Monday, 17 November 2025

Tonbridge Angels 0 Worthing 4

Match 35/25/2377 - Saturday, 15th November 2025 - National League South

Tonbridge Angels (0) 0
Worthing (1) 4 Odokonyero 12,68 Frimpong 54 Dolaghan 87
Attendance: 710
Admission: Pass
Mileage: 38/2,207

Tonbridge Angels made their exit from the FA Trophy after being comprehensively beaten by an outstanding Worthing side at the Yeomans Community Stadium.

The visitors produced a first half masterclass of possession and the only surprise was that they went into the break just the single goal in front through former Angels' loanee Nathan Odokonyero, who seized onto an Angels defensive error.

In the second period, Worthing showed their clinical side adding goals on 54 minutes from Kwaku Frimpong; a second for Odokonyero and completed the scoring three minutes from time with a goal from Brad Dolaghan.

Manager Alan Dunne praised the visiting side’s quality: “Worthing are probably the best team we have played this season. They are a top team with a top manager. The game suited them on a wet, zippy afternoon and a big pitch. They are the highest possession team and they’ve scored the most goals in the league. I’ve watched them against Totten and Hemel Hempstead, neither of whom laid a glove on them. They are the best team in the league at the moment and I think they will probably go on and win the league.”

Whilst not in the biblical proportions of Tuesday’s visit to Bath City, the persistent rain made the afternoon more miserable for the Angels supporters. Manager Alan Dunne made four changes to the starting XI from Tuesday with Jack West-Astuti, Tom Leahy and Alfie Pavey cup-tied and into the side came Jacob Adams, Bailey Akehurst, Eddie Simon and Sean Shields, making his first start of the season. Bunmi Babajide took a place on the bench.

Worthing started the game as they were to go on, dominating possession and opening up chances for George Cox before Odokonyero opened the scoring after the ball was lost in midfield, a single pass from Matt Burgess found the striker on the left side of the box to roll the ball into the net off the far post.

Jacob Adams excelled on 23 minutes to deny Frimpong before the Angels best moment of the first half saw a Naz Bakrin header cleared from the line by Joel Colbran.

Odokonyero was denied a second goal by a fine goal line clearance by Kyle Smith whilst Adams made good saves from Burgess and Cox to keep the visitors within range at the break.

Worthing doubled their advantage when a pass was intercepted by Odei Sorondo who threaded a through ball to Frimpong, who held off the challenge of Bakrin to slide the ball past the advancing Adams.

Dunney rang the changes, making four substitutions in the space of four minutes, and Tonbridge produced their best chance of the game when Bailey Akehurst and Brody Peart combined to set up an opportunity for Eddie Simon but his effort failed to significantly test Josh Jeffries.

The game was effectively over as a contest on 68 minutes when Odokonyero added his second, and Worthing’s third, following Razzaq Coleman De-Graft’s cross from the right.

In a sign of Worthing’s strength in depth, leading goalscorer Brad Dolaghan was introduced from the bench and with three minutes remaining he added a fourth after a surging run from fellow substitute Joe Cook had taken him into the box before despatching a pass to the edge of the six yard from where Dolaghan buried his shot into the bottom corner.

Alan Dunne concluded and looked forward to the games ahead: “I want a response, clean sheets. We are learning all the time, it is not going to be easy and we are going to lose games. Chippenham and Hampton are massive games for us. We are going into two games we can win. I want us to focus on the league, come in on Tuesday and be positive. This game doesn’t define our season.”

Thursday, 13 November 2025

Tonbridge Angels 0 Hornchurch 1

Match 34/25/2376 - Saturday, 8th November 2025 - National League South

Tonbridge Angels (0) 0
Hornchurch (0) 1 Hearn 62
Attendance: 803
Admission: Season Ticket
Mileage: 38/2,169

Despite a tough examination of their credentials as National League South leaders, Hornchurch departed the Yeomans Community Stadium with their unbeaten run and their six point lead at the head of the table intact, courtesy of a Henry Hearn goal just beyond the hour mark.

