Tunbridge Wells 1 Sheppey United 3

Match 12/21/1877 - Saturday, 31st July 2021 - SCEFL Premier League

Tunbridge Wells (1) 1 Howlett-Mundle (o.g.) 1
Sheppey United (1) 3 Aikhionbare 40 Tenyue 49 Roberts 76
Attendance: 410

Admission: £5 Senior
Programme: £2
Mileage: 34/676

It might have been 274 days since supporters watched competitive football at Culverden Stadium but it only took another 40 seconds for Tunbridge Wells to record the first goal!

Those long days have been well used as the Culverden pitch looked resplendent and better than I have ever seen it.

With over 400 supporters gathered and a good contingent travelling up from the east Kent island, Tunbridge Wells got off to an astonishing start. Regan Corke scorched his opposing full back before sending in a low cross that was turned into his own net by Jahmal Howlett-Mundle under pressure from Matt Gethin.

Corke gave Dan Birch a torrid opening few minutes and after six minutes produced another cross for Gethin who was denied by a last ditch block. But once Sheppey manager Ernie Batten had solved the Corke conundrum and Birch worked him out then the Wells threat diminished and the pre-season favourites for promotion began to show their credentials.

After 23 minutes, from a corner, a clear headed opportunity was put over the bar by Jack Midson. The pressure continued and, after 31 minutes, Aaron Lee-Wharton produced a fantastic double save from Taureen Roberts with a third effort cleared from the line by Harry Hudson.

Lee-Wharton excelled again saving low at his near post after Junior Aikhionbare had fired in from the left of the six yard box but the Sheppey striker was not to be denied for long when he got the wrong side of Freeman Rogers to fire home a powerful strike to give the visitors an equaliser that had been a while coming.

If the first half had been a period of two halves, the second sadly for the majority of the crowd wasn’t as Sheppey took control of the game.

Just four minutes into the half, they took the lead when Roberts set up Renford Tenyue to drive the ball into the bottom corner.

As the skies darkened and thunder started to roll around the ground, the outcome of the match was as good as wrapped up as Birch, his opening torrid minutes banished, waltzed into the box to give Ryan Freeman an opportunity which was parried by Lee-Wharton but only into the path of Roberts who finished from close range.

With the result beyond doubt the main attention turned to the skies and whether a huge amount of rainfall was about to dump itself on a largely coat-less audience. Thankfully the spots never turned into anything significant until a few miles into the journey home when it became torrential.

One game into the SCEFL season and I will make the not-so-bold prediction that Sheppey and Chatham will take the two promotion places.

Sevenoaks Town 1 Tonbridge Angels 0

Match 11/21/1876 - Wednesday, 28th July 2021 - Pre-Season Friendly

Sevenoaks Town (0) 1 Collins 58
Tonbridge Angels (0) 0
Attendance:

Admission: £3 Senior
Programme: None
Mileage: 60/642

How much do you buy into the old adage that preseason doesn’t matter in terms of results? Yes, I agree that clubs that have had terrible preseasons have gone on to have great seasons and vice-versa, but there are times even to the untrained eye that you can see a pattern emerging that is concerning.

Tonbridge Angels dominated for long periods at Sevenoaks but were reduced to shots on far too many occasions from 20 yards or more. Spectacular goals can win games, but they don’t win games week in, week out.

The Sevenoaks goalkeeper, Ben Bridle-Card, was kept occupied in the early minutes, with crosses into the box that either he comfortably dealt with or they missed their target.

It was nearly at the half-hour mark when Tom Beere asked the first real question of Card who got down low to save.

A misplaced shot from Joe Turner inadvertently found Tom Hanfrey whose cross found Tom Wood but his shot flew narrowly over the bar.

The second half started in much the same manner with pot shots from Turner and Wood from distance that were safely gathered by Card.

The game was ultimately decided by a Sevenoaks goal after 54 minutes when a misplaced back pass had Jonny Henly scrambling to keep it out of his own goal. At first he seemed to have retrieved the ball but it popped out and Louis Collins was on hand to make the most of his good fortune.

