Match 119/16/1426 - Monday, 8th April 2017 - Ryman Youth League
Tonbridge Angels U18 (0) 1 Adonis-Taylor 57
Maidstone United U18 (1) 1 Warden 15
Attendance: 88
Entrance: £1 Senior
Team Sheet: Free
Mileage: 38/8,108
Tonbridge U18s had to settle for a draw from a match in which they deserved better with the result leaving Merstham needing to win just one of their remaining two games with Maidstone their visitors on Thursday.
Tonbridge dominated the game throughout but chances were very much at a premium.
Two early chances fell to Sid Sollis. The first came from a Jack Bray long throw that found the head of Sollis who was only able to direct it at the Maidstone goalkeeper, Nathan Akhlaq. A minute later, following a Tommy Chapman cross, the talismanic striker fired over.
It was against the run of play when the Stones took a 15th minute lead. A corner from the right was misjudged by Lewis Mitchell which handed the influential Sid Warden an easy header to open the scoring.
Gaining confidence from their goal, Dale Ashman forced Mitchell into a decent save low to his left before Sollis struck a shot from the left hand angle of six yard box against the far post.
On the half-hour, a fine cross from Chapman was met with a header from Jack Fenton that was touched onto the crossbar by Akhlaq.
The hosts began the second half where they left off with Bray having a shot blocked and Fenton dragging the rebound wide.
Tonbridge deserved a bit of luck and this they got after 57 minutes when Callum Adonis-Taylor overhit a cross from the right that completely deceived the Maidstone ‘keeper and sailed into the net.
The game became one-way traffic as the Angels searched for a winner. A marginal offside decision denied Sollis a goal that would have been a masterful piece of finishing where it not for the linesman’s flag.
Ultimately, for all their possession and further chances that fell to Sollis and Fenton and a last gasp effort from Adonis-Taylor that was cleared from the line by Warden, it was not to be for Tonbridge, leaving the way clear for Merstham’s title party.
Tonbridge still have their Ryman Under-18 League Cup against Whitehawk at Whyteleafe next Thursday to look forward to and they can be justifiably proud that they have been part of an intriguing three-way race for the title.
Tuesday, 11 April 2017
Sunday, 9 April 2017
Gillingham 1 Millwall 1
Match 118/16/1425 - Saturday, 8th April 2017 - League One
Gillingham (0) 1 Quigley 67
Millwall (0) 1 Morison 72
Attendance: 7,221
Entrance: Season Ticket
Programme: £3
Mileage: 58/8,070
Match Report
Gillingham’s chances of avoiding the drop to League Two look ever more desperate with every game that gets added to a sequence, now standing at five games without a win. At least this home draw against play-off chasing neighbours Millwall was a spirited effort, something that was lacking in their last couple of Priestfield appearances.
Millwall’s support packed out the Brian Moore Stand which at least pended itself to a much improved atmosphere at both ends of the ground as Gillingham’s vocal support found their voices.
Ultimately, it was a lack of quality from both sides that determined that the points were shared, a scenario that did little for either side’s differing ambitions. There was plenty of effort, some rough and tumble that is expected of a derby but neither side had a single player that would take the game by the scruff of the neck and prove the difference.
Millwall stretched Tomas Holy to a couple of saves that were comfortable but looked good for the camera, whilst at the other end, the home side despite having the better of the possession failed to ask anything of Tom King.
After much of the same for the first 20 minutes of the second half, Gillingham took the lead. King disputed that he had carried the ball over the line to concede a corner but from the resultant place kick the ball found its way to the far post from where Joe Quigley hooked home to delight the Rainham End.
Millwall should really have equalised within two minutes when Lee Gregory rounded Holy but then got his own feet in a tangle and scuffed his shot wide.
However the lead was only to last five minutes when a shot from Jed Wallace brought a good save from Holy but was only pushed into the path of Steve Morison who from the right hand angle of the six yard box into the far corner of the net.
A Morison header that went tamely wide was as close as it got to finding a winner.
I’m guessing that a win and a draw from their final two home games against Bristol Rovers and Fleetwood Town might just about be enough. The quality in the squad isn’t going to change overnight, hopefully the spirit shown will prove enough to see them over the line.
