutes.

Jay Saunders, who was given a warm welcome from the travelling Stones support, made one enforced change from the side that took a point at Taunton, with skipper Scott Wagstaff failing to regain full fitness following a knock on Saturday.

The Boxing Day crowd, full of noise and anticipation at the outset, became subdued during a first half in which the sides cancelled each other out, although Maidstone held a greater share of possession, forcing three corners in the opening minutes and eight before the break.

The first incursion into Maidstone territory came on 12 minutes when Mo Dabre flashed a cross but Jordan Greenidge was unable to rise high enough to meet it.

Despite having the majority of the ball, the visitors were not really troubling the Angels back line but the closest either side came to scoring came on the half-hour when a long range strike from the visitors’ George Fowler was narrowly wide.

On 35 minutes, Maidstone’s goalkeeper, Lucas Covolan, was asked to make his first save, turning away a Greenidge shot at his near post.

That brought down the curtain on what had been a largely disappointing first period from both sides.

Maidstone opened the scoring on 57 minutes when Harry Kyprianou got free down the left hand side before driving a cross at the far post that was met and bundled home by one-time Angels loanee, Matt Rush.

On 64 minutes, Mo Dabre put a Jernade Meade cross just over the bar and on to the roof of net as the Angels searched for an equaliser as the visitors put. numbers behind the ball to protect their lead.

The clock was ticking down as Sean Shields and Tariq Hinds saw efforts blocked by weight of numbers.

As the board was raised showing four additional minutes, Lewis Gard had a long range effort comfortably fielded by Covolan and when the Angels won a corner on the right, goalkeeper Jonny Henly was sent forward in desperate last effort.

The corner was firstly headed clear to the edge of the box to Hinds who headed it forward once more for another headed clearance that fell to Higgs on the left hand side of the 18 yard box. His beautifully struck volley flew into top corner with Covolan grasping a thin air.

The celebrations were brought to a halt in front of the visitor’s technical area and the melee that followed brought a flurry of yellow cards and a red card for a member of the Maidstone contingent.

Jay Saunders said after the game: “Obviously that late in the game, you take a point all day long, and that strike was probably worth the admission money alone. It wasn’t a great spectacle, a typical local derby and we are a little disappointed that with the crowd we didn’t give a proper account of ourselves.”

Tunbridge Wells 2 Corinthian 3

Match 63/23/2186 - Saturday, 23rd December 2023 - SCEFL Premier

Tunbridge Wells (1) 2 McCreadie 9,85
Corinthian (2) 3 Fitzgerald 21 Housego (pen) 40 Salim 62
Attendance: 335
Admission: £5 Senior
Mileage: 38/4,616
Weather: 12degC, dry

A first competitive visit to Culverden Stadium this season served to understand why Tunbridge Wells are marooned in mid-table. After taking an early lead through a Trevor McCreadie header at the back post, they were for the most part, second best to decent Corinthian side.

Corinthian equalised from a near post header from a corner and took the lead before the break when, it appeared a hand ball had stopped a goalbound effort.

A second half goal for the visitors seemed to have sewn up the points but McCreadie pulled one back with five minutes remaining set up the opportunity for a grandstand finish that didn't really materialise.

Tonbridge Angels 4 Dartford 0

Match 62/23/2185 - Saturday, 16th December 2023 - National League South

Tonbridge Angels (2) 4 Greenidge 22,77 Gard 25 Dabre 33
Dartford (0) 0
Attendance: 1,237
Admission: Season Ticket
Mileage: 38/4,578
Weather: 10degC, dry

Tonbridge Angels produced a pre-Christmas Cracker of a performance for their supporters to demolish near-neighbours Dartford with a first half display that swept their visitors aside.

Jay Saunders was able to recall Sean Shields to the side following his absence with a virus for the trip to Torquay United with Francis Mampolo dropping to the bench.

Mercifully dry, if a little cold, Tonbridge gave due warning to the Darts, for many years a bogey side of the Angels, in the opening minutes of their second clash of the season. After five minutes, Jernade Meade fired over the bar and a minute later Sean Shields' effort escaped the right post, followed by a Jordan Greenidge shot that wasn’t too far wide.