Tonbridge continued to dominate with a Sonny Miles header from a corner going narrowly wide and Ibrahim Olutade seeing his effort cleared from the line.

Chances came and went in the last 20 minutes, almost exclusively for the Angels, but that clinical finish in front of goal was missing.

Staplehurst Monarchs 0 Cuxton 91 2

Match 10/21/1875 - Tuesday, 27th July 2021 - Pre-Season Friendly

Staplehurst Monarchs (0) 0
Cuxton 91 (2) 2
Headcount: 30

Admission: Free
Programme: None
Mileage: 2/582

The only football club that I can walk to! My home club were deserving of a visit with my last time being three years ago. The last two years has seen the Monarchs successful on the pitch, but bureaucracy and Covid had robbed them of promotion to the SCEFL until the restructuring offered them a place in Step 5.

Staplehurst may well have some agreement in place with the league but I was surprised to see that, despite the League season starting in four days time, there are no floodlights installed and no seating stand, both of which I understood were ready to go. In fact, on my last visit I was told that all the groundworks for the lights was in place. The foundations are in place for what I would presume will be a drop-in Atcost stand.

For 45 minutes, Monarchs didn't look ready on the pitch either. A header at the goalkeeper in the first minute was a bright start but for the next 40 minutes their Kent County League opposition, Cuxton 91 completely dominated.

Cuxton went ahead after three minutes with a well worked corner played to the near post from where the #7 fired home. It seemed a training ground goal until the coach asked the corner taker if he had meant it!

I was able to recognise a few of the Staplehurst players, not from walking my dogs around the village but ex-Tunbridge Wells goalkeeper Steve Lawrence, ex-Tonbridge Angels Under-18 Alex Bishop and Tonbridge Under-21 Sam Jones. Lawrence made a good save after 11 minutes turning an effort over the bar.

But, after 17 minutes, Lawrence was beaten again when a very poor clearance from a Monarchs defender allowed the Cuxton centre forward, a very decent footballer, a virtual free hit which he took with a powerful shot.

Staplehurst managed to get to the break with no addition to the deficit but quite how, I'm not sure.

In fairness, the Monarchs made a much better fist of the second period and had a great headed effort from a corner not been cleared from the line after 57 minutes perhaps the momentum gained might have yielded a result.

They had the ball in the net after 63 minutes but this was disallowed for offside and an effort from West, a player remembered from three years ago, came back off the woodwork with three minutes to go.

Staplehurst begin their league season at Croydon on Saturday and it would be good to see the village getting behind the club in greater numbers for their first home game.

Worthing 4 Tonbridge Angels 1

Match 09/21/1874 - Saturday, 24th July 2021 - Pre-Season Friendly

Worthing (2) 4 Pearce 18,56 (2 pens) Colbran 42 Trialist 48
Tonbridge Angels (1) 1 Wood 45
Attendance: 506

Admission: £5
Programme: None
Mileage: 118/580

A 100% preseason record came crashing to earth at a familiar landscape to previous sorry results for Tonbridge Angels.

This game would never have taken place as a preseason friendly if Worthing had taken their rightful place in National South after leading the way in the last two Covid-ridden Isthmian seasons.

There’s something about Woodside Road and Tonbridge conceding penalties and nothing changed with this visit. At least we managed to keep 11 players on the pitch.

Shorn of three experienced players in Joe Turner, Tom Parkinson and Arthur Lee, the Angels were on the back foot from the outset and never really got a foothold in the game at any stage.

Early pressure from the home side eventually led to the opening goal after 16 minutes, inevitably from the Woodside penalty spot. The Worthing 3G might have been relaid but a wicked bounce led to the ball striking the hand of Harry Hudson and the referee wasted no time in pointing to the spot from which Ollie Pearce converted.

Worthing, with their tails up and the Angels rattled, another mix-up almost gifted a goal to the home side but the ball was scrambled away and the chances continued to fall the way of Worthing until the 40th minute when a shot from Joel Colbran from outside the box nestled into the top corner.