Gillingham (0) 1 Quigley 67
Millwall (0) 1 Morison 72
Attendance: 7,221
Entrance: Season Ticket
Programme: £3
Mileage: 58/8,070
Match Report
Millwall’s support packed out the Brian Moore Stand which at least pended itself to a much improved atmosphere at both ends of the ground as Gillingham’s vocal support found their voices.
Ultimately, it was a lack of quality from both sides that determined that the points were shared, a scenario that did little for either side’s differing ambitions. There was plenty of effort, some rough and tumble that is expected of a derby but neither side had a single player that would take the game by the scruff of the neck and prove the difference.
Millwall stretched Tomas Holy to a couple of saves that were comfortable but looked good for the camera, whilst at the other end, the home side despite having the better of the possession failed to ask anything of Tom King.
After much of the same for the first 20 minutes of the second half, Gillingham took the lead. King disputed that he had carried the ball over the line to concede a corner but from the resultant place kick the ball found its way to the far post from where Joe Quigley hooked home to delight the Rainham End.
Millwall should really have equalised within two minutes when Lee Gregory rounded Holy but then got his own feet in a tangle and scuffed his shot wide.
However the lead was only to last five minutes when a shot from Jed Wallace brought a good save from Holy but was only pushed into the path of Steve Morison who from the right hand angle of the six yard box into the far corner of the net.
A Morison header that went tamely wide was as close as it got to finding a winner.
I’m guessing that a win and a draw from their final two home games against Bristol Rovers and Fleetwood Town might just about be enough. The quality in the squad isn’t going to change overnight, hopefully the spirit shown will prove enough to see them over the line.
Tuesday, 4 April 2017
K Sports 0 Glebe 2
Match 117/16/1424 - Tuesday, 4th April 2017 - SCEFL 1
K Sports (0) 0
Glebe (0) 2 Jeffery 51, Golding 54
Attendance: 112
Entrance: £2.50 Senior
Programme: £1.50
Mileage: 40/8,012
Match Report
At Rusthall a couple of weeks back and in the first half of this match at K Sports, I failed to see what has taken Glebe to the cusp of promotion, as champions, to the SCEFL Premier. In the second half, I finally got it.
On their own admittance, at Jockey Farm, Glebe's overriding intention was not to lose the game and, perhaps, there was a similar mindset here at Cobdown, but once Aaron Jeffery had fired them into an early second half lead, quickly followed by Ryan Golding's sure-fire finish, there was to be only one winner as Glebe marched on to the summit of the table.
The first half was a real stalemate with neither side creating much in the way of genuine chances and nothing much in terms of eye-catching football.
K Sports' central defender Liam Dawson brought a good save out of Adam Molloy with a header following a cross from the right after eight minutes and Caine Smith blasted over the crossbar two minutes later as the home side started on the front foot.
Glebe created a couple of half-chances with Joe Cullip saving at the feet of Andre Tobon whilst Ryan Golding hit a long shot that sailed high into the night sky.
Six minutes into the second half, Glebe opened the scoring following a cross from the left by George King which was headed against the crossbar at the far post by Jamal Alexander with the rebound being tucked away by Aaron Jeffery.
Within a couple of minutes, Glebe virtually wrapped up the game when a cross from Alexander was only partially cleared to the feet of Golding, who showed he had not lost any of his predatory instinct with a firm shot that gave Cullip no chance.
To K Sports credit they kept going forward and Gabriel Luckhurst forced Molloy into a low save, diving to his left. But the game ended as a contest when K Sports' young defender, Jack Salisbury, collected a second yellow card to sentence him to forlornly watch the remainder of the game from behind the perimeter fencing.
Nearly everything, I understand the changing rooms need to be closer to the pitch, is in place for the Ditton-based club to have a real tilt at promotion next season. I have watched football played on three Ryman Premier 3G pitches in recent weeks at Worthing, Harlow and Hendon and, in my opinion, this pitch is vastly superior to all of them.