Tonbridge battled hard but foundered in the final third against a resilient, steadfast Hornchurch defence that offered the Angels precious little in clear cut chances.

Alan Dunne reflected in his post-match interview: “You can see why Hornchurch are top of the league but saying that I felt we controlled the game both in and out of possession. I was disappointed not to come away with something from the game, I thought we deserved at least a point.”

The Angels manager gave debuts to new signings Jack West-Astuti and Logan Dobbs with Jacob Adams and Nazir Bakrin dropping to the bench alongside another new signing, Tom Leahy.

Hornchurch started the game brightly, with a confidence borne of a long unbeaten run that stretches back to the latter part of last season and had the opening opportunity when Henry collected a cross from ex-Angel Charlie Pegrum, but shot wide when well placed.

The Angels were far from overawed by the table-toppers and there was very little in the game in the first half in the way of clear cut chances with set piece efforts for the visitors from Frankie Edwards and Tom Wraight and, for the Angels, a Kyle Smith low cross which narrowly eluded Bunmi Babajide after 11 minutes and a free kick from Smith which rippled the top of the netting.

Hornchurch made strong claims for a penalty that was waved away before on 62 minutes, a Dobbs challenge saved the day as Hearn looked poised to score, but the respite was only to last a minute as a long cross from the right by Wraight eluded the outstretched leg of Dobbs and Hearn dinked a clever finish over the advancing West-Astuti.

The introduction of Sean Shields brought a cross from the right that fellow substitute Alfie Pavey met with a header that cleared the bar and, as Hornchurch defended deeply with numbers in the closing minutes, the clear opportunity was continually denied.

Dunney concluded: “My only criticism today was that we tried to score the perfect goal and we didn’t work their goalkeeper enough. We got into the box and into good areas but we’ve had five or six entries but could not get a shot off. The difference between Hornchurch, top of the league and us, was they were a little bit more savvy, bit more street-wise.”

Wednesday, 12 November 2025

Tonbridge Angels 2 Chelmsford City 4

Match 33/25/2375 - Tuesday, 4th November 2025 - National League South

Tonbridge Angels (0) 2 Peart 56,75
Chelmsford City (2) 4 Folarin 12,29 Adigun 54 Remy 84
Attendance: 803
Admission: Season Ticket
Mileage: 38/2,131

Tonbridge Angels rued individual errors as they fell back to earth with a bump after the euphoria of Saturday’s historic afternoon at the Gallagher. Chelmsford City emphasised that National League South can be an unforgiving place as they clinically punished the Angels to win 4-2 despite a spirited fightback from three goals down.

Manager Alan Dunne: “It was a game that was way to open for my liking. I felt, coming into the game, not having been in on Sunday or Monday, I couldn’t really get the weekend out of them, I could feel that in the dressing room. Shape-wise, we tried to do something a little bit different, I wanted to be more positive going forward and create some chances and it didn’t work. But, we were the makers of our own downfall, first one the keeper has spilled; second one is a mistake on our part. Saying that, second half, and throughout the game, we’ve had good clear chances, I don’t think we’ve had so many chances all season but the defending, and the goals we gave away are not us, I want us to be a solid team and against a team like Chelmsford, you cannot play like that.”

Dunney made two changes from Saturday with Jordan Higgs and Marcus Sablier coming into the starting XI for Bailey Akehurst and Scott Wagstaff.

As fireworks lit up the Longmead sky, the Angels started on the front foot, forcing early corners, the second of which brought a header from Arthur Penney that drifted narrowly wide.

But, in the 12th minute, it was the visitors that opened the scoring when a shot from 20 yards by ex-Angels loanee, Jason Adigun, rebounded off the chest of Jacob Adams into the path of Sam Folarin, who poached a finish.

Tonbridge responded well with efforts from Bunmi Babajide; a shot over from Matt Warren after combining well with Babajide and a header from Naz Bakrin.

