Tonbridge 3 Hendon 1

Match 77/16/1384 - Saturday, 14th January 2017 - Ryman Premier

Tonbridge (2) 3 Nelson 14, Akrofi 38 (pen), Beavan 49
Hendon (1) 1 Oliyide 9
Attendance: 428

Entrance: £6 Senior
Programme: £2.50
Mileage: 38/5,483

The awarding of the man of the match to Tonbridge's goalkeeper, Anthony Di Bernardo, tells you everything about this match. But, if the result was flattering, then Tonbridge have been on the wrong end of several instances this season when they have deserved more than they got out of a match. A case of what goes around, comes around.

Hendon belied their league position, perilously in the bottom four, with a performance in which they were dangerous going forward but perhaps their fragility defending is reflected in that league position.

As early as the fourth minute Laste Dombaxe outpaced Mitchell Nelson to fire in a shot that brought a good save from Di Bernardo who was also equal the forward's shot from the rebound.

The early threat continued and an eighth minute lead was no more than the visitors deserved. A rare mistake from Jack Parter allowed a shot on goal that was brilliantly saved by Di Bernardo but this time the rebound fell nicely for Karl Oliyide to strike his shot into an unguarded goal.

The goal served to wake the Angels from their slumbers with Alex Akrofi bringing a low save out of Tom Lovelock after nine minutes and two minutes later the Hendon keeper did well to smother at Akrofi's feet.

Tonbridge were level after 14 minutes when a corner from Damian Scannell was met with a towering header from Nelson into the top right hand corner.

But Hendon refused to lie down and had chances to re-establish their lead with a header from Marcel Barrington that cleared the crossbar; a shot from the impressive Sam Murphy and Di Bernado needed to be alert to smother at the feet of Kezie Ibe.

Tonbridge were forced into a change after 20 minutes when Nelson tweaked a groin being substituted by Luke Blewden with Tommy Parkinson dropping back into the central defensive position vacated by Nelson.

After 34 minutes, Tom Phipp was brought down on the right-hand side of the box by a clumsy challenge. Akrofi's spot kick was accurate into the corner and needed to be as Lovelock got a hand to the ball.

Di Bernardo emphasised his man of the match credentials with a fine low save to deny Dave Diedhiou five minutes before the break.

The hosts gave themselves some breathing space three minutes into the second half when a corner from Scannell was flighted underneath the crossbar. Lovelock punched the ball up into the air under pressure; as the ball came down a header was cleared from the line but only to the head of George Beavan who converted from three yards.

Unfortunately, the rest of the second period sank into mediocrity as Tonbridge failed to capitalise on their lead mainly due to their inability to keep possession of the ball.

Despite the charitable nature of the Angels, Hendon also failed to find the threat they had posed in the first period. Di Bernardo saved well, low to his left, but otherwise Tonbridge saw the game out with relative ease.

The best news of the day was saved for the after match interview when it was revealed that Steve McKimm had extended his contract to manage the club into the 2017-18 season.

Pictures courtesy of Wesley Filtness

Bearsted 0 Cray Valley PM 4

Match 76/16/1383 - Tuesday, 10th January 2017 - Macron Challenge Cup

Bearsted (0) 0
Cray Valley PM (3) 4 Youngs 33, Smith 35, McDonagh 45, Thompson 56
Attendance: 46

Entrance: £3.50 Senior
Programme: Free with entry
Mileage: 15/5,445
New Ground: 301

Unable to make Needham Market for Tonbridge's Ryman League Cup Quarter Final, to keep my Tuesday football night sacrosanct, a groundhop was in order. It came as something of a surprise that Bearsted actually play at Otham, a mere 7.5 miles from home, making them easily my nearest senior club.

Once you have ignored the satnav's assertion that you have reached your destination and negotiated the pot-hole strewn lane to the ground there is a decent sized car park. My concession priced entrance fee of £3.50 included the programme and, evidently, the parking spot, so it was indeed a bargain.

Inside there is the almost obligatory 125-seater Atcost stand that some seasoned hoppers can get quite sniffy about. Personally, for a club of Bearsted's size that mostly struggle to attract a hundred people they are perfectly adequate. The side from where you enter the ground is the only side populated with any facilities and I didn't walk around to observe whether the hardstanding featured on the other side. Although I didn't partake, I'm reliably informed that the refreshments on offer were good.