After 16 minutes, Mo Dabre and Scott Wagstaff combined to create another chance, with the skipper delivering a cross that Greenidge steered onto the outside of the post.

  The goal that the Angels had threatened, and thoroughly deserved, arrived on 22 minutes when Greenidge met a Shields left-sided corner at the near post to turn the ball home to the delight of the Angels support behind the goal.

Three minutes later those fans were in absolute dreamland when the Angels doubled their advantage with a superb goal on the break. As a Dartford attack was broken down, the ball was played out to Shields who made ground before sending Dabre clear to cross into the box to Lewis Gard who withstood the challenge of a defender to slot past the advancing Darts goalkeeper, Ryan Sandford.

Dream time for the Angels; nightmares for the visitors as the home side cruised into a three goal lead on 33 minutes. Dabre who had already been heavily involved with his energy and workrate, added his name to the scoresheet when he met a Wagstaff cross to score from the edge of the six yard box.

Before the break, Jamie Fielding took a blow to the face which saw him on his way to hospital being replaced by Tom Parkinson. The referee, Lisa Benn, only reached for a yellow card despite what appeared a raised elbow from Harvey Bradbury who had been warned for a similar offence earlier in the half on Jordan Higgs.

A fourth goal would surely have put the game to bed and this very nearly came after 37 minutes when a shot, heavily deflected, from Tariq Hinds was brilliantly turned aside by Sandford.

Dartford made a double substitution at the break in an attempt to reinvigorate their performance, but despite a slight increase in possession, Tonbridge kept them at an arm’s length with relative comfort with Tyrell Miller-Rodney’s effort into the side netting their only real opportunity.

Thirteen minutes remained when Wagstaff stood up a cross from the right to the far post for Greenidge to nod home and wrap up a fine afternoon’s entertainment for the Angels support.

The win will give the Angels confidence going into the hectic Christmas period with a trip to Somerset and Taunton Town next Saturday before the double header with local rivals Maidstone United.

Tonbridge Angels U18 4 Chatham Town U18 0

Match 61/23/2184 - Monday, 11th December 2023 - Isthmian Youth League

Tonbridge Angels U18 (2) 4 Waring 33,49 Puffette 39 Larkin 68
Chatham Town (0) 0
Attendance: 44
Admission: £3 Senior
Mileage: 38/4,540
Weather: 4degC, at least it was dry

Dom Welsh’s Under-18’s produced their most complete performance of the season to demolish Chatham Town.

Welsh hailed his team after the game replying to the observation that they are really starting to look a team, working hard for each other, not allowing complacency to set in just because you’re winning 4-0. He said: “I think that’s the biggest thing this season. It’s a TEAM. On the pitch and off the pitch, which adds 10% to our game. We are really enjoying it. Standards are high and results keep coming.”

The results are certainly coming, five unbeaten; just one defeat in 11 and looking forward to a League Cup Quarter Final in the new year. There’s a lot to like about this team.

The first 15 minutes gave every indication that the game would be tight and keenly fought with neither side having an opportunity. But with Felix Waring pulling the strings in midfield, the Angels began to dominate with Cameron Honarvar going close on a couple of occasions.

It was still past the half-hour mark before the Angels finally made a breakthrough with a goal straight off the training ground. A corner from the right saw the usual assembly of attackers and defenders at the far post for the expectant cross from Reuben Etherington, instead the ball was played short to Waring who stole in at the near post to fire home. “It was worked on in training last week, all very well worked”, said Welsh.

A second goal before the break also came from a training ground corner, that was flicked on by Ben Martin-Coward for skipper Will Puffette to head home from close range,

A fast start to the second half saw Martin-Coward shoot wide before a shot from Etherington saw the ball rebound from the goalkeeper for Waring to fire home.

In recent weeks we have reported on the heroics of Toby Edwards in the Angels goal, but he was largely unemployed as his defenders dealt with a lightweight Chatham front line.

