Tonbridge Angels 1 Bromley 1

Match 96/21/1960 - Saturday, 12th February 2022 - National League South

Tonbridge Angels (0) 1Turner 89
Bromley (0) 1 Francis 80
Bromley win 3-2 on penalties
Attendance: 2,061

Admission: £12 Senior
Programme: £3
Mileage: 38/5,279

I’m an emotional old fool and there was a tear in my eye at the final whistle. Initially it was bitter disappointment but that tear quickly turned into one of absolute pride. I’m so proud of my club today, Tonbridge Angels went toe-to-toe with a Conference club, and I don’t care how many changes they made, they are all full-time professionals and for the most part we were the better side. Even Bromley’s respectful manager, Andy Woodman, admitted that in his post-match interview. Three conference clubs have been played in this run and we haven’t lost to any of them. And off the pitch, we have had 2,000 people inside the ground for only the fourth time in over 40 years and we’ve handled it, yes some of the queues were long but there was 2,000 people there, all wanting to be fed and watered at the same time, where there’s crowds there are queues!

Right from the one o’clock opening of the gates, it felt special. There was a buzz about the place that told you, if you didn’t know already, this was history in the making. Never before had Tonbridge Angels made it to the last 16 of the FA Trophy and in our dreams Wembley beckoned.

Bromley’s team selection offered hope as leading goalscorer, Michael Cheek was rested to the bench whilst Steve McKimm had Tommy Wood available again and he took the place of Adam Coombes, who was cup-tied.

The first half was a cagey affair with very few opportunities for either side but the home side showed that they were capable of causing an upset against a Bromley side sitting in the play-off places for a place in the Football League.

An early half-chance fell the Angels way as Joe Turner rounded the visiting goalkeeper, Ellery Balcombe but from a tight angle his effort on goal was blocked by Kellen Fisher, a very young looking player who went on to have a very composed game.

Bromley’s first chance came after 25 minutes when the, robust shall we say, James Alabi put a shot over the bar following a cross from Corey Whitely.

Tom Beere saw an effort clear the bar just before the break in a first half that Bromley had possibly the better of the chances but on the whole, Tonbridge had contained their National League visitors comfortably.

Tonbridge opened the second period on the front foot with Beere firing over and, on 53 minutes, Turner was only narrowly high with a shot from the edge of the box.

Just prior to the hour mark and Tonbridge cheers got stuck in their throats as a brilliant cross from Wood saw Turner sliding in at the far post but the ball evaded him by what was probably millimetres.

On 63 minutes, there was another golden opportunity for the Angels as three efforts on goal were blocked by diving Bromley defenders before the final chance was smothered by Balcombe.

But, the game was to turn against the home side on 72 minutes when Harry Hudson and Bromley’s Jude Arthurs fell to the ground following a challenge for which the substitute referee had given a free kick to Tonbridge. But, whilst on the ground, Hudson kicked out and was given his marching orders.

Ten minutes remained when, from their first bit of real quality in the game, Bromley made their man advantage count as a well worked goal beginning with good link-up play down the left before Luke Coulson crossed in for Palace Francis to score.

But the never-say-die spirit of this Angels squad, despite their numerical disadvantage, threw everything forward in search of the equaliser that would take the tie immediately to penalties.

Another forward in Ibrahim Olutade was thrown on to bolster the attack and in the last minute of regulation time, a Beere corner from the left was dropped by Balcombe at the feet of the substitute who poked it forward for Turner to finish from close range.

Six minutes of added time, amazingly, saw Bromley desperately holding on as Turner saw his shot go agonisingly wide and a sliced clearance from Chris Bush cleared his own crossbar.

And so to penalties, and despite the famous win in the last round via that route against King’s Lynn, Tonbridge Angels and penalties, well we all know what happens next. Three missed spot kicks meant Bromley only needed to take four of their five to progress 3-2.

