Tonbridge Angels 1 Harborough Town 4

Match 37/24/2276 - Saturday, 2nd November 2024 - FA Cup First Round

Tonbridge Angels (0) 1 Shields 90+4
Harborough Town (1) 4 Walsh 41 Stephens 61,71 Forbes 86
Attendance: 3,132
Admission: £14
Mileage: 38/2,444

I guess, in life not just in football, we've all had the big day, that's long been looked forwarded to, that goes horribly wrong. This one went horribly wrong.

It’s FA Cup First Round day to the Halcyon Wealth Longmead Stadium and, arguably, the biggest game since Tonbridge Football Club’s liquidation in 1976 and the subsequent relocation in 1980. The First Round Proper was reached by the Angels four years ago, but the occasion was somewhat diminished by Covid, an empty stadium and, to be fair, the 7-0 defeat to Bradford City didn’t help!

This time the gates are open, ticket sales indicate the top end of the ground’s capacity could be reached and everyone at the club is eagerly anticipating the big day.

Our visitors are Harborough Town, of the Southern Premier League Central, and whilst the side from Leicestershire occupy a league position in the bottom half of the table, nobody should be fooled into taking them lightly.

Harborough’s route to this stage has seen them dispose of National League North Leamington in the Third Qualifying Round and the reformed Bury Football Club, who were unbeaten in the North West Counties League prior to the cup tie and arrive well supported having sold around 350 tickets.

That was the preview and the warnings signs were posted.

Tonbridge Angels exited the FA Cup in disappointing fashion as they fell to a 4-1 home defeat to their Southern Premier League Central visitors Harborough Town.

A nightmare second half in which they conceded three times whilst seeking to retrieve a single goal deficit at the break, left the vast majority of a record attendance of 3,132 stunned.

A downcast Jay Saunders said after the game: “I’m gutted, absolutely gutted, it’s a tough one to take and it will take a little while to get over that.”

An hour before kick-off the car park was full to closure, a high percentage of the crowd were already staking their claim on their favourite position and the anticipation and excitement which makes the early rounds of the FA Cup the magical competition it is was in the air.

Saunders made just the one change from the starting XI that lost to a last minute goal at Truro with Ryan Hanson being restored and Mo Dabre dropping down to the bench.

For half-an-hour, the occasion appeared to get the better of both sides as neither could gain any sort of control of the game leaving both goalkeepers untroubled.

The first effort of note came from Sean Shields, on 32 minutes, cutting in from the left, took aim from 30 yards and his shot was destined for the top corner had it not been for the acrobatic intervention of the Harborough goalkeeper, Elliott Taylor, who turned the ball over the crossbar.

Tonbridge then had two chances in quick succession as they looked the most likely to break the deadlock. Liam Vincent’s cross to the far post was turned away for a corner and, on 38 minutes, a shot-cum-cross from Noel Leighton both missed the far post and the sliding in Jason Adigun by the barest of millimetres.

Harborough’s giant defenders, that were getting forward for long throws and set pieces were always going to cause a problem and, with four minutes of the half remaining, a corner from Josh Walsh was met with a towering header from Paul Malone that Matthew Rowley could only help on its way into the roof of the net.

Jay Saunders make two changes at the break introducing Tariq Hinds and Trevan Robinson for Crossley Lema and Jason Adigun and the Angels gained the early impetus in the half with a free kick from Vincent that led to a shot from Taylor Maloney going wide and from successive corners Naz Bakrin and Noel Leighton had headers that were saved.

Against the run of play, Harborough doubled their advantage just past the hour when a through ball into the left channel from Ben Starkie sent Ben Stephens into a one-on-one with the advancing Rowley and the visitor’s top scorer put the ball into the bottom corner with an unerring finish.

With the Angels now having to chase the game from two down, Maloney was sacrificed for Scott Wagstaff and, once again found themselves punished by with a break from Harborough. An attack broke down and the ball was hacked clear to the feet of Jamie Fielding, who found himself quickly under pressure from the excellent Riley O’Sullivan, who won the tussle and played the ball into Stephens to finish again into the bottom corner.

It was game over, Mo Dabre was introduced at the expense of defender Bakrin, only for the Angels to succumb to another break away with four minutes remaining when O’Sullivan drove forward from the right before releasing substitute Dan Forbes to add a fourth.