Having barely threatened the Worthing goal, Tonbridge were given a lifeline, on the stroke of half-time, when the goalkeeper chased a ball he wasn’t going to get and was beaten by Tom Hanfrey whose pass inside allowed Tommy Wood an easy finish.

The goal however, changed nothing in terms of momentum in the second period. After just two minutes an uncharacteristic mistake from Sonny Miles, treading on the ball, which led to him being robbed with a Worthing trialist finishing past Henly.

After 55 minutes, the Woodside curse reared its head again when JJ O’Sullivan upended Pattenden in the box for another penalty from which Pearce sent Henly the wrong way.

A plethora of substitutions, eight in all, from the home side finally stalled their rhythm whilst Tonbridge, who only had four on the bench anyway, introduced Zak Guerfi who injected a bit of fresh impetus.

The game drifted to its close leaving for the first time this preseason more questions than answers. One question easily answered is that if there is a better side than Worthing in the Isthmian Premier, they are the champions.

Tonbridge Angels U18 1 Kent Football United U18 3

Match 08/21/1873 - Wednesday, 21st July 2021 - Pre-Season Friendly

Tonbridge Angels U18 (0) 1 Wolvey 49
Kent Football United U18 (1) 3
Headcount: 25

Admission: Free
Programme: None
Mileage: 20/462

If there is a time for a reality check, then preseason is that time. Sunday’s performance and comfortable win was quickly put into perspective as the Under-18’s opponents, Kent Football United were stronger in almost every department and ran out deserving 3-1 winners.

KFU showed from the first whistle that they would be an altogether different task for the Angels side. A huge centre forward dominated the central defenders whilst speed and trickery on the flanks opened up the chances for the big striker and when the Angels were able to break forward they were met with some resolute defending.

The opening minutes were KFU’s with the big striker clearing the bar in the very first minute and screwing another shot wide after ten.

The Angels slowly got a foothold in the game with Max Cormack and Harry London missing the target with efforts.

Following a free kick on the edge of the box that was scrambled away, successive corners ended with a floated cross into the six yard box from where KFU’s big striker converted with a diving header after 30 minutes.

Unfortunately the bad face of youth football reared it’s head soon after when the referee took exception to the coaching being done by the KFU coach running the line. An altercation then ensued which ended with the linesman/coach throwing the flag to the ground and departing to the technical area with a two fingered gesture towards the official. A second person continued with antagonistic comments throughout the game.

A half-time talking to for the Angels seemed to have the desired effect when the Angels equalised after four minutes of the half. A cross into the box from George Rayner was touched on and Fin Wolvey reacted quickest to prod the ball home.

Parity barely lasted a minute when a hopeful ball towards the edge of the box saw Matt Larkin making the uncharacteristic mistake of advancing to collect a ball he was never going to get; was beaten to it which offered the opportunity for the KFU player to walk the ball into the unguarded goal.

Larkin quickly redeemed himself with a flying save and catch from the ever-dangerous striker.

In fairness to the Angels lads, they pressed hard for an equaliser with Harry Sargent and George Theis testing the goalkeeper and Ethan Knight seeing his free kick deflected safely into the keeper’s arms.

But a rapid breakaway, 10 minutes from time, saw the KFU winger cut in from the left and bury the ball into the bottom corner to put the result almost beyond doubt.

In added time Wolvey was brought down in the box for a penalty award but when his spot kick sailed over the bar it about summed up the Under-18’s night. A wake-up call has sounded and knowing manager Dom Welsh, very much listened too.

Hythe Town 1 Tunbridge Wells 1

Match 07/21/1872 - Tuesday, 20th July 2021 - Pre-Season Friendly

Hythe Town (1) 1 Leighton 45
Tunbridge Wells (1) 1 Corke 8
Attendance: 135

Admission: £3 Senior
Programme: £1.50
Mileage: 60/442

This early part of this preseason is all about “firsts for”. This evening was the first time I’ve seen Tunbridge Wells for nine months, an afternoon at Erith Town when in our hearts all of us knew we shouldn’t have been there. At Hythe Town, it was good to see friends that have come through Covid safe and well and as enthusiastic about the coming season as myself.

