Match 54/25/2396 - Monday, 9th February 2026 - Isthmian Youth League
Tonbridge Angels U18 (0) 2 Fincham 63 Penman 81
AFC Croydon Athletic U18 (0) 0
Headcount: 40
Admission: Season Ticket
Mileage: 38/3,264
Tonbridge Angels U18’s began their make or break month with a win at the Yeomans Community Stadium against bottom club AFC Croydon Athletic who conspired to ease the Angels path with an indisciplined performance that saw two players sent off.
Perversely the remaining players showed great discipline and resilience, alongside an outstanding display from their goalkeeper to leave the Angels waiting until just past the hour mark to finally break the deadlock.
A couple of slip-ups at the turn of the year has left the U18’s probably needing to win every remaining game to defend their title including home and away fixtures against their principal challengers AFC Whyteleafe.
In the midst of these games they also have a Kent Intermediate Cup semi-final at home to Cray Wanderers.
A sign of what was to come came as early as the ninth minute when the Croydon #3 picked up a booking for an unnecessary trip.
Tonbridge, as would be expected, made most of the early running with Robert Penman shooting over; River Ballach testing the goalkeeper and Callum Fincham steering a very presentable chance wide, but Croydon had also shown that they had something about them not reflected by their league position with their #8 to the fore.
The game had its pivotal moment on 24 minutes when following an Angels corner, a couple of players grappling fell to the ground which led to, we are led to believe, the Croydon #8 kicking out, leading to a melee in which most players of both sides became involved with management from both clubs rushing onto the pitch to act as peacemakers.
As always in these incidents, the referee was left with an almost impossible situation to unravel but came to the conclusion that the #8 as the perpetrator saw red.
With the man advantage, the direction of play became one way, but the Angels bemoaned wayward finishing and superb goalkeeping as the visitors almost got to the break without conceding but were to be reduced to nine men as the #3 picked up a second yellow for pulling back Penman who was about to race clear.
Croydon set up in the second half with two banks of four encamped across their 18 yard line and when the Angels broke those lines, the goalkeeper was equal to Harry Bingham and Callum Fincham.
The breakthrough finally came on 63 minutes when a cross from Ballach found Fincham arriving late into the box to drive home a shot that not even the Croydon keeper could lay a hand on.
Perhaps sensing that they needed something extraordinary, Croydon hit a shot goalwards directly from the restart that needed Jacob Hunt to back peddle and catch on his line.
The corner count in Tonbridge’s favour became endless with one, after 80 minutes rebounding from the bar, but a minute later, Nathaniel Waul played in Penman, who from a fairly acute angle, smashed his shot into the roof of the net.
In the last minute, Ashton Lucas saw his shot come back off the underside of the bar before the referee brought down the curtain on a slightly crazy night.
Tuesday, 10 February 2026
Saturday, 7 February 2026
Gillingham 2 Tranmere Rovers 1
Match 53/25/2395 - Saturday, 7th February 2026 - League Two
Gillingham (1) 2 Hale 25.65
Tranmere Rovers (0) 1 Whitaker 78
Attendance: 5,564
Admission: £21
Mileage: 40/3,226
The first signs that the weekend’s football was not to go as scheduled was on Tuesday when Weston-super-Mare’s home game against Worthing was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch. As various storms have battered the south-west since the turn of the year, the Optima Stadium had already suffered two postponements for the same reason. So, the prospects were not good and with a weather forecast that proved correct with rain expected every day going forward left Tonbridge Angels supporters fearing a wasted 300-odd mile round journey.
Torquay United wasted no time and postponed their game on Friday but Weston decided to hold fire, announcing a 8am pitch inspection on Saturday morning. At precisely 8.06, that inspection had been completed, match postponed. One wonders whether the inspection involved somebody looking out of their bedroom window, observing that it was still raining and picked up the phone to Tonbridge to tell them to get off the coach and go home. Credit to Weston, they saved a wasted journey, but could they have made that decision on Friday, almost certainly.
So, plans to change, thankfully Gillingham are at home with no obvious noises that their pitch was going to be unplayable, and as ever, tickets readily available. After an unexpected Saturday morning lay-in and a couple of hours immersed in the curling at the winter Olympics it was time to make the gentle 25 mile trip to sit, more or less, in the same seat that I placed myself for many, many years.
Gillingham are a strange side at present and, from my limited viewing, not a great side to watch. Everything seemed to be lumped forward to Sam Vokes and when he was replaced on the hour with two more big target men in Seb Palmer-Holden and Josh Andrews the practice continued. They are a team that plays in fits and starts, both of my previous visits this season have seen them surrender leads as they retreated to defend their box in numbers.
They shouldn’t have needed to do this as they were well deserving of their single goal half-time lead against Tranmere Rovers and when they went two-up it seemed a done deal but a goal on 78 minutes from Charlie Whitaker set up a closing period that included six added minutes in which the Gills were forced to hold on for grim death.