The match was a curious one in which the visitors, Cray Valley, failed to register a shot in anger for the first half-hour but managed to go into the break with a 3-0 advantage. Bearsted stretched the Cray keeper, Jordan Carey, on four occasions before, after 32 minutes, in only their second attack, Tom Youngs was allowed to run across the face of goal and strike from 15 yards into the roof of the net.

Two minutes later, a heavy deflection left the Bears' keeper, Greg Owen, flat-footed, leaving Peter Smith to argue with his team-mates later as to whether he can claim the goal.

Bearsted's heads quickly dropped and by now their visitors were creating chances almost at will. The third goal came in highly controversial circumstances when the evergreen Leigh Bremner ran clear with the home side appealing for offside, which certainly appeared to be the case. Bremner's shot sailed over the bar, but much to the Bearsted's disgust, the referee doubled his error by awarding a corner, from which Taylor McDonagh rose, unchallenged to head home.

Whilst the Bearsted support harangued the officials leaving the pitch for the break, one wise man offered the comment that no matter how many bad decisions go against you, the ball is still there to be defended. So true.

After 10 minutes of the second period, another poor decision went against the hosts, with Cray substitute Tom Fitzgerald racing clear before crossing for Youngs to bring a save from Owen only for Jason Thompson to score from the rebound.

The arguments went on for a long period without the referee brandishing a card, but after 71 minutes he showed a red to Bearsted's Rob Lyall for a professional foul.

The game was becoming farcical as minute by minute the hosts were more aggrieved by the hapless official who proceeded to book two players for sarcastically clapping the linesman when he raised a flag in their favour.

My evening was a groundhopper's tick, along the line was a referee's assessor. His notes would make far more interesting reading.

Maidstone United U18 2 Tonbridge Angels U18 2

Match 75/16/1382 - Monday, 9th January 2017 - Ryman Youth League

Maidstone United (0) 2 Warden 52, Barton 70
Tonbridge (0) 2 Pateman 50, Watson 84
Attendance: 131

Entrance: £2 Senior
Programme: None
Mileage: 19/5,419


The two best teams in the Ryman Youth League emerged from this captivating encounter with their unbeaten records intact following a 2-2 draw at The Gallagher.

Jay Stubberfield has always maintained that his principle role at Tonbridge is to generate players for the senior side and with Liam Smith, Callum Taylor and Sid Sollis unavailable for the game as they are required by the first team at Needham Market on Tuesday, he can rightly feel he is fulfilling his mandate.

It is disappointing that a club of Maidstone United’s National League status cannot run to a team sheet, so largely, I can only refer to the Maidstone players by their position. Perhaps it is a credit to Tonbridge that there is always a team sheet available.

Two sides of similar quality largely cancelled each other out in a first half of very few clear cut chances. Maidstone’s centre forward was sent through after two minutes but horribly scuffed his shot wide. A minute later a great cross from Tommy Chapman was headed against a post.

Tonbridge marginally had the better of the opening 20 minutes that culminated with a long range effort from Chapman giving the Maidstone goalkeeper a nervous moment.

Henry Ikeije went into the referee’s book after 34 minutes and was given a stern talking-too a minute later following a foul.

The home side finished the half the stronger with a bustling run from the centre forward and a long ball into the box found the head of Sid Warden who headed over.

Tonbridge took the lead five minutes into the second period when a cross into the box was headed on by Ollie Baker into the path of Louis Pateman who swept the ball into the net from eight yards.

The lead was short-lived however as the hosts were level within two minutes. A swift counter-attack saw a through ball from the Maidstone right winger into Warden who drove it past the advancing Lewis Mitchell.

Tonbridge conceded a dreadful goal after 70 minutes to go 2-1 down. A goal kick from the goalkeeper travelled the length of the pitch with the Maidstone substitute, Tom Barton, running unchallenged and slipping the ball past a hesitant Mitchell.

Barton may well have wrapped the game up a minute later when he once more ran clear but this time placed his shot narrowly wide of the left hand post.

If any fault lay at Mitchell’s feet for the second goal he redeemed himself with a brilliant save, clawing a shot from the inside left out of the top corner.

All credit though to the Angels who responded well in the last 15 minutes following the double substitution of Kunle Bakare and Guy Taylor for Jack Cussen and Chapman.

A cross-cum-shot from Ryan Gallifant looked overhit but required a tip over from Maidstone goalkeeper.