It had been a special afternoon, and we wish Bromley, as the only Kent club remaining in the competition, the best of luck in further rounds. In truth, both clubs probably have bigger fish to fry as Tonbridge battle to retain their National South status and Bromley search for EFL football. One can only hope that many of the 2,061 attendance have enjoyed what they have seen and will return to cheer the Angels to safety.

Picture: Colin Hill

Ravens Wood 4 Hugh Christie 0

Match 95/21/1959 - Wednesday, 9th February 2022 - Academies League Championship

Ravens Wood (1) 4
Hugh Christie (0) 0
Mileage: 76/5,241

Eastbourne Borough 3 Tonbridge Angels 1

Match 94/21/1958 - Tuesday, 8th February 2022 - National League South

Eastbourne Borough (2) 3Hutchinson 9 Kendall 45+2 Rollinson 90+3
Tonbridge Angels (1) 1 Coombes 4
Attendance: 710

Admission: £9 Senior
Programme: £2
Mileage: 66/5,165

I can watch six episodes of a TV drama and at the end of it turn to the wife and ask her what happened, or whodunit, and this game felt really similar except for that fact that the wife wasn’t there to explain.

Why Tonbridge lost is no mystery, at least two of the three Eastbourne goals were avoidable to be kind or absolute gifts in harsher terms. The first Eastbourne goal will have to wait for the video because nobody I spoke to had a clue how the ball ended in the net.

Following Saturday’s epic result at Dorking, Steve McKimm shuffled his pack, resting some players who are carrying injuries and giving game time to others. Aaron Smith-Joseph came back into the starting 11 and gave the manager a hefty prod with a view to Saturday’s FA Trophy game against Bromley.

Tonbridge could not have got off to a better start and were ahead in the fourth minute when Ibrahim Olutade stretched the home defence running on to a ball pumped into the left channel before crossing into the path of Adam Coombes who finished with a well struck shot into the bottom corner giving ex-Angel Lee Worgan no chance between the home sticks.

Eastbourne were level five minutes later, as said how is a mystery. Perhaps the home side’s Twitter had a view, so here is their post: “Finding the ball out wide on the left, [Dom] Hutchinson never gave up on the cause, kept the ball alive and from the narrowest of angles somehow lifts the ball over Henly and into the net!”

Tonbridge recovered from the set back and largely dominated play with Smith-Joseph’s pace causing the home defence great concern but, in turn, they were not seriously troubling Worgan who saw either his defenders get their bodies in front of efforts on goal or shots go harmlessly wide.

As the clock ticked into the final seconds of two minutes’ first half added time, Tonbridge conceded a goal largely of their own making. In possession of the ball, a pass from Joe Turner was intercepted and the ball fed down their left wing from where Walker sent Charley Kendall through to beat Jonny Henly.

The second half started with a golden chance for the Angels when Sonny Miles met a Tom Beere corner with a firm header but it was narrowly over. The play immediately switched to the other end and this time it was Angels’ supporters breathing a sigh of relief as Henly advanced beyond his penalty area to block as effort from Kendall but the loose ball fell to Hutchinson who sent it goalwards but Harry Hudson was on the line the head clear.

In much the same vein as the first half, Tonbridge, searching for an equaliser, had much of the play but none of the efforts were troubling Worgan.

As Tonbridge gambled, it was almost inevitable that they would get caught on the break and, into the final minute of time added, Chris Whelpdale broke clear and played the ball through to Joel Rollinson who lifted the ball over Henly to secure the points for Eastbourne.

It was one of the games whereby it is hard to criticise the Angels because they played really quite well, but somehow they came away pointless, but thankfully it didn’t take six hour-long episodes to baffle me.