If anything was to sum up the Angels day it was an incredible save from Taylor in added time to deny Vincent and although the visitor’s custodian was to be beaten by a shot from the edge of the box by Shields for a consolation goal it was too little, far too late.

Saunders added after the game: “I congratulate Harborough, first of all, they had a game plan and executed it well and defended well and, at the other end, they were a threat at set pieces. I take nothing away from Harborough, they have come here today and done a job, but we’ve got to be better in both boxes.”

Tonbridge Angels U18 1 Sutton Common Rovers U18 2

Match 36/24/2275 - Monday, 28th October 2024 - Isthmian Youth League

Tonbridge Angels U18 (1) 1 Unknown (o.g.) 17
Sutton Common Rovers U18 (0) 2
Attendance: 53
Admission: £5
Mileage: 38/2,406

Nobody would turn up to watch a football match if the end result was already known, the game’s unpredictability is its charm.

So, more often that not, you come away at the final whistle either pleasantly surprised or disappointed. Sadly, and not because of a defeat for the home side, this was a game that promised much and disappointed.

Two unbeaten sides, both with recent history of high (in the case of Sutton Common Rovers, champions) finishes in the Isthmian Youth League should have produced a spectacle but instead produced a scrappy affair that was won by a goal, out of context with the game, sweetly struck into the bottom corner from 25 yards.

Tonbridge Angels U18’s have a team with an identity, always a footballing side, pass and move but, on the night, the ball was the enemy, nobody was willing to take care of it and as SCR were little better, it didn’t make for a particularly enjoyable watch, whatever the result.

Dom Welsh, the U18’s manager, agreed with that assessment saying after the game: “Really disappointing evening at home, after showing hunger and desire to claim a good victory last week, a lack of the same attributes saw us come unstuck tonight. A game of very few chances sees us fall to our first defeat in the league this season.”

With the clocks having gone back, the evening’s weather had that miserable feel of dampness, autumn drifting towards winter.

After 17 minutes in which Tonbridge’s Callum Fincham brought a save from the SCR goalkeeper, Thibault Hardy, an inventive free kick routine between Fincham and Robert Penman saw the latter’s delivery into the box deflected into his own net by a defender.

A couple of corners sent in to the far post saw Adam Larkin ghosting in but not quite getting the necessary touch.

After 36 minutes, Sutton Common equalised when a shot from outside of the box was parried by Josh Hanson but only into the path of Kodai Fujita who scored from close range.

A goal line clearance preserved the Angels parity before a good move ended with Tolu Fabimafobee putting his shot wide.

Tonbridge’s corner routine to the far post brought another header for Larkin whilst Hanson needed to produce a smart save to turn over a free kick.

After 70 minutes, SCR took the lead when a clearance found George Bond, 25 yards from goal to drive the ball into the bottom corner.

Four minutes remained when substitute Harry Barton’s effort was scrambled to safety but the Angels produced very little for a lot of huff and puff in the last 20 minutes.

Those that watch the U18’s regularly know that this was a performance out of character, unexpected but, hey, that’s football.

Truro City 2 Tonbridge Angels 1

Match 35/24/2274 - Saturday, 26th October 2024 - National League South

Truro City (1) 2 Harvey 39 (pen) Kabia 90+4
Tonbridge Angels (0) 1 Leighton 51
Attendance: 1,550
Admission: Pass
Mileage: 686/2,368
New Ground: 387

A marathon journey, eight hours worth of heavy traffic to the Premier Inn at St Austell and a less troubled return journey of six hours but with a glum face after a 94th minute winning goal for the hosts. Truro City's new ground, three miles out of town is a work in progress. They have all the basics and a whole expanse in which to expland. If I ever have the will to return it will be interesting to see the progress.

Tonbridge Angels suffered 94th minute heartache as their hosts seized on an error to deny the visitors a well deserved point and send their hardy band of supporters home with something for their monumental effort.

Jay Saunders commented on the late, late goal after the match: “I’m gutted to be coming away with nothing, to be honest, I felt we were good enough to earn something from it, but, decision making, the decision at the end, Ryan knows that he should spin the ball and he hasn’t and tried to make a pass that gets cut out and they break and score. I thought it was harsh on us, but that’s this league, it’s unforgiving and we have to pick ourselves up.”

