Tonbridge 3 Enfield Town 0

Match 90/16/1397 - Tuesday, 14th February 2017 - Ryman Premier

Tonbridge (1) 3 Elder 17, Allen 51, Parter 75
Enfield Town (0) 0
Attendance: 304

Entrance: £6 Senior
Programme: £2.50
Mileage: 38/6,299

Match Report

Christmas is but a distant memory. One point over the festive period left many of us wondering if our race had been run. The likes of Bognor, Havant and even Needham Market seemed to be disappearing over the horizon. But one defeat in nine since the turn of the year and a few wobbles from the aforementioned has seen Tonbridge inch their way back into the play-off places with the top three no longer out of sight.

Players coming back to fitness, a midfield formation that is looking both strong and creative all adds to the optimism.

Enfield arrived in town with play-off ambitions of their own and for 15 minutes this didn't look like a game that would have its eventual outcome with Harry Ottaway testing Anthony Di Bernardo with a header.

The visitors were caught cold after 17 minutes when they failed to react to a short corner to Tom Phipp whose inch perfect cross was met with a powerful header from Nathan Elder that crashed back from the stanchion causing a bizarre minute in which it was questioned whether the ball had crossed the line. Elder received a cut to the head for his trouble and returned to the action swathed in a bandage.

Enfield continued to be a threat, Ottaway drove a cross across the face of goal when it was probably better to have shot and when Mitchell Nelson misheadsed back towards his own goal, Di Bernardo was bundled into the net after catching the ball by Harold Joseph.

The second period opened with a fine run, what turned out to be a foretaste, from Jack Parter that ended with a pass to Elder whose shot was blocked.

The traffic had now become very much one way, Phipp curled a shot over before Tonbridge created a goal of beauty after 51 minutes. Phipp and Luke Blewden combined before a pass to the left wing to Luke Allen who curled in a wonderful shot (I'm prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt that it wasn't a cross) to the far post where it nestled in the corner.

After 75 minutes, Parter replicated his marauding down the left, after a challenge on Akrofi, the ball rebounded to Parter who slotted home.

Picture: Wesley Filtness

Pictures: David Couldridge

Tonbridge Angels U18 4 Merstham U18 4

Match 89/16/1396 - Monday, 13th February 2017 - Lucas Fettes Ryman League Cup QF

Tonbridge Angels U18 (3) 4 Killick 15,35 Ikeije 22 Sollis 69
Merstham (1) 4 Tran-West 33, Wilson 64, Omrore 66, Obazee 77
Tonbridge Angels won 6-5 on penalties
Attendance: 73
Played at Whyteleafe FC

Entrance: Free
Programme: None
Mileage: 86/6,261

The Angels U18s progressed to the semi-finals of the Lucas Fettes Ryman League Cup after a thrilling penalty shoot-out win against a very good Merstham side.

After three postponements and an abandoned game, the decision was made to play the game on the 3G surface at Whyteleafe.

Tonbridge seized the initiative from the outset with Jack Bray heading narrowly over from a Tommy Chapman corner.

It had been pretty much one-way traffic when the Angels opening the scoring after 15 minutes. Sid Sollis surged from the left across the face of the box before playing in Harvey Killick, who picked his spot into the bottom corner from the right side of the six yard box.

The “hosts” doubled their lead after 24 minutes when Henry Ikeije finished from close range after good work from Killick.

Going two goals down stirred Merstham into life and they went close after 32 minutes when a shot that would have needed a save from Lewis Mitchell was inadvertently blocked by a fellow Merstham attacker. However, the reprieve was short-lived. A foul conceded just outside the box brought a delightfully flighted free kick from Anwah Transwest over the wall and beyond the grasp of Mitchell.

Killick scored his second of the evening when a well placed cross from Chapman found the head of Sollis who steered the ball into the path of Killick to finish clinically.

The Angels could have put some gloss on a dominant half when Sollis shot over and Jack Fenton brought a good low save out of the Merstham keeper.

Merstham made a real fight of the game in the second period inspired by a couple of substitutions that gave them some attacking impetus. After 64 minutes the deficit was reduced to 3-2 when following a free kick into the goalkeeper's corridor of uncertainty, Nick Wilson pounced as a shot rebounded off the left hand post.

Two minutes later, the Surrey side were level when a lightning break down the left hand side had a similar end result as Manny Omrore scored when the ball rebounded off the post.

The game took another twist with a third goal in six minutes when Sollis took aim from 25 yards with a powerful shot that left the goalkeeper no chance as it sailed into the top corner.

Sollis had a shot cleared from the line before, with 77 minutes on the clock, Merstham found another equaliser with a finish from Ross Obazee following a cross from the right.

