Punjab United U18 2 Tonbridge Angels U18 7

Match 62/20/1865 - Wednesday, 23rd June 2021 - Friendly

Punjab United U18 (1) 2
Tonbridge Angels U18 (3) 7Jeche 2,90 Wright Burke Stead
Headcount: 24

Admission: Free
Programme: None
Mileage: 48/3,392

Tonbridge Angels will return to the Isthmian Youth League next season after a four year hiatus and Dominic Welsh has been busy putting together his squad via a series of trials and the visit to Punjab United offered a first viewing of his progress.

Ultimately, Tonbridge cruised to a comfortable victory with a team missing a few who might well feature prominently when the League season gets underway on the 23rd August

On a lovely pitch at Gravesend, the Angels opened the scoring within the first minute when Nathan Jeche finished cooly after being sent clear by Harry Sargent.

Matt Larkin, in the Tonbridge goal, made a fine save after seven minutes before his side made several chances to increase their lead including a cracking shot from Harry London that came down from the underside of the bar.

Punjab’s best player, their captain scored from the edge of the box to bring the home side level after a 21 minutes but it lasted barely a minute before a Billy Wright shot looped over a stranded goalkeeper.

Jeche brought the best out of the home goalkeeper with two excellent saves but he was helpless when a cross from the right offered Rockie Burke a tap-in for a 3-1 lead at the break.

Tonbridge largely controlled the game in the second period with Max Lambert testing the goalkeeper early in the half. Eventually, after 57 minutes, Jeche and Zach Stead combined for the latter to finish with a shot into the bottom corner.

Larkin had to be at his best to thwart the lively Punjab captain on three occasions but when the home side were awarded a penalty the skipper fluffed his lines with a spot kick that went high over the bar.

After 74 minutes, Punjab did bring the score back to 4-2 with a close range header but two goals in four minutes from Burke, completing his hat trick extinguished any thoughts of a comeback. Burke tapped in a London cross and finished a fine move involving Sargent and Cameron Howard.

The last kick of the match gave Jeche his second goal and the Angels seventh. Tougher tasks are ahead but the signs for the Isthmian League season are encouraging.

Lifetime match total: 3,120 Number of grounds: 344

Punjab United 0 Tonbridge Angels 2

Match 12/20/1815 - Monday, 7th September 2020 - FA Youth Cup PR

Punjab United (0) 0
Tonbridge Angels (2) 2 Gill 23 Wotton 45
Attendance: 71

Admission: Pass
Programme: None
Mileage: 48/584

Tonbridge Angels’ Youth team eased their way through their FA Youth Cup Preliminary Round tie at Punjab United.

Shorn of several of the National Under-19 Alliance team by virtue of age, manager Tommy Parkinson gave several first year students their FA Youth Cup debuts and included Fin Hartley on the bench from the Kent Youth League Under-16 squad.

Playing up the Steve Cook Stadium slope, the Angels quickly got into their stride with captain Ben Twist at the centre of much the action, shooting narrowly wide after six minutes and supplying the cross for a Cameron Wotton header to go wide.

Tonbridge’s dominance finally translated to the scoreline after 23 minutes when a clearance found Anthony Gill on the left side, 25 yards out, who placed a lofted shot into the far corner of the net.

The only disappointing point of Tonbridge’s first half performance was that their ascendancy did not produce another goal until the 45th minute. Louis Copeland’s pace saw him into good positions on several occasions but the finishes were frustratingly inches wide of the far post. Wotton brought a good save out of the Punjab goalkeeper with a header from a Twist free kick.

On the stroke of half-time the scoreline took on a truer reflection of the half when a cross was headed back across the face of goal by Alex Thompson for Wotton to head home from close range.

The second half was mostly in the same vein with the Angels creating several good opportunities but unable to add to the scoreline. Luca Woodhouse and Wotton were far too much of a handful for the Punjab back line but a mixture of good goalkeeping and narrow misses kept the score at 2-0.

Tonbridge will now travel to VCD in the First Qualifying Round on a date yet to be arranged.

Parkinson said after the game that he was pleased with the performance given that it was the first time this particular team had played together. They had defended their own box well with first year Chester Smith outstanding.