Dorking Wanderers 1 Tonbridge Angels 3

Match 93/21/1957 - Saturday, 5th February 2022 - National League South

Dorking Wanderers (1) 1 Rutherford 7
Tonbridge Angels (1) 3 Turner 36 Wood 61,75
Attendance: 1,504

Admission: £9 Senior
Programme: £2
Mileage: 106/5,099

When an opposing manager says you were good you know it’s been a good afternoon. When that manager is Marc White and he says that Tonbridge Angels were excellent, then the afternoon has been a memorable one. In the midst of the lockdown and the curtailment of the season I thought the Dorking boss was a bit of a twat, with his hair-brained schemes principally designed to offer his club the opportunity of promotion from a situation that was not going to afford it. Among those rants of self-interest there were elements that made sense and some of his recent interviews, even prior to this unexpected defeat, were measured and he came across as very likeable, even if the hat perched on the top of his head looks a bit strange!

Dorking Wanderers came into this game on the back of 10 straight league wins and sitting proudly at the head of the table, six points clear of Maidstone United. So, despite Tonbridge supporters turning out in big numbers, there was not a great sense of expectation.

Steve McKimm had Sonny Miles, making his record-breaking 377th starting appearance, available again and recalled loanee James Taylor to the starting line-up with Harry Hudson and Adam Coombes taking their places on the bench.

Dorking’s Meadowbank Stadium has always been a bit soulless but their apparent preparation for National Conference football next season has seen the introduction of a strange version of segregation, that allows supporters to mix in an outside catering area, but reduces the atmosphere inside the ground even further.

Dorking’s recent run has included scoring goals for fun including five goal hauls against Billericay and Ebbsfleet and an eight goal demolition of Havant, so when their leading goalscorer Alfie Rutherford capitalised on an uncharacteristic mistake from Miles after eight minutes, who misjudged a lofted ball in a swirling wind, Angels supporters were justifiably fearing the worst.

Tonbridge found themselves under a fair amount of pressure but they limited their hosts to a couple of opportunities, but only one of which tested Henly to any degree.

Meanwhile, the Angels were slowly working their way back into the game with Joe Turner to the fore and when he took a heavy challenge that the referee inexplicably chose to ignore, it was at the back end of a period when the decisions seemed to be going against the visitors.

After 36 minutes, Tonbridge got reward for their hard work when a cross from Luke Jenkins found Turner who cut in from the left and buried a shot into the bottom corner.

A turning point in the game arrived on the stroke of half-time when the Dorking skipper, Barry Fuller was dismissed for a poor challenge on Tom Parkinson. Fuller had already received a yellow card for dissent when a penalty appeal was turned away but his tackle brought a straight red from the official.

White made the rather strange decision at the beginning of the second half by making all three of his substitutions in one go that appeared to signal an attacking intent and within four minutes, Rutherford missed a golden opportunity that was probably a bigger turning point in the game than the sending-off. A straightforward channel ball saw the Dorking hitman bearing down on goal and when he rounded Henly one would have staked your mortgage on the net rippling but his rolled effort drifted wide of the far post.

And, from that point, it was the visitors who took almost complete control of the game. The midfield trio of Tom Beere, James Taylor and Adam Lovatt gave their counterparts no time to breathe and cracks were beginning to appear at the back as free kicks were being conceded with regular abandon.

On 61 minutes, one of the free kicks was made to count. Jenkins lofted the ball into the area and substitute Sami El-Abd (no friend on Tonbridge supporters over the years) sliced a clearance that came back off the crossbar for Tommy Wood to bundle home.

Jenkins had a shot that cleared the bar before needing to be substituted after what had been another fine performance by the 19-year-old AFC Wimbledon loanee.

On 74 minutes, the Tonbridge support were praying that ultimately they would not rue a golden chance as a shot from Wood, when unmarked on the left side of the six yard box, sailed over the bar.

But, within a minute, the fans were cheering his name once more as he scored his second goal to put the Angels 3-1 up. A shot from Jamie Fielding was only parried by the Dorking goalkeeper, Dan Lincoln, and Wood was on hand to gobble up the rebound.

Rutherford had a shot that brought a regulation save out of Henly as the league leaders mounted a nothing more than huff and puff attempt to save the game.

On a day when none of the other relegation threatened sides take full points these were three well deserved points and how do we know they were deserved? Because Marc White said so!