K Sports (0) 0
Glebe (0) 2 Jeffery 51, Golding 54
Attendance: 112
Entrance: £2.50 Senior
Programme: £1.50
Mileage: 40/8,012
Match Report
On their own admittance, at Jockey Farm, Glebe's overriding intention was not to lose the game and, perhaps, there was a similar mindset here at Cobdown, but once Aaron Jeffery had fired them into an early second half lead, quickly followed by Ryan Golding's sure-fire finish, there was to be only one winner as Glebe marched on to the summit of the table.
The first half was a real stalemate with neither side creating much in the way of genuine chances and nothing much in terms of eye-catching football.
K Sports' central defender Liam Dawson brought a good save out of Adam Molloy with a header following a cross from the right after eight minutes and Caine Smith blasted over the crossbar two minutes later as the home side started on the front foot.
Glebe created a couple of half-chances with Joe Cullip saving at the feet of Andre Tobon whilst Ryan Golding hit a long shot that sailed high into the night sky.
Six minutes into the second half, Glebe opened the scoring following a cross from the left by George King which was headed against the crossbar at the far post by Jamal Alexander with the rebound being tucked away by Aaron Jeffery.
Within a couple of minutes, Glebe virtually wrapped up the game when a cross from Alexander was only partially cleared to the feet of Golding, who showed he had not lost any of his predatory instinct with a firm shot that gave Cullip no chance.
To K Sports credit they kept going forward and Gabriel Luckhurst forced Molloy into a low save, diving to his left. But the game ended as a contest when K Sports' young defender, Jack Salisbury, collected a second yellow card to sentence him to forlornly watch the remainder of the game from behind the perimeter fencing.
Nearly everything, I understand the changing rooms need to be closer to the pitch, is in place for the Ditton-based club to have a real tilt at promotion next season. I have watched football played on three Ryman Premier 3G pitches in recent weeks at Worthing, Harlow and Hendon and, in my opinion, this pitch is vastly superior to all of them.
Monday, 3 April 2017
Tonbridge Angels U18 4 Kingstonian U18 2
Match 116/16/1423 - Monday, 3rd April 2017 - Ryman Youth
Tonbridge Angels U18 (1) 4 Sollis 41 Ghali 50,79 Fenton 57
Kingstonian U18 (0) 2 Curtis 54,87
Attendance: 48
Entrance: £1 Senior
Team Sheet: Free
Mileage: 38/7,972
For a second consecutive game, Tonbridge Under-18s had to play for 45 minutes without a regular goalkeeper after Lewis Mitchell sustained an injury in the 36th minute. He soldiered on until the break but didn’t appear for the second half with Louis Pateman taking over between the sticks.
Kingstonian provided much sterner opposition than their lowly league position suggested they would and a competitive first half ensued. Chances were very much at a premium as Tonbridge struggled to get going, much to the credit of the Kingstonian back line that were well organised.
It took a full half-hour for the Kingstonian goalkeeper to be tested but Matthew Allison was up to the task touching over the bar an effort from Sid Sollis.
Sollis, who had a frustrating first half-hour in which his touch was unusually heavy and was missing the pin-point delivery of an absent Tommy Chapman, came to life with a shot from 40 yards that didn’t trouble Allison but seemed to provide the spark that ignited his evening.
After 36 minutes a pass through the centre of the Tonbridge defence sent Orlando George chasing a 50/50 ball with Mitchell diving at his feet. The subsequent collision left the goalkeeper with an injured leg from which he ultimately substituted.
In the first minute of first half added time, Sollis, from wide on the left hand side and about 35 yards out produced a shot that whistled past Allison and into the net.
Mitchell’s substitution introduced Ziyad Ghali and the young striker was on the score sheet within five minutes. A shot from 20 yards from Sollis came back off the underside of the crossbar and Ghali was on hand to nod home the rebound.
Kingstonian were back in the game quickly when a shot from George from 25 yards was too much for Pateman but, within two minutes, Tonbridge had restored their two goal advantage when a free kick from Liam McCreadie found the head of Jack Bray whose effort was well saved by Ellison but the rebound was headed home by Jack Fenton.
The Tonbridge back line, with Bray dropping into the central defensive spot, did well to protect their goalkeeper limiting Kingstonian to a single shot that Pateman saved with his feet.
The game was made safe with a piece of individual brilliance by Ghali who left a couple of defenders in his wake before rounding the goalkeeper and slotting home.
