Bishop Justus 4 Hugh Christie 2

Match 66/21/1930 - Wednesday, 1st December 2021 - Academies Championship

Bishop Justus (1) 4
Hugh Christie (1) 2 Carter 17, Elliott 55
Headcount: 60

Admission: Free
Programme: None
Mileage: 74/3,726

A Development game with the Academy is usually a quiet affair with one man and a dog watching, or in most cases, this man without his dog. But this trip to Bromley and Bishop Justus proved somewhat different!

These games are mostly played on school pitches at a time when the vast majority of students are diligently immersed in their studies, but on this occasion about 50 lined the touch line to give their Bishop schoolmates some boisterous support and when Tonbridge’s Squad 2 team turned up following their earlier kick-off at Eltham then there was support for both teams.

It was a cold day and when the darkest of clouded dropped a heavy hailstorm it dampened the high spirits for a brief period.

The Hugh Christie (Tonbridge Angels Academy) struggled to get into the game from the outset and goalkeeper Will Young was forced into a double save just prior to Bishop Justus taking the lead after eight minutes with a header from a corner sparking World Cup winning celebrations from the sideline with the harassed referee struggling to keep them of the pitch and behind the line!

The Angels found their feet and on 17 minutes were level after a shot from Charlie Hatcher was well saved but, from the resultant corner, a well directed header from Cameron Carter that sparked similar, perhaps retaliatory celebrations.

Those Bishop classmates were given more to cheer in the remainder of the half with Young being kept busy but Sammy Nunes had a couple of efforts that were not too far wide.

The second period saw Bishops initially maintain their momentum and a cracking 25 yard effort needed a fine save from the Angels’ second half goalkeeper, Noah Blackmore.

But it was the visitors who took the lead on 55 minutes when good work from Harry Flemming saw Reece Elliott collect a pass to drive home a 25-yarder into the top corner. Now bolstered by the Squad 2 contingent the celebrations got even more exuberant!

Sadly that spirit was quickly extinguished as a loose ball dropped in the box for Bishop to level the score two minutes later.

Poor defending from corners cost the Angels again after 67 minutes when another header was unchallenged and when a shot was buried into the bottom corner with eight minutes to go, the spoils were going the way of the Bromley side. There is no place for solemnity with the Development squad and the bus ride home was bouncing with a singalong, perhaps it was a good choice not to bring the dog!

Bishop Justus 1 Hugh Christie 0

Match 68/19/1790 - Wednesday, 29th January 2020 - Kent Schools Academies Championship

Bishop Justus (0) 1
Hugh Christie (0) 0
Headcount: 5

Admission: Free
Programme: None
Mileage: 78/5,291

Two wins and a defeat for our Academy sides this week. The Elite team travelled to Gravesend, and the Elite Venue, home of Punjab United for their fixture against Ebbsfleet United. A first half goal from Saul Musengeyi had them in front at the break and a Ned Lewis penalty and a towering header from Harry Hudson, converting Sam Babayale’s cross completed the scoring. Man of the Match was given to Hudson, who has led his team to three consecutive clean sheets with his goal being his tenth of the season from centre back. The head-to-head with Whyteleafe continues at the top of the table with the Surrey club also winning 3-0 at Dulwich Hamlet.

The Development 1 squad enjoyed a goal-laden win at home against Halley Academy (Blackheath), triumphing 6-2. Coach Dom Welsh called it “a great performance against a strong Halley team with some really good attacking play contributing to great goals” which were scored by Brynley Ruck with a hat-trick, a pair from Joel Banks and another from Angus Fife. Man of the Match was awarded, unsurprisingly, to Ruck for three composed finishes.

The Development 2 team paid the price of failing to take chances at Bishop Justus (Bromley) and were beaten by a goal two minutes into added time. This was a bitter disappointment for the back line and goalkeeper who had defended valiantly for the entire match, but a single shot on target all game tells its own tale. Man of the Match went to Bernard Malaj, who worked tirelessly despite a back injury.

The coaches have instigated their team of the week and for the sake of statistics here are the last two weeks as last week’s was not published here. So, this is the week when all our teams won and kept a clean sheet. ((1) is Elite; (2) Development 1 and (3) Development 2). Callum Donoghue (3); Leo Deere (1), Harry Hudson (1), Luc Hutson (2), Wesley Ibeawuchi (3); Jacob Lambert (1), Tom Pettman (2), Bijan Gurung (3), Ben Twist (1); Bernard Malaj (3), Luke Taylor (2). For the week of 27th January: Charlie Martin (1); Deere, Hudson, Mikey Ryan (2), Kian Smallwood (3); Shay Haffenden (2), Joel Banks (2), Joe Brown (2), Exause Bizima (1); Brynley Ruck (2) and Malaj (3).

Of our players out on dual registration, Saul Musengeyi made his debut for Snodland and picked up a Man of the Match award, so well done to him. Also well done to Development 2 coach, Rhys Bartlett, who added the fifth goal in Tunbridge Wells’ romp at Canterbury!