Kingstonian 1 Tonbridge Angels 1

Match 56/18/1649 - Wednesday, 7th November 2018 - Bostik Premier

Kingstonian (1) 1 Theophanous 32
Tonbridge Angels (0) 1 King 86
Attendance: 290
Played at Corinthian Casuals

Admission: £6 Senior
Programme: £2
Mileage: 112/3,530

Tonbridge retained their recent tendancy for a slow start that eventually turns into barnstorming finish that on this occasion rescued a point from the visit to Kingstonian’s present tenancy at Corinthian Casuals.

Kingstonian came into the game with a record of five straight home victories whilst their visitors maintained a 100% record from their five away matches. There was also the intriguing contest of Kingstonian’s free-scoring strike force of Elliott Buchanan and Louie Theophanous coming up against a defence that had not conceded a single goal on their travels.

Buchanan shot wide in the opening minutes, but neither side created any real chances in the first half-hour although it was Kingstonian that had the momentum.

After 32 minutes, the ball was carelessly given away in a misunderstanding between Joe Turner and Angels’ debutant Sammy Knott which allowed Theophanous to cut in from the right and fire in a powerful shot that beat Jonny Henly at his near post to give Kingstonian a deserved lead.

Tonbridge’s only chance of the first period came with four minutes remaining when Jared Small’s cross was headed over by Tommy Parkinson.

Five minutes into the second half a long range effort from Kingstonian substitute Muhammadu Faal rebounded off Henly into the path of Theophanous who netted but was adjudged offside.

Tonbridge’s management team, minus Steve McKimm who was absent sick, withdrew Alex Read, who had an unproductive evening, in favour of Liam King on the hour, but it continued to be Kingstonian that created the chances with Henly twice saving to deny Alfie Doughty.

Another positive substitution saw central defender Callum Adonis-Taylor replaced by Tommy Whitnall and, from virtually nowhere, Tonbridge forced themselves onto the front foot. Turner, who had been unusually quiet, was running defenders ragged down the left. He fired over after 72 minutes; Whitnall fired wide and Craig Stone saw his effort deflected wide for a corner.

Knott, who was feeling the effects of a full 90 minutes and had been pushed forward missed narrowly and when Arthur Lee headed a corner that was deflected away, we were left to wonder whether it would come. But, with five minutes remaining, a cross from James Folkes saw King get between two defenders and the goalkeeper to steer a header home.

In fact, had it not been for a fine save from Berti Schotteri, Turner might well have sent the Angels home with an improbable three points.

Kingstonian 0 Tonbridge 3

Match 93/16/1400 - Saturday, 18th February 2017 - Ryman Premier

Kingstonian (0) 0
Tonbridge (0) 3 Allen 46, Parter 60, Elder 90+2
Attendance: 401

Entrance: £6 Senior
Programme: £2
Mileage: 112/6,487

Match Report

We bid a fond farewell to Kingsmeadow, a place that has been kind to us over the years. The last two seasons have seen memorable victories and the win against AFC Wimbledon in 2006 will live long in the memory.

Most football stadiums lost these days are due to residential building, so it seems strange that Kingsmeadow will continue as a football ground but the hosts will become Chelsea's ladies and youth teams. Such is the power and wealth of the Premier League, but I guess, that those teams are going to attract at least as many as the 401 in attendance today.

This was the fourth time this season that Kingstonian and Tonbridge have met and each game has been a tight encounter with the Surrey side coming out on top twice and the other game drawn. The first half of this match was similarly a cagey affair with very few clear cut chances.

Tonbridge were forced into an early substitution when Alex Akrofi was replaced by Nick Wheeler. The erstwhile winger slotted himself into the diamond formation that has been adopted in his absence and impressed. From his corner, Luke Blewden directed a header at K's goalkeeper Rob Tolfrey and Tom Phipp had an effort deflected wide following Wheeler's cross.

After 36 minutes a through ball from Jack Parter almost sent Blewden clear but he was denied by a superb saving tackle from Alan Inns.

A Kingstonian free kick from a dangerous position on the edge of the box by Lewis Taylor was floated harmlessly into the grateful hands of Anthony Di Bernardo summing up the first half effectiveness of both attacks.

An early second half goal was required to open out the game and, thankfully, it went to Tonbridge within the first minute. Tom Phipp crossed from the left towards Nathan Elder; from the resultant challenge the ball broke to the edge of the penalty area to Luke Allen who placed his shot into the bottom corner.

Wheeler brought a fine save, diving to his left, from Tolfrey shooting from 20 yards.