Kingstonian added a second to the scoreline three minutes from time when George converted a cross from Kailen North to score from close range.
In injury time, Sollis cut in from the left and sent a shot agonisingly wide that would have been a delicious icing on the cake.
Manager Billy Thornton commented after the game that they made it hard for themselves in the first half but the second half performance showed the characters they have in the squad whilst accepting it wasn’t a great performance.
League leaders Merstham, as expected, won 9-2 at Raynes Park Vale to maintain their two point lead over the Angels. Third place Maidstone visit Longmead next Monday and also have Merstham to play in their run-in and they will have a big say in the destination of this close run title race.
Tonbridge Angels U18 (1) 4 Sollis 41 Ghali 50,79 Fenton 57
Kingstonian U18 (0) 2 Curtis 54,87
Attendance: 48
Entrance: £1 Senior
Team Sheet: Free
Mileage: 38/7,972
For a second consecutive game, Tonbridge Under-18s had to play for 45 minutes without a regular goalkeeper after Lewis Mitchell sustained an injury in the 36th minute. He soldiered on until the break but didn’t appear for the second half with Louis Pateman taking over between the sticks.
Kingstonian provided much sterner opposition than their lowly league position suggested they would and a competitive first half ensued. Chances were very much at a premium as Tonbridge struggled to get going, much to the credit of the Kingstonian back line that were well organised.
It took a full half-hour for the Kingstonian goalkeeper to be tested but Matthew Allison was up to the task touching over the bar an effort from Sid Sollis.
Sollis, who had a frustrating first half-hour in which his touch was unusually heavy and was missing the pin-point delivery of an absent Tommy Chapman, came to life with a shot from 40 yards that didn’t trouble Allison but seemed to provide the spark that ignited his evening.
After 36 minutes a pass through the centre of the Tonbridge defence sent Orlando George chasing a 50/50 ball with Mitchell diving at his feet. The subsequent collision left the goalkeeper with an injured leg from which he ultimately substituted.
In the first minute of first half added time, Sollis, from wide on the left hand side and about 35 yards out produced a shot that whistled past Allison and into the net.
Mitchell’s substitution introduced Ziyad Ghali and the young striker was on the score sheet within five minutes. A shot from 20 yards from Sollis came back off the underside of the crossbar and Ghali was on hand to nod home the rebound.
Kingstonian were back in the game quickly when a shot from George from 25 yards was too much for Pateman but, within two minutes, Tonbridge had restored their two goal advantage when a free kick from Liam McCreadie found the head of Jack Bray whose effort was well saved by Ellison but the rebound was headed home by Jack Fenton.
The Tonbridge back line, with Bray dropping into the central defensive spot, did well to protect their goalkeeper limiting Kingstonian to a single shot that Pateman saved with his feet.
The game was made safe with a piece of individual brilliance by Ghali who left a couple of defenders in his wake before rounding the goalkeeper and slotting home.
Kingstonian added a second to the scoreline three minutes from time when George converted a cross from Kailen North to score from close range.
In injury time, Sollis cut in from the left and sent a shot agonisingly wide that would have been a delicious icing on the cake.
Manager Billy Thornton commented after the game that they made it hard for themselves in the first half but the second half performance showed the characters they have in the squad whilst accepting it wasn’t a great performance.
League leaders Merstham, as expected, won 9-2 at Raynes Park Vale to maintain their two point lead over the Angels. Third place Maidstone visit Longmead next Monday and also have Merstham to play in their run-in and they will have a big say in the destination of this close run title race.
Saturday, 1 April 2017
Hendon 1 Tonbridge 2
Match 115/16/1422 - Saturday, 1st April 2017 - Ryman Premier
Hendon (1) 1 Ball 14 (pen)
Tonbridge (0) 2 Elder 68, McCollin 86
Attendance: 264
Entrance: £6 Senior
Programme: £2
Mileage: 154/7,934
New Ground: 306
A couple of millimetres, a linesman's flag and Tonbridge's play-off hopes remain ... just.
I think it is generally accepted that Tonbridge might need to win each of the last five games to make the end-of-season lottery and given that one of those five is away to Havant any slip up elsewhere might prove to be fatal.
