Friday, 9 May 2025

Parkwood Rangers Women 0 Tonbridge Angels Women 5

Match 101/24/2339 - Thursday, 8th May 2025 - SECWFL League Cup Final

Parkwood Rangers Women (0) 0
Tonbridge Angels Women (2) 5 Churchill 33 Herbert-Smith 43 Driscoll 54 Cresswell 74 Cooper 81
Attendance: 200
Admission: £3
Mileage: 21/6,753

Tonbridge Angels Women retained their SECWFL League Cup crown with a comfortable 5-0 win over Parkwood Rangers and with it completing a Cup double to add to their runners-up position in the SECWFL Kent Premier Division.

Parkwood belied their league position at the foot of the table with a stubborn first half performance, albeit that the Angels still went into the break two goals to the good.

Angels’ Women’s manager Joe Rowe commented: “I enjoyed that one, the team played really well. We said at half-time we need to keep doing the simple things and opportunities will come, which they did with some great goals and we were good to watch. We’ve had a very good run, 13 or 14 unbeaten and we knew, given league position, that we were the favourites. Credit to Parkwood, they beat Maidstone and Sevenoaks en-route to the final, so we knew that we would have to be on our game.”

A pleasantly warm evening at The Gallagher saw a good turnout from both sets of supporters with the Angels’ barmy army providing the constant backdrop of noise.

The Angels began the game on the front foot, and in fairness, the passage of play didn’t change much throughout the 90 minutes of the game. After just three minutes, Tonbridge’s leading goalscorer, Grace Mayhead was sent clear but, in what became a recurring theme, Parkwood’s goalkeeper, Jemma Roodenburgh was quick off her line to smother her shot. The resultant corner saw Mollyanne Herbert-Smith head against the bar, and this was quickly followed by Herbert-Smith seeing her shot turned over by Roodenburgh.

The game settled into a pattern in which the Angels dominated but stubborn resistance from the Bexley-based side restricted the chances to a bare minimum with Roodenburgh saving well from Charlotte Cresswell on the half-hour.

The Angels goalkeeper, Lois Bartlett, had been largely untroubled before a corner saw a header from Corrie Goodhew clear the bar.

The Angels finally achieved the breakthrough on 33 minutes and, as much as it was well deserved, it came with a stroke of good fortune as Aimee Churchill’s free kick from 20 yards took a massive deflection to leave Roodenburgh stranded.

Two minutes before the break the lead was doubled when Churchill opened up a shooting opportunity for Hope Mumford that went through the goalkeeper’s hands and into the roof of the net.

Early second half saves from Roodenburgh to twice deny Herbert-Smith came prior to a 30 yard screamer into the top corner from Milly Driscoll that would be a contender for any goal of the season contest.

Parkwood continued to battle hard against a never-ending tide of Angels pressure and even survived a penalty miss on 74 minutes, before good work down the right by Holly Maclaurin allowed Cresswell to score from close range for the Angels’ fourth.

The game was wrapped up on 81 minutes when Amelia Cooper cut in from the left to bury her shot into the bottom corner.

Joe Rowe summed up the women’s season: “Our aim was, we have got promoted and we are not here just to turn up and be an extra team in that league. Our aim was top three and a cup final, so I’m really pleased with the runners-up spot and to win two cup finals.”

Monday, 5 May 2025

Staplehurst Monarchs U23 0 Whitstable Town U23 5

Match 100/24/2338 - Monday, 5th May 2025 - SCEFL Development East

Staplehurst Monarchs U23 (0) 0
Whitstable Town U23 (1) 5
Headcount: 53
Admission: £2.50
Mileage: 1/6,732

Saturday, 3 May 2025

Cuxton 91 2 Guru Nanak 1

Match 99/24/2337 - Saturday, 3rd May 2025 - Kent County Premier League

Cuxton 91 (0) 2 Lawson 82 Longman 90+5
Guru Nanak (0) 1 48'
Headcount: 60
Admission: £1 (Programme)
Mileage: 42/6,731
New ground: 390

Not quite ready for the season's end so an end of season dip into the Kent County League at a new ground, Cuxton 91.

This was to be Cuxton's last match at Bush Lane for at least the next two seasons as they decamp to Maidstone United's Gallagher Stadium whilst facilities are upgraded.

The facilities, a social club aside, are sparse to be kind with a high grass bank offering a good vantage point for viewing.

The game was settled with a 97th minute winner for the hosts after Guru Nanak, of fantastic backdrop fame, had taken a lead around the hour mark.

Constant haranguing of the referee, no matter how bad he was, only left me to wonder why they bother.