The Angels’ supporters, and the team coach, had endured journeys of nightmare proportions as a M5 lorry fire and half-term traffic on Friday hampered the trip to Truro, the westernmost tip of the National League South season.

Bright Cornish sunshine greeted those supporters to the new Truro City Stadium where Jay Saunders made three changes to the side that beat Dorking Wanderers on Tuesday. With Toby Steward being recalled by his parent club Portsmouth, Jay moved quickly to replace him with Matthew Rowley, on loan from Reading. Crossley Lema returned to the starting XI after suspension for Tariq Hinds and Mo Dabre replaced the injured Jeremy Santos.

Neither side exactly sprinted out of the blocks and it was a quarter hour gone before Rowley made his first, comfortable, save in an Angels shirt from a Tyler Harvey header. Moments later, a cross from the left from Liam Vincent found the head of Jason Adigun, but he was slightly underneath it and the ball cleared the bar.

Vincent was proving the Angels most potent outlet and two crosses in a minute needed the intervention of the Truro goalkeeper, Dan Lavercombe.

On 29 minutes, Rowley gave a first glimpse that he will be a more than capable replacement for Steward when he acrobatically turned over the crossbar a shot from 20 yards by Harvey.

The first half spun in the space of 60 seconds after 38 minutes. A Vincent cross to the far post was headed back into the centre of the goal by Adigun to Noel Leighton, who headed over from close range. The ball was quickly moved to the other end which saw Dom Johnson-Fisher move to take a pass just inside the 18 yard box before Lema slid into a tackle which brought the winger down.

Harvey, the league’s leading goalscorer, confidently struck the spot kick into the corner despite the best efforts of Rowley.

To go in two behind at the break would have been wholly unjust but Tonbridge had to survive an effort from Harvey that was blocked by Ronnie Nelson and another from Johnson-Fisher that cleared the bar.

At the break, an injury to Vincent necessitated his substitution with Ryan Hanson.

The Angels were level after six minutes of the second half when a superb cross field pass, left to right, was brilliantly collected by Lema who drove inside of his marker before letting fly with a shot that was parried by Lavercombe, but only into the path of Leighton who smashed it home from eight yards.

The visitors parity was rescued, on 57 minutes, by the width of the post that was struck with a shot from 25 yards by Will Dean and five minutes later, a shot from Johnson-Fisher was wide.

Tonbridge seemed to a weathered the storm as the game drifted towards an added time of four minutes and, in fact, looked as likely to grab a winner as their hosts.

But, in the final moments, a clearance from the Truro goalkeeper saw Nelson win a headed challenge with the ball landing at the feet of Hanson in the centre circle, who tried to move the ball on but his pass was wayward and two passes saw substitute Jaze Kabia clear one-on-one with Rowley to tuck the ball into the corner.

There remained a few seconds for the Angels to throw everything forward including goalkeeper Rowley for a corner after a Shields effort had been deflected wide by the goalkeeper but it was not too be and the long journey home began reflecting on what might have been.

Jay Saunders summed up: “Defeats away are fine lines, we are not going away and getting battered by teams, it’s just little individual errors that are costing us at the moment and that’s what we have got to cut out but it is something I’m sure we will put right.”

Tonbridge Angels 1 Dorking Wanderers 0

Match 34/24/2273 - Tuesday, 22nd October 2024 - National League South

Tonbridge Angels (1) 1 Fielding 5
Dorking Wanderers (0) 0
Attendance: 1,202
Admission: Season Ticket
Mileage: 38/1,682


Tonbridge Angels produced a performance of defensive resilience to return to winning ways with a single goal home defeat of Dorking Wanderers.

After taking a lead within the first five minutes through a Jamie Fielding goal, the Angels produced a defensive determination polar opposite to the one that conceded three poor goals at Worthing.

Jay Saunders, commenting on his team’s performance after the game said: “We needed that after back to back defeats and really pleased with the clean sheet. We were well organised, we looked hard to break down which we need to be when we are competing against these sides with the players they have got. You need to be, first and foremost, solid and hard to break down. I don’t think we’ve been that in the last two league games, so I was pleased with that, pleased with the clean sheet.”