We are now at the point of the season where the pedantics of "must win" no longer apply. This was a must win and it applied to both clubs with Hendon desperately in need of the points in their quest to stay in Ryman Premier.
Tonbridge's newly-arrived loan signing Vas Karagiannis, from Maidstone, went straight into the starting line-up whilst the returning Bradley Fortnam-Tomlinson had to be content with a place on the bench.
For the vast majority of Tonbridge supporters this was a new ground, although one or two might well have visited on a groundhop when Silver Jubilee Park was habited by Kingsbury Town or Edgware. They found a traditional old stand with loads of wooden uprights obscuring the vision but it had some character unlike the Atcost structures that adorned the other three sides. It seemed at odds to have a 3G pitch that significantly sloped but it at least had a more natural bounce than the one at Harlow.
The opening stages were fairly cagey with the home side having an early free kick that was sent over the crossbar by the influential Matt Ball whilst the visitors employed the home goalkeeper, Tom Lovelock, who comfortably dealt with a shot from Nick Wheeler and a header from Sonny Miles.
However it was the home side that went ahead after 14 minutes when an innocuous challenge from Jack Parter downed Reis Stanislous resulting in the referee pointing to the spot. From a distance of 75 yards it was difficult to judge whether the decision was a good one, but the position of the foul just inside the 18 yard box begged the question as to whether the challenge needed to be made at all. Ball sent Jonny Henley the wrong way to put the hosts into the lead.
Lovelock saved well at his near post to deny Karagiannis and from the resultant corner Miles headed wide as Tonbridge responded positively from the setback.
Nathan Elder failed to get a shot away when in front of goal and with Wheeler supplying a succession of crosses the visitors where dominating in terms of possession and chances made.
After 35 minutes, Henley made a good stop low to his left to deny Ball who had met Khale De Costa's cross.
The second half was progressing much the same as the first as Tonbridge were creating plenty of half chances whilst, on the break, Hendon were also quite dangerous.
After 66 minutes, Steve McKimm decided to shuffle his pack bringing on Andre McCollin for Alex Akrofi and within a minute the Angels were level. A cross from the right from Karagiannis was bundled, scuffed, choose the phrase you like (!) past Lovelock to give Tonbridge parity that they certainly deserved.
A draw was certainly of no use to Tonbridge and probably was not Hendon's requirement so McKimm went for the win introducing Luke Blewden for Luke Allen after 67 minutes. Lovelock made a fine, diving stop to save from McCollin and a shot from Parter was deflected against a post and back into the hands of the goalkeeper.
Hendon introduced their Guyanian international, Marcel Barrington, who brought a save out of Henley and also shot wide in a matter of moments.
One last throw of the dice from McKimm brought a goal fashioned entirely from the bench after Dan Thompson came on for Elder. Blewden won a vital challenge to feed a pass to the edge of the box from where Thompson created space to cross for McCollin to stab the ball wide of Lovelock whose save was a millimetre or two too late as the linesman's flag signalled the goal.
Henley made his only handling error of the afternoon in injury time when he spilt a shot from Da Costa but recovered quickly to reclaim the ball. Barrington tested the Tonbridge man one more time but he was equal to the task and the vital three points were on their way back to Kent.
Pictures below from Dave Couldridge and Kathryn Bell
Hendon (1) 1 Ball 14 (pen)
Tonbridge (0) 2 Elder 68, McCollin 86
Attendance: 264
Entrance: £6 Senior
Programme: £2
Mileage: 154/7,934
New Ground: 306
I think it is generally accepted that Tonbridge might need to win each of the last five games to make the end-of-season lottery and given that one of those five is away to Havant any slip up elsewhere might prove to be fatal.
We are now at the point of the season where the pedantics of "must win" no longer apply. This was a must win and it applied to both clubs with Hendon desperately in need of the points in their quest to stay in Ryman Premier.
Tonbridge's newly-arrived loan signing Vas Karagiannis, from Maidstone, went straight into the starting line-up whilst the returning Bradley Fortnam-Tomlinson had to be content with a place on the bench.