An audacious lob from the cultured foot of Chapman very nearly found a winner with the goalkeeper falling over as he back-pedalled.

The tie went straight to penalties with the first five from both sides being converted. Tonbridge’s takers being Liam Smith, Ikejie, Ziyad Ghali, Jack Cussens and Sollis. Merstham’s sixth penalty was brilliantly saved to his left by Mitchell and Killick kept his nerve to slot home the winner.

Manager Jay Stubberfield was delighted for his match winner: “Harvey has struggled with injuries and it’s great to have him back fully fit. We were exceptional in the first half, almost perfect barring the set piece. We haven’t had a game for five weeks, it was impossible to keep up that first half intensity, given more game time I think we would have seen it out better.”

Steve McKimm, who was watching from the terraces praised the youngsters first half performance and added that he has been invited to Sutton United for their glamour FA Cup tie against Arsenal and was gutted that he would miss the semi-final due to be played on the same evening.

The Under-18s now meet Woking in the semi-final on Monday at Knaphill FC.

Gillingham 1 Port Vale 1

Match 88/16/1395 - Saturday, 11th February 2017 - League One

Gillingham (0) 1 Parker 90+5
Port Vale (0) 1 Streete 49
Attendance: 4,942

Entrance: Season Ticket
Programme: £3
Mileage: 58/6,175

Match Report

Thankfully Ade Pennock doesn't do bullshit. This was desperately poor and he said so. Somewhat amusingly, in an afternoon which failed dismally to produce a smile out of the gloom, he related that, at the half-time whistle, he joined in with the boos of the crowd!

If reports are to be believed, Pennock has been left the equivalent of Liam Byrne's note as outgoing Chief Secretary to the Treasury, "there is no money". The budget has been used by the previous regime and as the transfer window passed with the incomings being loans or free agents, one has to believe the reports.

The diehards that follow Gillingham away have bore witness to a couple of spirited performances earning draws at promotion seeking Sheffield United and Bradford City, but the home support have seen very little evidence of any improvement.

Whilst Pennock has to make do with what he has at this disposal, he is in my opinion, hamstrung by each team that he puts out is carrying around four players who are not just out of form, they are literally not good enough. They are so devoid of creativity that if they were supplied eggs and had them broken for them, they still couldn't make an omelette.

That said Pennock leaves me head scratching when I see Bradley Dack wasted in that role behind the striker when he is the one player capable of creating something; Cody McDonald's withdrawal leaving Rory Donnelly on the pitch, didn't get that one; and I'm afraid Ryan Jackson should not make the starting eleven.

Port Vale started and finished the afternoon one point adrift of Gillingham. If I had been one of the 120-odd Vale supporters making their way back to Burslem tonight I would have been truly gutted that they were not going home with all three points. If Gillingham have only one "get out of jail card" a season then they have played it.

The referee had indicated that there would be five minutes of time added and my stopwatch hit the 50th minute of the half when new signing Josh Parker met Jay Emmanuel-Thomas' corner with a powerful header to rescue an undeserved point.

After a first half in which the two sides performance was only matched by the greyness of the weather, Port Vale went ahead four minutes into the second period when a corner from Callum Guy was headed home at the far post by Remi Street. Deji Oshilaja may lay claim to being fouled as he attempted to jump with Streete, but it was weak defending.

A Donnelly header after 76 minutes barely stretched Leonardo Fasan in the Vale goal, but it was a rare effort on target.

Hopefully, the loan signings of Bournemouth's Joe Quigley and Harry Cornick will add some quality, first they need to be fit.

Sutton Athletic 1 Whitstable Town 4

Match 87/16/1394 - Tuesday, 7th February 2017 - SCEFL Challenge Cup QF

Sutton Athletic (1) 1 Mills 40
Whitstable Town (2) 4 Rowland 25,80 Dawodo 30 Smith 58
Attendance: 68

Entrance: £2 Senior
Programme: £1
Mileage: 64/6,117
New Ground: 303

A Tuesday evening groundhop to Lower Road, Hextable, home of Sutton Athletic, perhaps with the potential for a cup upset, but visitors, Whitstable Town were having none of that nonsense.

For those of the groundhopping persuasion that have not yet ticked Sutton Athletic, if you use the postcode in your satnav it leaves you quite a long way short, but carry on down Lower Road and the lights come into view.

On arrival the car park is more than adequate for the average attendance of the club. There are no turnstiles, just three jolly fellows taking your admission fee, selling you a programme and a raffle ticket all in one go. If you are of advancing years, you can purchase the lot and still have change from a fiver! The programme with a multitude of photos was particularly good value.