A record Tuesday evening league attendance of 1,202 with a raucous following from Dorking giving as good as they got in terms of the drums at the opposite end to our own Blue Army.

Saunders made two changes from the starting XI at Worthing with Jeremy Santos coming in for Ryan Hanson and Noel Leighton for Trevan Robinson. On the bench, Deondre Date was brought back from his dual registration at Leatherhead.

Tonbridge got away to a fast start and were ahead on five minutes when a free kick on the left was driven in low through a cluster of bodies at the near post to Fielding, who with the deftest of back heels scored from the edge of the six yard box.

For 20 minutes, the Angels dominated and might have gone two up after 13 minutes when Leighton headed over and Leighton’s square pass just evading Sean Shields as the Angels threatened to take the game away from their visitors.

But, after that initial 20 minutes, Dorking gained momentum in the game and began to cause concern for the Angels backline as Toby Steward saved well from Josh Brooking, who moments later shot over the bar from a good position.

After 23 minutes, Shields bent a shot wide of the post as the pressure was mainly on the Angels goal, but without really testing Steward.

Five minutes remained in the half when Santos painfully limped out of the game to be substituted by Mo Dabre.

In the last of six minutes of added time, Dorking had their best chance of the half when a Brooking cross found Alfie Rutherford in front of goal with an unchallenged header that he wastefully put wide.

Just past the hour, Jason Adigun released substitute Robinson through but the Dorking goalkeeper, Harrison Faulkes, was quick off his line to smother the ball with his legs.

For the last half-hour, the Angels defence were asked many questions but their resilience limited the Dorking forwards to very few clear opportunities with Steward only asked to make one save of significance from Rutherford.

Jay concluded: “We’ve dug deep, they’ve thrown everything at us and we’ve done that. You have to do that, that’s the bare minimum we require from the boys and tonight I’ve got a really good response after some harsh said on Saturday with regards to the goals conceded and to be fair to them they’ve come in and given me the response I expected.”

Picture: Wes Filtness

Tonbridge Angels U18 2 Maidstone United U18 1

Match 33/24/2272 - Monday, 21st October 2024 - Isthmian Youth League Cup 3R

Tonbridge Angels U18 (1) 2 Penman 20,71
Maidstone United U18 (0) 1 74
Attendance: 55
Admission: £5
Mileage: 38/1,644


Our Under-18’s progressed to the Isthmian Youth League Cup Quarter Finals with a 2-1 win over our friends from down the A26, Maidstone United.

Robert Penman scored twice, that’s now 10 goals in five games, in a thrilling game that was in doubt until the final seconds of an interminably long seven minutes of added time.

A naturally delighted Dom Welsh lauded his team’s resilience as they came under intense late pressure following the visitor’s goal on 74 minutes. “An outstanding team performance this evening from the Angels against a strong Maidstone United team. There’s more than one way to win games sometimes and the boys showed exactly that!.”

A wet evening that eventually turned to swirling mist saw Maidstone make the early running with a header that Josh Hanson pushed onto the underside of the crossbar before being cleared to safety.

The Stones continued to hold the momentum with Noah Millis making a goal-saving challenge on 10 minutes and a series of deflections somehow saw the ball over the byline.

So, it was a little against the run of play, the Maidstone goalkeeper had been asked to make a save from Penman, that the Angels went ahead after 20 minutes when some great wing play and cross from Tolu Fabimafobee opened up a scoring chance for Penman which he took with a shot into the bottom corner.

Maidstone responded immediately and a clearance from Gus Minster was needed after the centre forwarded had lobbed the ball over Hanson and the Angels’ stopper was required again on 25 minutes, saving from a header following a corner.

Tonbridge’s big outlet was Fabimafobee who was leading his full back a merry dance, creating chances for himself with a header that was saved and a shot that was narrowly over the bar.

The home side ended the first half on top with the Maidstone keeper the busier saving from Callum Fincham, who also had efforts deflected wide and in the final act of the half a shot that cleared the bar.

An early second half free kick on the edge of the box, that brought a booking for River Ballach, brought considerable concern as the ball only narrowly cleared the bar and whilst Maidstone enjoyed the best of the possession, Fincham and substitute Alfie Gilder also went close with the goalkeeper making a good, low saves.