For the vast majority of Tonbridge supporters this was a new ground, although one or two might well have visited on a groundhop when Silver Jubilee Park was habited by Kingsbury Town or Edgware. They found a traditional old stand with loads of wooden uprights obscuring the vision but it had some character unlike the Atcost structures that adorned the other three sides. It seemed at odds to have a 3G pitch that significantly sloped but it at least had a more natural bounce than the one at Harlow.
The opening stages were fairly cagey with the home side having an early free kick that was sent over the crossbar by the influential Matt Ball whilst the visitors employed the home goalkeeper, Tom Lovelock, who comfortably dealt with a shot from Nick Wheeler and a header from Sonny Miles.
However it was the home side that went ahead after 14 minutes when an innocuous challenge from Jack Parter downed Reis Stanislous resulting in the referee pointing to the spot. From a distance of 75 yards it was difficult to judge whether the decision was a good one, but the position of the foul just inside the 18 yard box begged the question as to whether the challenge needed to be made at all. Ball sent Jonny Henley the wrong way to put the hosts into the lead.
Lovelock saved well at his near post to deny Karagiannis and from the resultant corner Miles headed wide as Tonbridge responded positively from the setback.
Nathan Elder failed to get a shot away when in front of goal and with Wheeler supplying a succession of crosses the visitors where dominating in terms of possession and chances made.
After 35 minutes, Henley made a good stop low to his left to deny Ball who had met Khale De Costa's cross.
The second half was progressing much the same as the first as Tonbridge were creating plenty of half chances whilst, on the break, Hendon were also quite dangerous.
After 66 minutes, Steve McKimm decided to shuffle his pack bringing on Andre McCollin for Alex Akrofi and within a minute the Angels were level. A cross from the right from Karagiannis was bundled, scuffed, choose the phrase you like (!) past Lovelock to give Tonbridge parity that they certainly deserved.
A draw was certainly of no use to Tonbridge and probably was not Hendon's requirement so McKimm went for the win introducing Luke Blewden for Luke Allen after 67 minutes. Lovelock made a fine, diving stop to save from McCollin and a shot from Parter was deflected against a post and back into the hands of the goalkeeper.
Hendon introduced their Guyanian international, Marcel Barrington, who brought a save out of Henley and also shot wide in a matter of moments.
One last throw of the dice from McKimm brought a goal fashioned entirely from the bench after Dan Thompson came on for Elder. Blewden won a vital challenge to feed a pass to the edge of the box from where Thompson created space to cross for McCollin to stab the ball wide of Lovelock whose save was a millimetre or two too late as the linesman's flag signalled the goal.
Henley made his only handling error of the afternoon in injury time when he spilt a shot from Da Costa but recovered quickly to reclaim the ball. Barrington tested the Tonbridge man one more time but he was equal to the task and the vital three points were on their way back to Kent.
Friday, 31 March 2017
Tonbridge Angels U18 6 Raynes Park Vale U18 0
Match 114/16/1421 - Thursday, 30th March 2017 - Ryman Youth League
Tonbridge Angels U18 (3) 6 Sollis 1,63,71 Bray 4 Cussen 23,74 (pen)
Raynes Park Vale U18 (0) 0
Attendance: 25
Entrance: £1 Senior
Team Sheet: Free
Mileage: 38/7,780
Despite being reduced to 10 men after 16 minutes when goalkeeper Lewis Mitchell was sent off for denying a goalscoring opportunity by handling outside of his area, Tonbridge Angels U18’s goal rush continued with a comfortable 6-0 win over a young Raynes Park Vale side.
It took just 15 seconds for the irrepressible Sid Sollis to open the scoring when he rifled a shot from 25 yards past a startled Vale goalkeeper.
The game looked to be potentially even more one-sided than the 8-0 scoreline a fortnight ago when Jack Bray forced George Wiltshire into a save low to his left after three minutes and Sollis saw his lob bounce over the bar after six minutes. A month ago, on softer ground, the ball would have bounced underneath the bar.
Raynes Park’s Luke Faran was proving to carry a threat and the Tonbridge defence had to hack the ball to safety when he had a chance in front of goal.
After 14 minutes, Jack Bray picked out the top corner with a 25 yard shot that once more whistled past Wiltshire.