The ground is a long way short of the standard required for the SCEFL Premier, but as one of the jolly fellows told my friend, they are quite happy where they are. The basics are met, the playing area is fenced and there is hardstanding on three sides at least, I didn't venture to the other side. On that side there is a area of cover that could accommodate the majority of the attendance on a wet day. There is also a clubhouse that had a big screen television.

Whitstable were asked to stretch their legs to ensure their passage to the semi-final, but always had the tie within their reach.

By virtue of the programme, I'm making the assumption that the Sutton goalkeeper, Harry Beardsley, was their third choice, he certainly looked young and had a curate's egg of a performance in the early stages. Two scuffed kicked clearances hardly inspired confidence and when he attempted to kick clear rather than go with his hands, his attempt rebounded off Kane Rowland for the opening goal after 24 minutes. But the lad grew in confidence and made several good saves to deny the visitors a bigger margin of victory.

After 30 minutes, Bola Dowadu outjumped the defence to head home from a corner to double the Oystermen's advantage.

Five minutes before the break Sutton gave themselves hope when Mike Mills powered in a header, also from a corner, to reduce the deficit to a single goal.

After 57 minutes, a shot-cum-cross from Chris Smith curled straight into the net and as the temperature began to drop and the toes were feeling the cold, Rowland put any worries of extra time away with a tap in following good work by Smith.

Two ex-Tunbridge Wells players were in the Whitstable starting eleven, Tom Bryant and Connor Hood, with the latter being the best player on the pitch.

The three jolly fellows on the gate who then became the Sutton choir were rightly proud of their little club. Good luck for the rest of the season chaps.

Chatham Town 2 Sittingbourne 3

Match 86/16/1393 - Monday, 6th February 2017 - Ryman South

Chatham Town (0) 2 Gallacher 85,90+2
Sittingbourne (2) 3 Akhazzan 2, Wright 33, Richardson 60
Attendance: 162

Entrance: £6 Senior
Programme: £2
Mileage: 32/6,053

Match Report

Chatham Town now look a team desperately in need of snookers if they are to avoid relegation. Despite an unlikely comeback attempt in the last five minutes, defeat against neighbours Sittingbourne leaves them eight points adrift of Guernsey with perhaps their best hope being that the Channel Islanders decide not to continue in Ryman South next season.

The Chats need of points was a lot greater than that of their visitors but they got off to the worst possible start conceding within two minutes. A long throw was poorly cleared to the feet of the evergreen Hicham Akhazzan who struck low and hard into the centre of the goal.

About the only Chatham player to catch the eye in a dismal first half for the hosts was Ryan Flack who created a chance for Darren Marsden to drag wide and then sent in a rasping drive that narrowly cleared the crossbar.

Sittingbourne doubled their advantage in the 32 minute when a cross from the left was ineffectually slapped away by goalkeeper Alex Hyde to Stefan Wright who drove his shot into the bottom corner.

Chats manager, Paul Piggott made a double substitution at the break bringing on Kyron Lightfoot and Jordan Gallacher and, in fairness, the home side did improve after the break.

The third Sittingbourne goal on the hour probably best exemplifies why Chatham will be relegated this season. A corner from the right by Akhazzan was swung into the centre of the six yard box where Jono Richardson climbed the highest to head home. It was all too easy.

The game appeared to be drifting to its expected conclusion when Flack swung in a corner for Gallacher to steer his header into the far corner for a consolation goal.

Two minutes into time added, that consolation was added to when Chatham's skipper George Benner knocked down a cross for Gallacher to shoot home.

Unfortunately for Chatham, the sands of time quickly ran out and those same sands are winding down their time in Ryman South.

If Chatham have thoughts that they can go down to the Southern Counties East and return to the Ryman a year later stronger for the experience they have to look no further than Whitstable, who are not going to emerge from their first season or, slightly longer term, Erith and Belvedere who show no sign of promotion back after three seasons.

Canvey Island 0 Tonbridge 1

Match 85/16/1392 - Saturday, 4th February 2017 - Ryman Premier

Canvey Island (0) 0
Tonbridge (1) 1 Akrofi 4
Attendance: 325

Entrance: £6 Senior
Programme: £2
Mileage: 126/6,021

Match Report

A first-ever victory at Park Lane is not to be sniffed at, despite Canvey Island's lowly league position, but Tonbridge gave their travelling support some anxious second half moments after dominating a first period that should have yielded more than a single goal, scored by Alex Akrofi after just four minutes.

Arrival at Canvey Island was greeted with warm spring-like sunshine. Since our last visit, the hosts have a new, impressive clubhouse recently officially opened by Peter Taylor. However, the strange little mound directly in front of one of the goals remains.