On the hour, substitute Fin McLeod struck a post and, a couple of minutes later, was denied by a last ditch challenge from Chatham’s Riley Ingram, who was doing his best to stem the tide.

The game was put to bed on 68 minutes when a poor clearance from the goalkeeper allowed Adam Larkin to finish well into the bottom corner.

Waring was denied his hat trick in the 87th minute when the Chats keeper, Liam Sheriff, did well to touch a 20 yards shot onto the crossbar.

Dom Welsh reflected: “it was another excellent performance tonight with two outstanding periods either side of the break. A clean sheet is very pleasing and it is satisfying to see the progress being made by the likes of Sam Gerard and Rory Kavanagh since they have become regulars in the team."

Whilst Cray Valley and Sutton Common sit behind Welling United and the Angels with several games in hand, next week sees the top two go head-to-head to see who goes into the Christmas break as the top of the table team.

Ide Hill 3 Kent United 3

Match 60/23/2183 - Saturday, 9th December 2023 - Kent County League Premier

Ide Hill (0) 3
Kent United (0) 3
Headount: 44
Admission: £3 Senior
Mileage: 38/4,502
Played at Tonbridge Angels
Weather: 14degC, windy, many postponements on grass elswhere

Crazy game that saw Kent United's goalkeeper injured and taken to hospital in the first half; Ide Hill's goalkeeper sin binned; a Kent United player sin binned for asking where to take a free kick and Ide Hill recover from 3-0 down to equalise with the last meaningful kick of the match.

Corinthian U18 3 Tonbridge Angels U18 4

Match 59/23/2182 - Monday, 4th December 2023 - Isthmian Youth League

Corinthian U18 (1) 3 Taylor 40,87 Gerard (o.g.) 71
Tonbridge Angels U18 (2) 4 Honarvar 7 McLeod 39 Waring 49 Wallace 79
Attendance: 34
Admission: £3 Senior
Mileage: 60/4,464
Weather: 6degC, damp and cold

Tonbridge Angels U18’s achieved a morale-boosting win against a Corinthian side that they could potentially meet in the Isthmian Youth League Cup Quarter Finals.

The weather had caused some concern about the fitness of the back pitch at Gay Dawn Farm, but it was in great condition and perfectly playable.

The two sides had fought out a very competitive 1-1 draw at Longmead Stadium just a fortnight ago so another tight match was expected and it didn’t disappoint.

Both sides had an opportunity to open the scoring before the Angels did so in the seventh minute when a free kick from the left taken by Reuben Etherington was allowed to carry to the far post from where Cameron Honarvar drifted in to convert with a good finish.

The game, officiated by an all-female team, got mired in a midfield battle for about 20 minutes with niggly fouls breaking up the play and perhaps needing the referee to step in a little earlier than the 30th minute to issue the first yellow card.

The game opened up again after the half-hour and Corinthian twice in a matter of moments tested the Angels goalkeeper, Toby Edwards, who responded with good saves.

In the 39th minute the Angels doubled their advantage when the quick-thinking Etherington slid a free kick through for Fin McLeod to run clear and score with a well struck shot.

Unfortunately, the Angels developed a vulnerability from corners and set pieces and, just a minute later, a corner travelled to the far post where an unmarked Hugo Taylor was on hand to score.

Corinthian mounted a big effort to go into the break on level terms but free kicks in potentially dangerous positions were ballooned over the crossbar.

Tonbridge regained their two goal advantage four minutes into the second half when Felix Waring weaved his way through the Corinthian defence, cutting in from the left, before despatching a fine finish into the bottom corner.

Corinthian got themselves back in the game on 71 minutes with a stroke of good fortune. Once again a corner being the Angels undoing but this time a clearance from Ben Martin-Coward unfortunately struck Sam Gerard in the face and the ball rebounded into the net.

Tonbridge had to withstand a good deal of pressure with Edwards saving well on a couple of occasions but they looked to have wrapped the game up with 11 minutes remaining when substitute Logan Wallace scored with a close range header from a Waring corner.