This unusually long preseason is leaving clubs, for injury and holiday reasons, shorn of players. Grays Athletic turned up at Tonbridge a dozen short and similarly Tunbridge Wells had seven absent for a game at the Isthmian League side and, in fairness, the home side had some significant faces missing. But, certainly for half-an-hour that didn’t look the case.

After a really hot day that had turned into storms, the evening was at least a bit fresher. The Wells fairly roared out of the traps and in the second minute Lucas Murrain rattled the crossbar. After eight minutes the visitors were in front when Regan Corke cut in from the right to drive home at low shot.

Corke was proving a real live wire with Hythe struggling to contain his threat down the right. Meanwhile, Hythe were not really posing any threat of their own.

A lightning counter attack, just past the half-hour deserved a goal for the Wells but Harry Hudson narrowly put the finish wide after brilliant work from Harvey Killick and Corke had opened up the home defence.

Corke once more exercised the home goalkeeper before Hythe finally started to make an impression on the game bringing Aaron Lee-Wharton into the game, turning away a low shot for a corner.

Exactly as the clock ticked onto 45 minutes, a long high cross found Hythe’s Noel Leighton at the far post to head home an equaliser.

The second period saw more of an equal contest with far fewer chances. Murrain was sent clear on 53 minutes but shot wide and after 68, Killick struck the post after good work from Connor Pring and Jordan Johnson-Palmer.

Lee-Wharton was not unemployed making good saves on a couple of occasions.

A bad looking injury to a Hythe player delayed the game for several minutes and the last chance for either side to win the game fell to Corke whose driven shot was agonisingly wide.

An entertaining game as preseason goes, the Wells performance was very encouraging and, more importantly, it was good to spend time with those people having come through this horrible period of our lives.

AFC Uckfield U18 1 Tonbridge Angels U18 7

Match 06/21/1871 - Sunday, 18th July 2021 - Pre-Season Friendly

AFC Uckfield U18 (0) 1 83
Tonbridge Angels U18 (4) 7 Knight 20,60 London 38,51 Cormack 40, Wolvey 45 Rayner 73
Headcount: 60

Admission: Free
Programme: None
Mileage: 62/382
New Ground: 345

The return of Isthmian Youth team football to Tonbridge Angels started to feel very real with the publishing of the fixtures seeing a home fixture first night out on Monday, 23rd August against Cray Valley PM.

Meanwhile, preseason started with a roasting Sunday lunchtime fixture at AFC Uckfield. The pleasant little ground doesn’t carry a wealth of parking and my gratitude went to the main road Indian restaurant owner that kindly afforded me a place in his car park. The ground also offered a new destination, the first for nine months.

Dominic Welsh has been diligently putting together his squad for the new season, a mixture from last year’s Under-18’s and Under-16’s four of whom featured.

Tonbridge started the game on the front foot with Harry London forcing the Uckfield goalkeeper into a save after nine minutes. It took 20 minutes for the Angels to breakthrough with Ethan Knight applying a cracking finish after being sent clear by London.

Once the opening goal had been scored, Tonbridge took complete control whilst playing some attractive football. Max Cormack struck a post before another splendid shot, finding the net from 20 yards from London after a corner was half cleared set up a rush of goals before the break.

A well worked goal with Cormack and Hayden Velvick linking before Cormack finished with a tap in for the third. A fourth was added on the stroke of the break when the very impressive Harry London opened up the Uckfield defence for Fin Wolvey to fire the ball into the bottom corner.

Given that the heat was now reaching 31degsC, both sides maintained an impressive work rate in the second period which was a credit to Uckfield after they went five behind six minutes into the half when London curled a sumptuous shot into the top corner.

On the hour, Knight exercised a ‘96 Gascoigne goal, flicking the ball over the defender and finishing for number six.

A 25 yard drive from Rayner found the net, coming down from the underside of the crossbar for number seven after 73 minutes but great credit to Uckfield as they dug in and managed a consolation goal as the winger ran from inside his own half to finish well past the largely unemployed Matt Larkin.

The final whistle must have come as a great relief for both sides who had given their all in really uncomfortable conditions.