Tom Phipp sat out the game with the injury sustained on Tuesday evening with the other notable absentee being manager Steve McKimm who was forced to stay at home with a bout of the flu.

The Angels could not have had a better start. Phipp's replacement, Luke Allen, slid a ball into the path of Akrofi who shot past the giant Conor Gough from 12 yards.

The home side responded with a good effort from Jay Curran whose shot was narrowly wide of the right hand post.

Tonbridge were unlucky not to extend their lead after 26 minutes when, following a cross by Jack Parter, Luke Blewden struck a fierce shot against the post. They were further frustrated when Nick Wheeler's goalbound shot was cleared from the line by Canvey's striker, George Sykes.

Gough did well to palm away Mitchell Nelson's header from Wheeler's corner as the teams went into the break both wondering how the game was not well beyond the hosts.

Canvey had a double opportunity to equalise after five minutes of the second half when John Mbamarah miskicked in front of goal and from the resultant cross Sykes directed a header wide.

Tonbridge might have extended their advantage after 70 minutes when a Wheeler corner was headed back to George Beavan whose shot was perfectly hit but only found Ashley Dumas on the line to clear. Two minutes later, another Wheeler corner, gave Nelson a free header inside the box but he directed it over the bar.

By this time, Canvey were huffing and puffing their way to a big finish and dominating pressure for a 10 minute period but, without stretching Di Bernardo to other than a couple of catches.

Nathan Elder had another chance to allow the Tonbridge support the luxury of a nerve-free injury time when his header from a Luke Blewden cross was brilliantly tipped over by Gough.

An injury in added time took the designated four minutes up to seven and, with recent experience, nobody was taking anything for granted. Finally, the whistle was blown and the mini hoodoo, after all we've only ever played there six times (and managed a couple of draws), was put to bed.

Action pictures courtesy of Chris Coolbear

Tonbridge 4 Leatherhead 4

Match 84/16/1391 - Tuesday, 31st January 2017 - Ryman Premier

Tonbridge (1) 4 Wheeler 4, Phipp 48, Elder 70, Parter 76
Leatherhead (3) 4 Carr 12, Daniel 34, Smith 44,78
Attendance: 280

Entrance: £6 Senior
Programme: £2.50 (rain ruined)
Mileage: 38/5,895

It would have been an age-old debate that would have gone on in the bar until closing time. A point gained, or two lost?

On an absolutely filthy night, two sides produced a match that was thrilling for the paying spectator but would have left the respective managers tearing their hair out which probably accounts for Steve McKimm’s after-match comment that it was a “disappointing game in which nobody took responsibility especially in the first half. They did in the second half exactly what I asked them to do in the first and, lo and behold, we scored goals. But we got a point from 3-1 down; they gave me a good reaction.”

Jimmy Bullard, the Leatherhead boss was always an entertainer as a player and his side certainly gave their small travelling support value for money in the first period.

Tonbridge were ahead with only four minutes on the clock. Nick Wheeler swung in a wicked cross from the left into the area of uncertainty for any goalkeeper; it begged a touch but as no one managed that, the ball sailed serenely on its path to nestle into the far corner of the net.

The home side was undone after 12 minutes when a long punt through the middle was misjudged allowing Daniel Carr, their on-loan striker from Dulwich Hamlet, to run on and slip the ball past the advancing Anthony Di Bernardo.

The visitors continued to take the game to their hosts and it came as little surprise when they took the lead after 34 minutes, albeit with a fluke cross from Kadell Daniel, who looked as surprised as anybody, as his misplaced effort looped over Di Bernardo.

On the stroke of the break, the Tanners went into the dry of the dressing room with a third goal to their credit as Ty Smith was allowed far too much time and space to curl a low shot into the far corner.

McKimm certainly engendered a reaction from his side with the deficit being reduced to a single goal just four minutes after the restart. Tom Phipp skipped a couple of challenges before producing an exquisite lob from 20 yards that left Louis Wells helpless.

Tonbridge were on level terms after 70 minutes when Tom Parkinson literally nicked the ball from the toes of a couple of defenders before standing up the perfect cross for Nathan Elder to head home.

Six minutes later the comeback was complete when Jack Parter started and finished a move with a toe poke past Wells who had dived at his feet. Bullard took exception to the goal, claiming it was taken from the hands of his goalkeeper and was sent from the dug-out for his protestations.

Unfortunately, the comeback was not quite complete and, within two minutes, Leatherhead were back on terms with a similar goal to the Angels’ opener. Smith swung in a cross-turned-shot from the left that evaded a box full of bodies to find the far corner of the net.

The closing stages saw Di Bernardo saving from Carr to preserve the point.

Wink Tomkinson, rain sodden notebook, Longmead Stadium.

Picture courtesy David Couldridge