Two minutes later Mitchell was, perhaps, harshly dealt with whilst accepting that the referee exacted the letter of the law. The goalkeeper rushed from his line as Dan Clatworthy was put through on goal; as the two players came within a yard of each other the Vale man got a touch to the ball that hit the hands of the keeper. Whether the ball hit Mitchell or whether he moved his hands to the ball is the judgement the referee had to make and the red card was his decision.
Never one to shy away from the action it was Sollis that donned the green jersey and his first sight of the ball was the resultant free kick that crashed against his crossbar.
After 23 minutes, a surging run from Bray ended with a cross to Jack Cussen who touched in at close range to make it 3-0.
Manager John Gibbons reshuffled his pack during the break. Liam McCreadie replaced Ziyad Ghali and also replaced Sollis in goal whilst Rhys Faram, who had a muscle strain, was substituted by Jack Fenton.
After 63 minutes, Sollis robbed Curver George on the right hand side and cut in to fire home a shot into the far corner of the net from around 12 yards to make it 4-0.
Sollis completed his hat-trick after 71 minutes when put through by Fenton finishing with a firm shot that gave the goalkeeper no chance.
Three minutes later, who else but Sollis would be brought down after robbing a dithering defender to earn a penalty. He stepped aside for the hard working Jack Cussen to send Wiltshire the wrong way to complete the scoring.
Tonbridge Angels Under-18s are next in action at Longmead on Monday, 3rd April when they entertain Kingstonian.
Tonbridge Angels U18 (3) 6 Sollis 1,63,71 Bray 4 Cussen 23,74 (pen)
Raynes Park Vale U18 (0) 0
Attendance: 25
Entrance: £1 Senior
Team Sheet: Free
Mileage: 38/7,780
Despite being reduced to 10 men after 16 minutes when goalkeeper Lewis Mitchell was sent off for denying a goalscoring opportunity by handling outside of his area, Tonbridge Angels U18’s goal rush continued with a comfortable 6-0 win over a young Raynes Park Vale side.
It took just 15 seconds for the irrepressible Sid Sollis to open the scoring when he rifled a shot from 25 yards past a startled Vale goalkeeper.
The game looked to be potentially even more one-sided than the 8-0 scoreline a fortnight ago when Jack Bray forced George Wiltshire into a save low to his left after three minutes and Sollis saw his lob bounce over the bar after six minutes. A month ago, on softer ground, the ball would have bounced underneath the bar.
Raynes Park’s Luke Faran was proving to carry a threat and the Tonbridge defence had to hack the ball to safety when he had a chance in front of goal.
After 14 minutes, Jack Bray picked out the top corner with a 25 yard shot that once more whistled past Wiltshire.
Two minutes later Mitchell was, perhaps, harshly dealt with whilst accepting that the referee exacted the letter of the law. The goalkeeper rushed from his line as Dan Clatworthy was put through on goal; as the two players came within a yard of each other the Vale man got a touch to the ball that hit the hands of the keeper. Whether the ball hit Mitchell or whether he moved his hands to the ball is the judgement the referee had to make and the red card was his decision.
Never one to shy away from the action it was Sollis that donned the green jersey and his first sight of the ball was the resultant free kick that crashed against his crossbar.
After 23 minutes, a surging run from Bray ended with a cross to Jack Cussen who touched in at close range to make it 3-0.
Manager John Gibbons reshuffled his pack during the break. Liam McCreadie replaced Ziyad Ghali and also replaced Sollis in goal whilst Rhys Faram, who had a muscle strain, was substituted by Jack Fenton.
After 63 minutes, Sollis robbed Curver George on the right hand side and cut in to fire home a shot into the far corner of the net from around 12 yards to make it 4-0.
Sollis completed his hat-trick after 71 minutes when put through by Fenton finishing with a firm shot that gave the goalkeeper no chance.
Three minutes later, who else but Sollis would be brought down after robbing a dithering defender to earn a penalty. He stepped aside for the hard working Jack Cussen to send Wiltshire the wrong way to complete the scoring.
Tonbridge Angels Under-18s are next in action at Longmead on Monday, 3rd April when they entertain Kingstonian.