Tonbridge made their final substitution with six minutes remaining with Connor Watson replacing Jack Bray and the move immediately brought a dividend. Richard Frempong laid the ball back from the edge of the box to Watson who took aim and drove a shot from 25 yards into the top corner with the goalkeeper getting a firm hand to the ball but failing to keep it out.

There was a heart-stopping moment in the final minutes when the home side hit a post but the Angels held out for a well-deserved point.

Jay Stubberfield breathed a sigh of relief and said that it had been a tough night with a whole squad of under-17s, so were much younger than the Maidstone side. His one criticism was that at 1-0 they lost concentration and he would have liked to have seen his side retain possession better in those final five minutes.

Tonbridge 2 Metropolitan Police 1

Match 74/16/1381 - Saturday, 7th January 2017 - Ryman Premier

Tonbridge (0) 2 Akrofi 51, Blewden 66
Metropolitan Police (1) 1 Macklin 38
Attendance: 420

Entrance: £6 Senior
Programme: £2.50
Mileage: 38/5,400

January will be a pivotal month for Tonbridge Angels. Eight games, six of them at home will either see them firmly established in the play-off places, perhaps even with an eye on the league leaders, or they will be struggling to stay in touch with those above at present.

The month didn’t start well with a Bank Holiday Tuesday defeat at their bogey ground of Billericay with two late, late goals grabbing defeat from the jaws of a first-ever victory at New Lodge Lane.

There is also the three match suspension of Nick Wheeler to be worked around following his sending-off at Worthing. Added to Wheeler’s suspension was the one game ban for Ugo Udogi which meant a recall to the starting line-up against the Metropolitan Police for James Folkes. Tom Phipp and Damian Scannell had places in the starting line-up with Luke Blewden dropping to the bench.

On a grey, murky afternoon the home side opened well with Phipp at the centre of everything, spraying passes left and right. He had an early shot blocked in what became a foretaste of the afternoon to come as the Met bravely put bodies on the line to frustrate their hosts.

A shot from Scannell brought a good, low save from Billy Bishop, who had kept goal for Tonbridge during 2014.

Although they were being forced to defend in numbers, the Met gave a few warnings to the Angels with the wing play of Mekhail McLaughlin and the very lively Roman Michael-Percil.

Tonbridge continued to create shooting chances, almost too many to mention, but the Plod stood firm and suckered the Angels in the 38th minute with a goal from Lloyd Macklin after Tonbridge made a mess of clearing a cross into the box.

The visitors could have doubled their advantage before the break when Macklin was sent clear but he made a complete mess of an attempted lob and Anthony Di Bernardo was allowed a comfortable catch.

Luke Blewden was introduced at the beginning of the second half for George Beavan, who had climbed out of his sickbed to play.

Six minutes into the half the hosts were level when a fine cross from Jack Parter was converted with a header from Alex Akrofi who might be small in stature but has springs in his heels.

Whilst Tonbridge continued to have the better of the game, the Police carved out a couple of good chances, one that brought a save out of Di Bernardo and another that necessitated a goal-line clearance from Phipp.

In the 66th minute, Tonbridge got their noses in front when Akrofi and Parter linked well on the left before the latter’s cross into the box was poorly dealt with; Nathan Elder touching the ball back to Blewden to crash home a shot into the centre of the goal

Tonbridge’s unnerving habit of going into the shells left their supporters with a jittery last 20 minutes as the Police went in search of an equaliser and as the minutes ticked by a sense of deja vu from the reverse fixture when the Police equalised in time added set alarm bells ringing.

Michael-Percil was creating havoc down the left hand side and it took a fine low save to his left from Di Bernardo to deny him and his side a share of the points with four minutes remaining.

This was a long way short of vintage Tonbridge, but if they can huff and puff their way through the cold, dark days of January with similar results they will be set up nicely for the run-in.

Pictures courtesy of Wes Filtness

Gillingham 0 Oxford United 1

Match 73/16/1380 - Monday, 2nd January 2017 - League One

Gillingham (0) 0
Oxford United (0) 1 Dunkley 66
Attendance: 6,414

Entrance: Season Ticket
Programme: £3.00
Mileage: 58/5,362

Match Report

The events of the last couple of days have proved far more significant than the match itself. This was an horrendous performance from Gillingham, one that lacked any sort of game plan that led to a muddled, clueless display. There were players out there whose body language shouted at you that they didn’t give a damn and for that alone, Justin Edinburgh deserved the fate that befell him the following morning, the sack.