Friday, 2 May 2025

Tonbridge Angels U18 0 Kingstonian U18 0

Match 98/24/2336 - Thursday, 1st May 2025 - Isthmian Youth League Champions of Champions Semi-Final

Tonbridge Angels U18 (0) 0
Kingstonian U18 (0) 0
Tonbridge Angels won 4-2 on penalties
Attendance: 100
Admission: £5
Mileage: 38/6,689

Tonbridge Angels U18’s will feature in an Isthmian Youth League Champions of Champions Final for the first time in eight years following Thursday evening’s dramatic penalty shootout success against Kingstonian at the Halcyon Wealth Longmead Stadium.

After a tense 90 minutes, in which either side could lay claim to be deserving of the place in the final, which will be against Worthing at Uxbridge Football Club on Thursday, 8th May, kick-off 19:45, the Angels held their nerve in the spot kick lottery with leading goalscorer, Robert Penman sending the Kingstonian goalkeeper the wrong way to win the shootout 4-2.

It is five weeks since the Tonbridge lads have played a match, following their final two games of the season being postponed as Glebe curtailed their season, and at times that showed. Kingstonian came into the game with a record of only dropping four points in a 14 game season in the Central Division, and were the sharper of the two teams out of the blocks.

Whether by over-fussy refereeing, or by their own design, Tonbridge gave away far too many free kicks in their own half and with some wicked deliveries entering the box the Angels needed to be at their best to deny the visitors. But, come the half-time whistle, neither goalkeeper had been seriously tested.

The second period was played in a similar fashion, but with a couple of chances that could have won the game for either side. On 56 minutes, the fleet-footed Tolu Fabimafobee sprinted clear but was denied at the last by an equally pacy defender whose last gasp challenge was enough to deflect the ball for a corner.

The K’s fashioned two chances of their own with Josh Hanson saving well at his near post and when an attacker was sent clear, Hanson advanced quickly to save at his feet.

A collective holding of breath came late in the game was a visiting forward appeared to be brought down in the box but the referee decided it was simulation and the K’s player was shown a yellow card.

The penalty shootout began with Adam Larkin scoring the opening goal and when the K’s reply came back from the bar, the Angels were in front but the second spot kick was missed and Kingstonian were back level after an extraordinary incident in which Hanson saved but the ball squirmed away from him and, despite protestations, it was deemed the ball had crossed the line. Callum Fincham made it 2-1 before this was levelled. Ed Dyer put the Angels back in front and when Hanson saved, Penman was was offered, and took the opportunity to win the contest.

James Larkin said after the final whistle: "A fantastic evening, full credit to the boys who’s bravery, commitment and approach to the game was first class. And there’s not a group who deserve a final than this group! A fantastic team performance to be proud of."

Monday, 28 April 2025

Tonbridge Angels 1 Boreham Wood 3

Match 97/24/2335 - Saturday, 26th April 2025 - National League South

Tonbridge Angels (0) 1 Wood 71
Boreham Wood (2) 3 Rush 28 Clayden 41 Ilesanmi 48
Attendance: 1,202
Admission: Season Ticket
Mileage: 38/6,651

Sadly for our visitors, Boreham Wood, no helicopter commissioned by the National League, was needed to land in the centre circle, despite them easing to a comfortable win at the Halcyon Wealth Longmead Stadium. Their unlikely route to the title was denied by results elsewhere, and was effectively ended within the first 10 minutes of the game at Truro City. They will have to be content with a home game in the eliminators against Dorking Wanderers.

The Wood fans travelled in their numbers into Kent, one would guess more in hope than expectation, and their favourites put on a first half display of dominance that suggests they will go at least go into the play-offs with momentum.

Scott Wagstaff has faced a testing baptism to management, but one that he will be willing to commit to in a year’s time after a final season of his playing career. “It was a difficult situation we came into but it has given me the bug to eventually want this a little bit more. The experience has been brilliant and I thank Sophie and the board for giving me the opportunity to do that and we will see what the future holds.”

Boreham Wood were fast out of the traps and Matt Rowley was needed to deny Charlie O’Connell and Tom Whelan before they hit the front on 28 minutes when a driven shot from Abdul Abdulmelik was turned in at the far post by the predatory, ex-Angels loanee, Matt Rush.

Four minutes before the break Wood doubled their advantage when Charlie Clayden was sent clear with an exquisite through ball from Rush to slide the ball under the advancing Rowley.

Three minutes into the second half the game was put beyond doubt as a far post header from Rush came back off the woodwork for Femi Ilesanmi to turn in from close range.

The Angels mounted a spirited second half, following the goal, with Nazir Bakrin’s header going narrowly wide and the same player being thwarted by Nathan Ashmore before Liam Vincent’s cross into the box saw Wood turn and fire into the bottom corner.