Tonbridge Angels Academy 2 Maidstone United Academy 3

Match 92/21/1956 - Wednesday, 2nd February 2022 - National League Under-19 Alliance

Tonbridge Angels Academy (0) 2 Green 49 McArthur 83
Maidstone United Academy (1) 3 Jeche 19,52 Muir 74
Headcount: 13

Admission: Free
Programme: None
Mileage: 28/4,993

The Academy came off second best in a physical encounter with Maidstone United in which full back Kian Austin was stretchered off towards the end of the first half. Hopefully, first indications are that Kian’s ankle injury might not be as bad as first feared.

A scrappy game, not helped by some inconsistent refereeing, suited a physically stronger Maidstone side in which, for the second time in a fortnight, Nathan Jeche put an Angels team to the sword with a couple of goals.

In fairness, Maidstone started the game on the front foot and retained control of it for the most part of a first half that was punctuated by endless free kicks.

Tonbridge’s best chance of the opening period came on 16 minutes when Joe Tyrie headed just wide from a corner but three minutes later it was the Stones who took the lead when a left channel ball sent Jeche clear to round the advancing Angels goalkeeper, Nat Gibb and steer the ball into the unguarded net.

Austin’s injury came around the half-hour mark when Gibb appeared to have the ball kicked from his hands, but with the referee allowing play to continue, a scramble in front of goal ensued in which Austin took a knock to his ankle. A stoppage of around 10 minutes followed as both trainers tended the stricken defender before he was stretchered away with the game restarting with a Maidstone corner.

Four minutes before the break, Tonbridge had the ball in the net only for the goal to be disallowed. A pass from Shea Brennan set Fin Hartley away to cross into a crowded area, a first time shot from close range was brilliantly saved by Harley Earle with the rebound being blasted home by Ben Hermitage who was adjudged to have been in an offside position.

The Angels youngsters got off to a great start to the second half and were on level terms within four minutes when a corner from Hermitage found Tyrie whose header back across the face of goal found fellow defender Tom Green to rifle an unstoppable shot past Earle.

But the joy was to last barely two minutes as from a free kick, a header struck the crossbar before being cleared, but from the resultant corner, the cross evaded Gibb and Jeche was on hand to nod in a close range header.

At this point, neither team were able to command the game and both goalkeepers were required to make relatively comfortable saves before Earle made a particularly good stop to deny Josh McArthur and as the desperate search for an equaliser continued, the resolute Maidstone defence withstood efforts from Fin Hartley and Ben Twist.

On 74 minutes, some sleepy defending from Tonbridge, allowed a free kick to be passed into space and on to Jack Muir who converted a well-worked goal to leave the Angels with an uphill task for the last quarter-hour.

There was plenty of endeavour from the Angels to retrieve the situation and when they reduced the deficit with seven minutes remaining with a goal from McArthur they gave themselves some hope but Maidstone continued to defend manfully and, despite an extended period of time added, an equaliser was not to come.

Tommy Parkinson in a honest appraisal of the game commented afterwards that “this was a result that has been coming as performances have taken a big drop since Christmas. Maidstone were the better side and it was men against boys for the large part.”

Crowborough Athletic 3 Erith & Belvedere 0

Match 91/21/1955 - Tuesday, 1st February 2022 - SCEFL Challenge Cup 3R

Crowborough Athletic (1) 3 Duncan 33,85 Lambert 74
Erith & Belvedere (0) 0
Attendance: 121

Admission: £4
Programme: £1
Mileage: 44/4,965

Groundhoppers fondly refer to the Thud and Blunder of Step 5 football and this SCEFL Challenge Cup game lived up to its billing in a first half, high on endeavour, low on quality that brought about a niggly encounter. But, one player stood head and shoulders above the mediocrity, Crowborough’s Jacob Lambert, a young man who, if his club isn’t receiving seven-day approaches on a weekly basis, then I’m amazed.

On a blessing of a mild evening, and the recent dry spell, the Crowborough pitch seems to have recovered well from the Christmas encounter with Tunbridge Wells when it was very heavy going.