If this had been written directly after the game it would have been a rant because leaving Priestfield, I wasn’t disappointed, I was bloody angry with a season ticket that was destined for the bin. Edinburgh’s sacking has, at least for now, preserved my attendance for the rest of this season.

Adrian Pennock will now manage the club without the title but as head coach. Jamie Day, the Welling manager to whom Pennock was a consultant and Steve Lovell will make up his coaching staff. Pennock was a fans’ favourite as a player but his appointment has had a mixed reaction principally because of his managerial background in non-league. Whilst I would have liked to have seen somebody like Kenny Jackett get the job, the change alone has reinvigorated my interest.

Gillingham will not go down, of that I'm convinced. But for me to shell out the cost of a season ticket next season I want to be, at least, entertained for the rest of the season. I can never divorce myself of the club, too much water has passed under the bridge in the last 40 years for that to happen, but as they say about relationships, you can love but not necessarily like.

Worthing 3 Tonbridge 0

Match 72/16/1379 - Saturday, 31st December 2016 - Ryman Premier

Worthing (1) 3 Bugiel 28,71 (2 pens) Newton 81
Tonbridge (0) 0
Attendance: 752

Entrance: £6 Senior
Programme: £2.00
Mileage: 116/5,304
New Ground: 300

If, on the way out from Worthing’s Woodside Road stadium, I had bumped into Norris McWhirter, it would not have made this day any less weird. And, yes, I know that the Guinness Book of Records founder has been dead for 12 years.

Mr McWhirter would have sought me out, sadly for all the wrong reasons. How many can claim, indeed would want to, that on successive days the two clubs they support both ended their respective matches with nine men? As a supplementary record it is not often that a match is settled by three penalties, all given to the same team.

The vocal element of the Worthing support had the referee’s number singing “the referee’s a Rebel”.

For Steve McKimm it was an afternoon where most things that could go wrong went wrong, including seeing red himself following a touchline fracas. Nonetheless, he had every reason to proclaim his pride in the nine men in Angels’ shirts that stayed on the pitch.

The game started brightly with both sides having opportunities in the opening 10 minutes. Nick Wheeler and Jack Parter both put in crosses that put the Rebels’ goalkeeper, Jack Fagan under pressure and Anthony Di Bernardo needed to be at his very best to deny Aaron Hopkinson.

Omar Bugiel, possibly playing his last game for Worthing before a rumoured move into the Football League, was proving a bulldozer of the old fashioned centre forward nature and was obviously going to be a significant threat.

The bumper festive crowd of 752 looked set to be treated to an afternoon of high entertainment instead the referee, Danny Austin, took centre stage.

After 25 minutes Bugiel was sent clear but, bearing down on goal, he took a heavy touch and the ball was seemingly heading into the welcoming hands of Di Bernardo. However, the Worthing man went down under pressure from Ugo Udogi and Mr Austin decided that, not only was it a foul challenge deserving of a penalty but that the Tonbridge defender should see red for the crime.

Bugiel stepped up to the spot, he sent the ball right, Di Bernardo went left and Worthing were in front.

Tonbridge responded with a header from Mitchell Nelson but their situation was about to go from bad to worse. After 37 minutes they were reduced to nine men with the dismissal of Wheeler. The Angels’ winger had taken a heavy tackle from Hopkinson and responded by allegedly kicking out at the Worthing man. My view was blocked by the dugouts and I was only able to see the aftermath in which a Worthing substitute, Brannon O’Neill became embroiled in an altercation with McKimm that ended with both seeing red.

Tonbridge did well to get to the break to reorganise with the score remaining at the single goal deficit. They sacrificed Nathan Elder in favour of an extra body in midfield with Damian Scannell. They managed to stifle their hosts and even proved threatening on the break with Alex Akrofi proving a livewire outlet and from a corner George Beaven headed marginally wide.

But, after 72 minutes, Luke Blewden brought down Zak Newton and Bugiel repeated his first half spot kick to give the hosts a 2-0 lead. On this occasion, it appeared that Mr Austin had made the correct decision, but Blewden later claimed he had not touched the Worthing man.