Tonbridge went 2-0 up on 71 minutes when a catastrophic mix up between goalkeeper and defender allowed Penman the opportunity to place the ball into an unguarded net, which he calmly did.

If the Angels thought they were home and dry, three minutes later their lead was reduced to a single goal again as a shot from outside of the box was parried by Hanson but the centre forward was on hand to tuck home the rebound.

Maidstone pressed hard for an equaliser that would have taken the game to penalties, and the 20-odd minutes that remained seemed a very long time. On 76 minutes, they struck the outside of a post and, in added time, there were heart in mouths moments as the ball bobbed around the six yard box begging a touch.

There was an unseemly squabble at the final whistle that probably only illustrated the frustration and disappointment on one side and the celebration on the other. But, whatever, it is the Angels U18’s whose name goes into the quarter final hat.

Worthing 3 Tonbridge Angels 2

Match 32/24/2271 - Saturday, 19th October 2024 - National League South

Worthing (1) 3 Young 44 Faal 57 Wheeler 63
Tonbridge Angels (1) 2 Bakrin 21 Robinson 65
Attendance: 1,930
Admission: Pass
Mileage: 120/1,606


Poor defending cost Tonbridge Angels dear as they slipped to a narrow defeat in a five goal encounter at Worthing.

Manager Jay Saunders was disappointed with the manner in which each of the goals were conceded: “All three of them were avoidable. In the first half, they never really looked like scoring. They put one long throw in, I expect us to deal with, I need to see it again. Toby thinks he can’t get there, I think he can, then Liam’s got to do better. So we go in at half-time at 1-1 when I felt we should have gone in 1-0 up and quite comfortable in the game … In the second half, we had a 15 minute spell when we were poor to be honest. Lost individual battles and got punished for it … I am disappointed today, because I thought it was a harsh loss.”

Woodside Road, scene of many a disappointment and much frustration over the years, is adorned with a brand new covered terrace the length of the north side and bathed in warm autumn sunshine as Saunders made two changes from the side that secured FA Cup progress at Cray Wanderers with Taylor Maloney restored to the starting XI and Jason Adigun returning after injury. Jeremy Santos and Mo Dabre took places on the bench.

Toby Steward was pressed into early action as a misplaced cross from Joel Colbran required turning over his crossbar.

The Angels quickly grew into the game, a long throw from Liam Vincent was only partially cleared to Adigun whose shot was wide and, on 21 minutes, took a deserved lead. A short corner routine saw Adigun lay the ball to Sean Shields, whose inch perfect cross found the head of Nazir Bakrin at the far post. Bakrin’s header was pushed against the inside of the post by the Worthing goalkeeper, Chris Haigh, with Colbran clearing, but on the assistant referee’s instruction, the ball was adjudged to have crossed the line for Bakrin’s first goal for the club.

A scramble in the penalty area might have seen Tonbridge increase their lead as Bakrin saw a close range shot blocked before, with four minutes remaining in the half, the home side equalised. Plenty of warnings had been given of an absolute missile of a throw from Ollie Black and on this occasion, from the left side, the ball travelled fully 45 yards, high in the air, before being met at the far post with a header from fellow defender, Alfie Young.

When questioned about the effectiveness of the long throw, Jay commented: “It is [a missile}, but the majority of them we have dealt with alright, but that one has landed in our six yard box and we have to do better, that’s the basics.”

Just prior to the break, Tariq Hinds drove forward to pull a cross back from the byline for Trevan Robinson to get his shot away, but a saving block from Joe Cook deflected the ball to safety.

Tonbridge started the second period brightly, with a long ball forward from Ryan Hanson sending Robinson clear before being challenged by Cook and when the loose ball fell to Shields, his shot was saved low by Haigh.

The Angels fell behind on 57 minutes. Ex-Angel Nicky Wheeler got in a low cross from the left; an attempt at a shot from Jack Spong turned into a pass to Colbran, who unselfishly laid it inside to Muhammadu Faal, who had an easy finish from inside the six yard box.

Tonbridge’s task become greater as they fell two behind on 63 minutes, with the inevitable Woodside Road goal against them from Wheeler. Colbran delivered a cross from the right byline, Wheeler controlled with his first touch before lashing home.