Tonbridge by the hour mark were well on top and doubled their advantage from their newly-found goal machine, Parter. The full back started the move with a suspicion of a foul but ran on as the ball broke to Phipp who played the ball through to Parter who galloped into the space in front of him and let go a shot that took a deflection on its way to the net. This was Parter's third goal in five matches, all similar in execution.

The goal knocked the heart out of the hosts, who are in a poor run of form, and Tonbridge should have increased the lead long before their 92nd minute third from Elder. When it finally came it was our old favourite one-two, Wheeler corner, Elder header, bosh.

A couple of good results elswewhere, Needham Market and Leiston both losing on their travels added to the satisfaction of the afternoon. Play-off position is being cemented, looking upwards continues apace.

Pictures: David Couldridge

Boring pictures by me!

Kingstonian 1 Tonbridge 3

Match 70/15/1275 - Saturday, 20th February 2016 - Ryman Premier

Kingstonian (1) 1 McCollin 5
Tonbridge (0) 3 Elder 69, Whitnall 75, Wheeler 90+2
Attendance: 411

Entrance: £6 Senior
Programme: £2
Mileage: 118/5,324

Match Report

Sadly you cannot bottle a performance and bring it out of the jar when you need it most, but you can embed it in the memory bank to remember and enjoy when, perhaps, the going gets tough. Tonbridge's second half performance was one to savour forever and a day.

It is felt that this was the first in a series of big games that would shape the destiny of Tonbridge's season. Visiting Kingsmeadow always gives the impression of a bigger club than perhaps Kingstonian are, but at the start of play they sat just five points behind the Angels with a game in hand so the importance was obvious and not lost on a Tonbridge contingent, huge in terms of numbers and volume.

As a slight sidetrack, it could be (with promotion for either club) that this is the last time we visit Kingsmeadow. Kingstonian's landlords, AFC Wimbledon, have sold the stadium to Chelsea to finance their return to the borough of Merton and the Kings will have to find a new home for the beginning of season 2017-18. Without disrespecting Ladies' football it seems such a shame that from that season this will be the venue for women's football and Chelsea's youth teams.

Steve McKimm rested Luke Blewden and Anthony Riviere to the bench following on from the heavy pitch at Aveley and here, where it quickly cut up and became heavy going. Into the side came Luke Allen and Bradley Woods-Garness.

The tricky Woods-Garness posed early problems for the home side, but after just five minutes they were in front. A free kick to Tonbridge was poorly delivered from the half-way line and a first time clearance sent Andre McCollin clear to shoot past the Angels' goalkeeper, Anthony Di Barnardo from around the edge of the box.

The visitors responded to the set back and territorially dominated but created largely half-chances, although a 14th minute header from Nathan Elder should have brought more than a comfortable save out of Rob Tolfrey.

Tolfrey, often a thorn in Tonbridge's side in the past, was at his agile best in an unbelievable 15 seconds on 27 minutes. Following a Nick Wheeler corner, twice he made plunging saves and a third effort was cleared from the line by a defender with the Tonbridge faithful behind the goal holding their heads in disbelief.

Tonbridge continued to enjoy the best of the possession through to the end of the half, but without carrying any significant threat. A good move involving Woods-Garness and Wheeler ended with Allen firing over and just before the break Woods-Garness had a snap shot on the turn comfortably saved by Tolfrey.

Ten minutes into the second half came one of the game's defining moments. A rush of blood from Di Barnardo saw him sprinting from his goal in a foot race with McCollin to clear the ball to safety. McCollin won, and as he rounded the goalkeeper, he was hauled to the ground by a rugby tackle around the waist. Personally, at the time, I thought the goalkeeper was about to walk, but the referee, presumably taking into account the position on the field of play of the incident, deemed it was worthy of just a booking. The Kingstonian supporters around us were incensed by the decision. On reflection, I now think the referee got it right, it was very wide and there were Tonbridge defenders getting back at the centre of the goal. They were further frustrated when in quick succession two yellow were shown to Dan Bennett and George Wells.

A double substitution on 68 minutes was also pivotal in the Tonbridge recovery with Blewden and Tommy Whitnall coming on for Woods-Garness and Charlie Webster. Neither was particularly involved a minute later when a cross from the right from Wheeler found the head of Elder who scored from close range.

With their tails up, it was just five minutes later when Blewden surged through the middle of the park to unleash a shot from the edge of the box which Tolfrey only parried into the path of Whitnall. Rather than taking a first time shot, the substitute composed himself, rounded the keeper and placed the ball into an empty net.