Ten minutes later, Austin awarded Worthing another penalty, this time Newton being brought down by Tom Parkinson. Newton had delivered the ball, was not even on the pitch when the referee’s whistle blew. It was a decision that mystified everybody.

Bugiel stepped up to complete a hat-trick on his farewell appearance but this time Di Bernardo guessed right and parried his shot but, in keeping with the Angels’ afternoon the rebound fell to Newton who had reacted the quickest.

On another day, I would be writing that my first visit to Woodside Road was a pleasant experience. It is a nice set-up with a 3G pitch and friendly people, but this visit will not be forgotten for all the wrong reasons.

Millwall 2 Gillingham 1

Match 71/16/1378 - Friday, 30th December 2016 - League One

Millwall (1) 2 Gregory 12 Onyedinma 63
Gillingham (0) 1 Dack 75
Attendance: 10,821

Entrance: £10 Senior (Second hand ticket!)
Programme: £3.00
Mileage: 96/5,188

Match Report

I’m not sure what was the most frustrating, Gillingham’s ability to find a forward gear when 2-0 down and a man light or my inability to find my car after the game!

Gillingham’s form of late has been reasonable but as a watch they have been turgid, to use a friend’s word. So did I really want to travel to Bermondsey on a day when a train strike made driving almost compulsory. Any other time of the season, I might have looked around for another game but having been cooped up over the Christmas period, it seemed like a reasonable choice, one that became all the more reasonable when a bloke picked me out of the queue for a ticket and offered me a £17 senior ticket for a tenner!

It was a cold, foggy evening making the dank surroundings of The New Den even less inviting than they usually are. A good knowledge of the area made a parking space quite easy to find leaving just a ten minute walk to the ground.

An uneventful opening ten minutes ended with Millwall opening the scoring after 13 minutes. An effort was cleared from the line but when the ball was recycled by Shaun Cummings, his loft into the box was headed into the path of Lee Gregory who had the relatively easy task of tucking it past Stuart Nelson.

Millwall, for a period, held the ascendancy and had a goal ruled out for offside when Gregory netted after being put through by Ben Thompson.

Gillingham wrestled control of the game back midway through the half, although their efforts on goal were limited to a comfortable save from Jordan Archer and a header from Jay Emanuel-Thomas that narrowly cleared the bar.

The opening quarter-hour of the second period was even before Millwall doubled their advantage after 63 minutes. Fred Onyedinma made a surging run into the penalty area without facing the most demanding of challenges; his initial shot was blocked by Nelson, but he reacted quickest to the rebound to hook the ball into the net.

The evening quickly went from bad to worse for the visitors as Paul Konchesky, booked after 58 minutes, brought down Onyedinma on the edge of the box to receive a second yellow leaving Gillingham a man light.

In adversity, Gillingham came to the party. Bradley Dack, who had been largely anonymous, suddenly looked the player we know he can be, despite picking up a stupid booking for dissent.

After 74 minutes Dack’s well struck shot from the edge of the box found the bottom corner and Gillingham were back in the game.

It made for an exciting finish as the Gills sought an equaliser putting the Lions under a good deal of pressure. However, hopes of retrieving something out of the game ended when Dack was sent off for a poor challenge on Thompson to reduce Gillingham to nine men.

And so to my post-game adventure. To put it into context, I had worked in the area for 20 years; been down most of the avenues and alleyways in search of an alternative route when the Old Kent Road was at a standstill, not an unusual occurrence.

Dack’s dismissal with barely two minutes remaining convinced me that an early exit was in order but this was stymied by the locked gates of the visitor’s end. However, on this occasion, the wait was short and I was quickly on my way. The easy route was along Zampa Road and down Surrey Canal Road, but I decided to follow the same route that I had taken on the way in. I quickly realised that somehow I wasn’t heading in the same direction that had brought me to the Den and the trouble with any visit to Millwall you don’t want to advertise the fact that you support the opposition by asking for directions.

As I reached a main road, I recognised several landmarks and knew exactly where I was but I had become so disorientated that I couldn’t work out how to get to where I wanted to be. Eventually plucking up courage to ask a couple of blokes who had just got off a bus, just to get back to Millwall, they didn’t have a clue.

Suddenly, a light came on and I reached for my mobile phone and google maps, why had it taken 20 minutes for that to dawn on me? Sure enough in less than 10 minutes I was back at the car and then drove into traffic on the Old Kent Road, some things never change!