The opening minutes were a signal of what was to come with some heavy challenges, mostly mistimed and leading to endless free kicks, from one of which Crowborough fashioned the first chance with a header from Lucas Murrain that wasn’t too far wide.

For a side that sits fourth in the league, Erith & Belvedere offered very little up front, Richard Jimoh indicated that he could be a threat but he lacked support and was mostly well shackled by the Crows central defenders, Tom Boddy and Josh Fermor.

Eventually, a little bit of quality emerged and Lambert set up Elliott Duncan to fire into the bottom corner after 33 minutes.

The two combined well again a couple of minutes before the break but Duncan’s effort cleared the bar.

Duncan, who impressed in my last visit, forced the Dere’s goalkeeper, Tom Way, into a good low save within a couple of minutes of the restart, and after five minutes of the period, Erith had their one and only really chance of the game but Cameron Hall smothered well at the feet of Jimoh.

Unfortunately the tetchy nature of the game continued and the referee responded with a couple more yellows.

Crowborough continued to dominate with a drive shot from Ollie Hyland saved before, in the 74th minute, Murrain crossed from the right bye line for Lambert to tuck home at close range.

With five minutes remaining, the spectre of extra time (is this the only competition in which this still exists) was removed when Murrain doubled his assists for Duncan to record his brace.

I used to comment whilst watching Tonbridge Angels Academy games for free that I would pay money to watch Lambert and now I do, albeit the princely sum of £4, and it’s worth every penny.

Tonbridge Angels U18 2 South Park U18 3

Match 90/21/1954 - Monday, 31st January 2022 - Isthmian Youth League

Tonbridge Angels U18 (2) 2 Theis 3 Barden 17
South Park U18 (1) 3 Dielka 31 Kebir 71 Corben 85
Attendance: 29

Admission: £4
Programme: None
Mileage: 38/4,921

Tonbridge Angels Under-18’s slipped to a disappointing 3-2 defeat to South Park at Longmead after taking a two goal lead within the first 20 minutes.

How the game changed after being totally in control is quite mystifying but credit should be afforded to the visitors who never let their heads drop and attempted to play their way back into the game.

Tonbridge were ahead after three minutes when a through ball from Max Lambert sent George Theis clear and he finished confidently past the advancing South Park goalkeeper Charlie Duffy.

After 17 minutes the home side doubled their advantage when Isaac Barden fastened onto a poor defensive pass across the face of goal to collect on the edge of the penalty area before firing home.

Confidence was running through the side highlighted by an audacious 40 yard effort from Fin Wolvey having noticed that the goalkeeper has strayed from his line but the keeper managed to get back and touch it over the bar.

South Park had made little impression in the opening half hour but a shot from Adem Kebir that was saved by Matt Larkin gave a warning and following a corner a minute later the ball dropped to Ireson Dielka who drove in a fierce shot from 10 yards that gave Larkin no chance.

The game was far more even as half-time approached with Barden forcing the keeper into a good, low save whilst at the other end a free kick was deflected away to safety.

The early part of the second half saw two efforts from full back Sam Grant, the second of which needing a goal line clearance.

The major turning point in the game came after 68 minutes when Tonbridge substitute Zach Garcia was felled in the box for the awarding of a penalty. Skipper Harry London stepped up, his shot was cleanly hit but Duffy brought off a magnificent save, diving to his right.

Three minutes later, the Reigate-based side were on terms when Kebir was clear down the left and executed a perfect lob over Larkin.

Garcia was making a good impression from the bench and tested the goalkeeper with a shot from outside of area and a jinking run along the bye-line nearly presented a chance, but with five minutes to go it was the visitors that stole with points when a ball into the box was stabbed home by Raul Corben from around 10 yards into the bottom corner.

Dom Welsh bemoaned his team’s inconsistency at present, in fact throughout the season, “we play well for periods but concede such poor goals.”

Pictures: Dave Couldridge