Kingstonian pressed forward in search of a match saving goal and produced a couple of heart-stopping moments but, in time added on, Whitnell picked the pocket of a Kings defender on the right touchline and passed inside to Wheeler, who like his teammate earlier, composed himself and tucked the ball into the far corner.
joyous celebration amongst the travelling support and a mini pitch invasion that was unnecessary and might bring an unwanted fine from the Football Association.

But nothing will detract from the memory of this day. Tonbridge undoubtedly are a talented team, but one with a spine and resolve. McCollin and Harold Odametey are a handful, but man-of-the-match Jerrome Sobers and his central defensive partner, Sonny Miles, largely restricted them to long range efforts. This was a good day, a very good day, but there needs to be several of these days, home and away, over the coming four weeks.

Kingstonian 1 Tonbridge 0

Match 56/14/1165 - Saturday 10th January 2015 - Ryman Premier

Kingstonian (0) 1 Kempton 68
Tonbridge (0) 0
Att. 354

Entrance: £6 Senior
Programme: £2
Mileage: 108/4,016

Match Report

The scene was set for a piece of trivia and a pub sports quiz question. Who scored the next goal at Kingsmeadow after Steven Gerrard’s FA Cup tie winning goal for Liverpool? It would have been something special for the answer to have been a Tonbridge Angels player, but sadly it was not to be and diabolical defending of a corner, 22 minutes from time, presented the award to Jake Kempton of Kingstonian.

With no wins in their last five games and only one in their last nine Ryman Premier League games, Tonbridge are in danger of sleepwalking their way into a relegation dogfight or, even worse, relegation itself. Their position was given a helping hand with results elsewhere on Saturday, from the bottom-up, the first winners were Grays, who sit in 12th position. If Steve McKimm’s side continue to be reliant on the helping hand of others they will find themselves in the bottom four and scrapping before they have realised the danger.

As a non-league stadium, Kingsmeadow is among the best, as a Football League stadium when visiting for AFC Wimbledon, it is not really of the required standard. Unfortunately, for Kingstonian, this could have consequences in the not-too-distant future. Wimbledon have long since wished for a return to their home borough of Merton and now have plans in place with the council for the building of a 20,000 capacity stadium on the site of Wimbledon Greyhound Stadium.

Kingstonian, previously the landlords at Kingsmeadow, are now the tenants of AFC Wimbledon having sold the leasehold of the ground during the ill-fated ownership of the Khoslas and should the League Two club achieve their ambition of a return to Merton the ground would be sold with, it is reported, Chelsea the likely purchasers who would use the stadium for their reserve, youth and ladies teams.

The programme notes made clear that Kingstonian would move on to a site where they would find an affordable rent having “enjoyed” a virtually rent-free existence as tenants of AFCW.

The game was about to get underway with an embarrassing situation for the referee, who had forgotten that there was to be a minute’s applause for three Kingstonian officials who had recently passed away. Despite, even a loudspeaker reminder to the referee, he was about to start the match until the spontaneous applause from spectators alerted him to his error. Tonbridge supporters in the crowd would have enjoyed the time to remember one of their own favourites, Geoff Truett, who sadly passed away during the week.

The first half was quite open and it was something of a surprise to get to half-time goalless. Tonbridge came under early pressure with Kyle Merson making a good save to thwart Kempton, but also causing problems of his own with indecision.

Tonbridge did, however, grow into the game and Tommy Whitnell, playing behind Joe Taylor, leaving Marvin Williams in a deeper role, having a couple of opportunities to write his name on that trivia question.

Merson fumbled from a corner once more and it took a goal line clearance to preserve the goalless status as the hosts continued to exert the lion’s share of possession.

Any injury to Jack Parter resulted in the second half introduction of Tonbridge’s latest signing, Dane Luchford from neighbours Tunbridge Wells. Luchford, brother of the Tonbridge coach Justin, made a good impression with his direct running. First big chance of the second half came to the Angels with Taylor’s diving header from Whitnell’s cross going wide.

Chances for both sides were at a much greater premium than in the first half before Kingstonian opened the scoring. A corner, found the head of arguably the smallest player on the pitch, and Kempton was able to steer it into the corner for the decisive goal. It was a disappointing goal to concede, from a distance of 70 yards, it was clear that the scorer had a free header to convert.

There was still plenty of time for the visitor’s to respond but the game petered out with barely an assault on the Kingstonian goal worthy of note.

I hope to be back at Kingsmeadow next season resulting from Kingstonian's continued tenancy at the stadium and, more importantly, the fact that Tonbridge haven’t woken up and found themselves in Ryman South.