Late efforts from substitutes Mackenzie Richardson and Jeremy Santos might have reduced the deficit further but it was not to be and the curtain was brought down on the season.

Scott added: “It has been difficult, we have been down to bare bones a lot of the time and I don’t want to use that as an excuse because the boys have been excellent for me, but you look at the squad and it is very thin, we’ve had injuries here and there. I didn’t want to play because I didn’t think that was fair on the boys to be on the pitch and not have someone looking on from the sidelines, so I took myself back from that. But the boys can be proud of what they have achieved.”



"I'm absolutely delighted and honoured to be awarded the Austin Verini and to have my name inscribed on the shield alongside many illustrious names is very humbling. Thank-you to the Sophie and her board, I cannot put into words, not good for a media person, just how much this means to me."

Wednesday, 23 April 2025

Maidstone United 1 Tonbridge Angels 1

Match 96/24/2334 - Monday, 21st April 2025 - National League South

Maidstone United (1) 1 Shakpoke 24
Tonbridge Angels (1) 1 Sutcliffe 65
Attendance: 3,670
Admission: £13
Mileage: 20/6,613

Sometimes a point carries a lit bit more emotion than that of one won from a position of mid-table.

The Angels supporters, corralled into a corner of the Gallagher, had been truly magnificent in their support celebrated wildly at the final whistle having dented, if only for a couple of hours, Maidstone United’s play-off push.

Scott Wagstaff can rightly look back on his first experience as a manager in the A26 derby with a great deal of pride as the Angels recovered from a first half deficit to earn a richly deserved point with an Ethan Sutcliffe goal on 65 minutes.

Wagstaff commented in his post-match interview: “I am so proud of the boys, the reaction we got from Friday’s game, and to be honest, I think we could have won it. After the first 30 minutes when Maidstone were strong, we looked really strong, driving forward and it was 100% a penalty, I don’t care what anyone says, it was a penalty, if it was in the other box, they get a penalty.”

A threatening weather forecast that didn’t materialise left a lot of supporters with coats they didn’t need as the Gallagher basked in warm sunshine as Scott was able to recall Liam Vincent and Harry Ottaway for Bailey Akehurst and Brody Peart from the side that were beaten by Hornchurch on Good Friday.

Backed by all but the 320 Angels faithful in an attendance of 3,670, Maidstone made the early running and might, perhaps should have, gone in front on nine minutes when George Fowler steered a Ben Brookes corner wide of the post.

The early pressure finally told on 24 minutes when a long throw into the box was headed on by Temi Eweka. It looked a fairly easy take for Matt Rowley but a nudge, not deemed enough by referee Sandoe, allowed the ball to find its way to the far post from where Ruben Shakpoke was able to touch home.

On 27 minutes came the moment when the Angels thought the referee might point to the spot when Nazrin Bakrin was brought down but a foul was given right on the line of the 18 yard box.

As the clock ticked into seven minutes of added time, after the game had been brought to a halt early in the half for a medical emergency in the Genco End, Christie Ward’s driving run ended with a shot that drifted just wide of the right hand angle of the woodwork and, in the final act of the half, Harry Ottaway directed his header straight at Alexis Andre Jr.

The latter part of the first half had given the Angels confidence to take the game to their hosts in the early part of the second period with Sutcliffe seeing an effort blocked within four minutes of the restart and, on 54 minutes, his header only found the gloves of Andre Jr.

After surviving three successive corners, Tonbridge found a well-deserved equaliser on 65 minutes when a long throw from Vincent was superbly headed on by Ottaway to Sutcliffe at the far post to tuck home. Cue delirium in the `away end!

With so much riding on the result, it was only to be expected that the home side would throw everything, and the kitchen sink, at the Angels back line and, on 82 minutes hearts were in mouths as a Fowler header was sent wide and, two minutes later as Aaron Blair rounded Rowley, the net rippled, but thankfully it was the side netting.

Five nervous minutes of added time were endured before the celebrations could begin.

Waggy added: “Our fans were excellent, even when we were 1-0 down they were a lot noisier than the Maidstone fans, so that’s a credit to them. We appreciate that and it was our message at half-time, play for the fans, you can be heroes if you win this game, that’s in the history books. Hopefully we gave them something to be proud of today.”

Saturday, 19 April 2025

Staplehurst Monarchs 2 Meridian VP 0

Match 95/24/2333 - Saturday, 19th April 2025 - SCEFL 1

Staplehurst Monarchs (2) 2 Graham 3 Wheeler 45+1
Meridian VP (0) 0
Attendance: 70
Admission: £5
Mileage: 1/6,593