Tuesday, 28 March 2017
Tunbridge Wells U21 2 Tonbridge Angels Res 1
Match 113/16/1420 - Tuesday, 28th March 2017 - Suburban Shield
Tunbridge Wells U21 (1) 2 Biddlecombe 33, Adams 49
Tonbridge Angels Reserves (1) 1 Morrison 30
Attendance: 107
Entrance: £1 Senior
Team Sheet: None
Mileage: 36/7,742
Who would be a goalkeeper? Lewis Mitchell single-handedly kept Tonbridge Angels in this game, but an inexplicable handling error four minutes into the second half ultimately decided the game and sent Tunbridge Wells through to the Semi-Finals of the Suburban Shield.
Tunbridge Wells deserved to make progress in the competition; in Josh Biddlecombe they had the only genuine first-teamer in either side and he had a quality that was above anybody else. Biddlecombe is suspended from the Wells first team game on Saturday, hence his inclusion in the Under-21 side for this game.
The closest either side came in the opening 20 minutes was a shot from the left from Tunbridge Wells' Joe Adams that crashed against the crossbar.
But it was the visitors that took the lead when a pass over the top sent Dameli Morrison clear to cleverly lob Callum Hampson in the Wells' goal.
The lead was only to last three minutes when the ball was slid through the centre for Biddlecombe to draw Mitchell from his line before slotting it past the goalkeeper.
Tunbridge Wells enjoyed a period of dominance before the break with Ollie Vidler having a shot blocked and Tom Lawrence sending the rebound over the bar.
Mitchell's nightmare moment came in the 49th minute when a cross from the right from Adams should have been an easy collect for the goalkeeper, but under pressure from Biddlecombe, he dropped the ball over his line with the referee quite rightly deciding that the striker had not impeded the goalkeeper.
Tonbridge had the odd half-chance through the second period but it was the Wells that made the clearer chances and the reason they didn't run out much clearer winners was due to Mitchell's brilliance.
The young Tonbridge stopper dived low to his left to deny Biddlecombe after an hour and his double save ten minutes later from close range was out of the top drawer.
If any criticism could be made of Biddlecombe's performance it would be that he was wasteful in front of goal and another couple of chances went begging just prior to the final whistle.
Tunbridge Wells U21 (1) 2 Biddlecombe 33, Adams 49
Tonbridge Angels Reserves (1) 1 Morrison 30
Attendance: 107
Entrance: £1 Senior
Team Sheet: None
Mileage: 36/7,742
Who would be a goalkeeper? Lewis Mitchell single-handedly kept Tonbridge Angels in this game, but an inexplicable handling error four minutes into the second half ultimately decided the game and sent Tunbridge Wells through to the Semi-Finals of the Suburban Shield.
Tunbridge Wells deserved to make progress in the competition; in Josh Biddlecombe they had the only genuine first-teamer in either side and he had a quality that was above anybody else. Biddlecombe is suspended from the Wells first team game on Saturday, hence his inclusion in the Under-21 side for this game.
The closest either side came in the opening 20 minutes was a shot from the left from Tunbridge Wells' Joe Adams that crashed against the crossbar.
But it was the visitors that took the lead when a pass over the top sent Dameli Morrison clear to cleverly lob Callum Hampson in the Wells' goal.
The lead was only to last three minutes when the ball was slid through the centre for Biddlecombe to draw Mitchell from his line before slotting it past the goalkeeper.
Tunbridge Wells enjoyed a period of dominance before the break with Ollie Vidler having a shot blocked and Tom Lawrence sending the rebound over the bar.
Mitchell's nightmare moment came in the 49th minute when a cross from the right from Adams should have been an easy collect for the goalkeeper, but under pressure from Biddlecombe, he dropped the ball over his line with the referee quite rightly deciding that the striker had not impeded the goalkeeper.
Tonbridge had the odd half-chance through the second period but it was the Wells that made the clearer chances and the reason they didn't run out much clearer winners was due to Mitchell's brilliance.
The young Tonbridge stopper dived low to his left to deny Biddlecombe after an hour and his double save ten minutes later from close range was out of the top drawer.
If any criticism could be made of Biddlecombe's performance it would be that he was wasteful in front of goal and another couple of chances went begging just prior to the final whistle.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