But, once more an individual error led to Chelmsford doubling their advantage on 29 minutes when a crossfield pass from Higgs was intercepted and when Folarin reached the ball first and touched it past Penney, he was through on goal to bury his shot into the bottom corner.

The Angels manager rattled the changes directly after the break introducing Brody Peart, Bobby Unwin and Akehurst but it was the visitors that got the all-important third goal on 54 minutes when an attempted pass from Adigun rebounded off Bakrin back into his path for a good finish into the bottom corner.

Two minutes later, Peart offered Tonbridge a lifeline when he fastened onto a clearance and, from 25 yards, lashed his shot into the bottom corner.

The Angels ploughed forward in search of reducing the deficit with an Unwin cross that evaded everyone and Chelmsford’s Chris Haigh gratefully grabbed an effort from Peart at the second attempt.

After a couple of efforts from Inih Effiong and a disallowed goal for Chelmsford, Tonbridge were right back in the game as Haigh dropped a cross and with his back to goal, Peart hooked the ball into the net.

As the home side pressed hard for an equaliser they were caught short-handed at the back and Adigun, outpacing his marker, was able to lay the ball across for Shiloh Remy to touch into an empty net.

Dunney concluded: “Sometimes you cannot account for individual errors and a couple of individual mistakes have cost us and that was the difference. We looked tired, perhaps one game too many, but we’ve been on a great run and I want to stay positive, put it behind us and look forward to Saturday.”

Tuesday, 4 November 2025

Merstham U18 6 Tonbridge Angels U18 1

Match 32/25/2375 - Wednesday, 29th September 2025 - FA Youth Cup First Round

Merstham U18 (2) 6
Tonbridge Angels U18 (0) 1 Wallace
Attendance: 250
Admission: £2
Mileage: 38/2,093

Tonbridge Angels Under-18’s run to the FA Youth Cup First Round, for the first time in 21 years, came to a shuddering halt at Merstham with a comprehensive defeat.

Merstham, who last season reached the Fourth Round, earning a trip to Stamford Bridge, had a bit too much for the Angels, who nonetheless contributed to their own downfall, uncharacteristically defending poorly on the night.

At times, the quality that the hosts displayed were testament to their identity as a Volenti Academy team and part of the Crystal Palace development programme, shone through and when the Angels went behind after just three minutes when a cross from the right was stabbed home by Tojayo Dada, the game was to be an uphill battle from that moment.

The Angels lads battled hard to get themselves back into the game, hitting both the post and the crossbar, but their momentum was further set-back on 28 minutes when Marley Sablier scored from close range.

Tonbridge further cursed their luck when they had a goal disallowed for a somewhat dubious offside decision.

Into the second period, the third goal was always going to be the important one, Fiachra Pritchard fired over and a couple of corners were won, but it was the home side that found the goal on 58 minutes when a long ball forward split the defence allowing Kobe Frazer to finish clinically past the advancing Jacob Hunt.

The Angels continued to press hard with Mackenzie Richardson bringing a save from the goalkeeper, but they were caught on the break again, as Sablier latched onto a defensive error to finish into the bottom corner and effectively close out the game on 65 minutes.

Logan Wallace pulled a goal back to offer the briefest of hope of a comeback before a well-worked goal made it 5-1.

Frazer made the scoreline a harsh 6-1 with a smart finish, capitalising on a poor clearance.

Despite its unfortunate ending, the Under-18’s should take great pride in their run that took them past Cray Wanderers, Hollands & Blair and Welling United.

Dom Welsh said afterwards: “A really difficult one to take tonight, I actually feel we didn’t play as badly as the score suggests. We made too many basic errors in key moments. We hit the bar twice, and had a goal disallowed at a crucial moment in the game. One thing’s for sure it’s been a fantastic run to get to the first round, something that’s not been achieved in a very long time and I am very proud of the boys for doing so.”