Within two minutes, Tonbridge were back in the game when a long ball forward from Hanson saw Haigh charge from his goal to the edge of the penalty area but was beaten to the ball by Robinson who touched it past him to run the ball into the net.

The Angels contributed to a lively finish that saw a flurry of yellow cards for both sides, with Shields and substitute Dabre bringing saves from Haigh before the referee brought to an end another afternoon at Worthing where Lady Luck failed to make an appearance.

Cray Wanderers 0 Tonbridge Angels1

Match 31/24/2270 - Saturday, 12th October 2024 - FA Cup Fourth Quaifying Round

Cray Wanderers (0) 0
Tonbridge Angels (0) 1 Fielding 64
Attendance: 1,222
Admission: £6
Mileage: 85/1,486
New Ground: 386

The scenes at Flamingo Park at the final whistle were reminiscent of the Play-off win of 2019 when supporters celebrated on the Imber Court pitch with their heroes of the day; this time roles were reversed as player after player leapt the perimeter fence to join in with the supporters wild celebrations.

Four years ago, in the midst of the pandemic, Tonbridge Angels disposed comfortably of Taunton Town to make the FA Cup First Round Proper, to many, denied the right of admission, it didn’t count and then the records need to be trawled back to 1972 for the last appearance. Realistically, if you are less than 60 years of age, you’ve waited for this moment all of your life!

This certainly was not a game for the purist. It was a horribly scrappy game that on another occasion would not last five minutes in the memory, but this wasn’t just another game but one with one objective as Jay Saunders commented: “It was a proper FA Cup game, credit to Cray, they took it right to the end. I don’t think we were at our best, but at this point it is about getting through and we’ve managed to do that. I’m delighted to be through, you’ve seen the scenes at the end with the supporters and I’m delighted for everyone associated with the club.”

An afternoon, punctuated with showers, some heavy with no cover for those not seated, saw Saunders make two changes from the side beaten at Slough. Jamie Fielding returning from his enforced concussion protocol in place of the suspended Crossley Lema and Jeremy Santos in for the injured Scott Wagstaff.

Whilst the Angels commanded the better of the possession and created the two real chances of the first half, neither team could lay claim to have control of the match.

Fifteen minutes of sparring with neither goalkeeper being troubled was brought to an end with a Ryan Hanson shot that was deflected for a corner that resulted in Hanson heading wide at the far post.

On the half-hour came the best chance of the half when a cross from Liam Vincent was initially spilt by the Cray Wanderers goalkeeper, Shaun Rowley, who recovered brilliantly to save at the feet of Mo Dabre.

The hosts best chance of the half came on 35 minutes when a cross from Lateef Adaja to Nyren Clunis saw Fielding clear to safety.

The opening of the second period saw a cross-cum-shot from Ronny Nelson strike the crossbar before the game being brought to a halt for the best part of 10 minutes while an assistant referee needed to be treated and then replaced after suffering a hamstring strain. Oh, how those 10 minutes led to a stressed Angels contingent about half-an-hour later!

With 64 minutes on the clock, Tonbridge found the all-important goal. An expected long throw from Vincent was instead played short to Fielding on the left side of the box who hooked it on towards Sean Shields, followed by a header from Ronny Nelson that found Fielding back at the right side of the box to turn the ball home.

Tonbridge were now largely controlling the game and substitute Trevan Robinson brought a good save out of Rowley as he retrieved the ball from the byline to cut in and test the Cray stopper at his near post.

On 81 minutes Hanson produced a tackle that was worth as good as a goal as Adaja was about to shoot having broken into the box.

With the board showing 10 added minutes, Cray had little choice to throw all they had left at the Angels and fingernails were being bitten to the quick as in the first of these, Toby Steward brilliantly turned over the bar an effort from Anthony Cook.

The clock had ticked past the 10 minute mark as Tom Bonner’s header from a corner was cleared from in front of the line by Naz Bakrin.

There was still time for Shields to break clear only to be denied by Rowley and when one final corner ended with a Cray shot disappearing into the south London sky, the Angels fans could start the celebrations and this they did as the weary players stayed out on the pitch for half-an-hour to celebrate with them.