A brilliant Edwards save, turning over a 25 yard shot, seemed to have secured the points but when Taylor bundled the ball home with three minutes to go a tense finish ensued before seeing out the time added.

Dom Welsh said after the game: “I though we were good tonight against a good Corinthian side. We had lapses in concentration that gave Corinthian lifelines into the game, but we had some excellent attacking play. One defeat in 10 gives us momentum going into the second half of the season.”

Torquay United 2 Tonbridge Angels 1

Match 58/23/2181 - Saturday, 2nd December 2023 - National League South

Torquay United (1) 2 De Silva 10 Ash 61
Tonbridge Angels (0) 1 Mampolo 59
Attendance: 1,850
Admission: £19 Senior
Mileage: 464/4,404
Weather: 7degC, dry and bright but cold

It’s 5.48am, I’ve beaten the alarm by two minutes and get dressed and downstairs to a couple of bemused cocker spaniels not used to being offered the outside world at this unearthly hour.

By 6.20, just a cup of tea later, I’m closing the front door and the journey to Torquay has begun, on a supporters club coach running for the first time in 17 years.

Torquay United, who didn’t know who Tonbridge Angels were two years ago when drawn together in the FA Trophy, is the destination for a league game.

It’s freezing, the temperature dial doesn’t shift from zero all the way to Tonbridge but at least the coach is warm.

The “ultras” serve up their full repertoire of songs, naughty and nice, as we head west with a welcome stop at Leigh Delamere before finally arriving at Plainmoor at 12:55 pm.

On arrival we are greeted with the news that the gates don’t open until 14:00 and away supporters are barred from the club house. This is an ex-League club, full time, absolutely ridiculous to leave people hanging around for an hour without so much as a toilet.

That be said, Plainmoor is a nice ground but, like Yeovil before, the facilities afforded to away supporters is sparse to be kind.

And so to the match. The difference between the teams was the cutting edge up front. Overall, Tonbridge went toe-to-toe with one of the league’s big hitters and, whilst coming away empty-handed, the visiting supporters departed with a feeling of injustice at the result.

I’ve heard rather patronising comments from BBC Radio Devon calling us “a good, little side”. So, we are obviously still the unknown minnows of the National League.

After a good start the Angels went behind on 10 minutes when a sweeping counter attack of just three passes that covered almost the entire length of the field ended with Dillon De Silva free at the right hand post to finish.

The Angels continued to have plenty of the play. There were half-hearted claims for a penalty as Jordan Greenidge went down under a dive at his feet from goalkeeper, Mark Halstead and a 25 yard effort from Jordan Higgs on 26 minutes clipped the top of the crossbar.

On the stroke of half-time following a corner Halstead made successive reaction saves to deny Higgs and Jamie Fielding.

Tonbridge picked up where they left off after the first period, on the front foot, and when Francis Mampolo equalised on 59 minutes nobody could deny that they were well worth their equaliser. And what a goal, picking the ball up on the left hand side, 35 yards from goal, he weaved his way through a series of defenders that failed to make a challenge before letting fly from the edge of the box with a shot that picked out the top corner.

Unfortunately, the parity was only to last two minutes when a cross from the right saw Bradley Ash peel away from his marker to bury a shot past Henly. It was a great finish from one of the best in the division, a striker that has destroyed the Angels in the past.

Still being backed to the hilt from the noisy Angels support, Tonbridge pressed hard right to the final whistle for an equaliser but it wasn’t to be.

The journey home stretched the day out to a total of 17 hours, a long day but one with a strange sense of satisfaction despite the defeat. The coach ran successfully with a promise that it would run again and, on the field, another day in which Jay Saunders’ team has proved competitive against the best in the division.

Howard School 6 Hugh Christie 0

Match 57/23/2180 - Wednesday, 29th November 2023 - Kent Schools Academies Championship

Howard School (3) 6
Hugh Christie (0) 0
Attendance: 8
Admission: Free
Mileage: 36/3,940
Played at Wrotham School
Academies: PSA v Tonbridge Angels