Ironically, for all the big men and the long balls pumped into the leaden sky, it was Gillingham’s new signing, Ronan Hale, relatively diminutive, that had given them the comfort of a two goal lead, the second of which from a header from a Max Clark corner that had missed the heads of Palmer-Holden and Andrews. Hale’s first half goal was a sharp finish after Ethan Coleman had headed a clearance back into the box.
The win ends a personal drought that I had not realised had stretched back to 29th December 2023 without a win, albeit that was only eight games and most of them have been draws.
Picture: Gillingham FC
Gillingham (1) 2 Hale 25.65
Tranmere Rovers (0) 1 Whitaker 78
Attendance: 5,564
Admission: £21
Mileage: 40/3,226
The first signs that the weekend’s football was not to go as scheduled was on Tuesday when Weston-super-Mare’s home game against Worthing was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch. As various storms have battered the south-west since the turn of the year, the Optima Stadium had already suffered two postponements for the same reason. So, the prospects were not good and with a weather forecast that proved correct with rain expected every day going forward left Tonbridge Angels supporters fearing a wasted 300-odd mile round journey.
Torquay United wasted no time and postponed their game on Friday but Weston decided to hold fire, announcing a 8am pitch inspection on Saturday morning. At precisely 8.06, that inspection had been completed, match postponed. One wonders whether the inspection involved somebody looking out of their bedroom window, observing that it was still raining and picked up the phone to Tonbridge to tell them to get off the coach and go home. Credit to Weston, they saved a wasted journey, but could they have made that decision on Friday, almost certainly.
So, plans to change, thankfully Gillingham are at home with no obvious noises that their pitch was going to be unplayable, and as ever, tickets readily available. After an unexpected Saturday morning lay-in and a couple of hours immersed in the curling at the winter Olympics it was time to make the gentle 25 mile trip to sit, more or less, in the same seat that I placed myself for many, many years.
Gillingham are a strange side at present and, from my limited viewing, not a great side to watch. Everything seemed to be lumped forward to Sam Vokes and when he was replaced on the hour with two more big target men in Seb Palmer-Holden and Josh Andrews the practice continued. They are a team that plays in fits and starts, both of my previous visits this season have seen them surrender leads as they retreated to defend their box in numbers.
They shouldn’t have needed to do this as they were well deserving of their single goal half-time lead against Tranmere Rovers and when they went two-up it seemed a done deal but a goal on 78 minutes from Charlie Whitaker set up a closing period that included six added minutes in which the Gills were forced to hold on for grim death.
Ironically, for all the big men and the long balls pumped into the leaden sky, it was Gillingham’s new signing, Ronan Hale, relatively diminutive, that had given them the comfort of a two goal lead, the second of which from a header from a Max Clark corner that had missed the heads of Palmer-Holden and Andrews. Hale’s first half goal was a sharp finish after Ethan Coleman had headed a clearance back into the box.
The win ends a personal drought that I had not realised had stretched back to 29th December 2023 without a win, albeit that was only eight games and most of them have been draws.
Picture: Gillingham FC
Sunday, 1 February 2026
Tonbridge Angels 1 Maidstone United 1
Match 52/25/2394 - Saturday, 31st January 2026 - National League South
Tonbridge Angels (0) 1 Korboa 67
Maidstone United (1) 1 Moore 5
Attendance: 2,509
Admission: Season Ticket
Mileage: 38/3,186
The circus that is the A26 derby came to town and for another year Maidstone United returned to the county town unbeaten as they have been since Teniola Time in August 2014, but at least this season has seen the Angels take four points from their biggest rivals following their historic win at the Gallagher in November.
How I wanted a win today, having sat out that Gallagher success on the end of a hospital bed awaiting my wife’s discharge who had spent eight days in hospital following a fall. When the winning goal went in, I asked her if anybody would notice if I ran down the corridor waving my shirt, she said that seeing we hadn’t seen a soul for hours, nobody would notice!
It was not to be, there was no Teniola or Shields Time but Tonbridge gave it their best shot, recovering from going a goal down with less than five minutes on the clock, they hit the woodwork three times before crafting an equaliser that sent a packed Yeomans into rapture.
Alan Dunne’s side is a long way from the finished article, he better than anybody knows that, and just when you think they are on the road to consistency they can throw in a performance that doesn’t meet the standards that he is striving to achieve. But, I as a supporter and I hope many of the people around me, can see where we are heading and that is not back to the Isthmian Premier.
Week after week it seems they are coming up against teams that Dunne labels as “heavyweights” and he bemoans the disparity between his side and full time teams, but, whilst not winning every game, they rise to the challenge. But, strangely and something that certainly needs addressing, it is the odd occasion when they meet a side on a level playing field that they fall short and to ensure our National League South status, the visits of Chippenham, Hampton, Bath City and Salisbury need to supply the vast majority of the 15 points required to get to the magic 50.
The attendance of 2,509 was only a hundred or so short of the number at the reverse fixture and the large number of travelling support in the segregated north end were in jubilant mood when the Angels fell behind to a scrappy, set piece goal bundled home by Deon Moore after Taylor Foran’s initial effort had been parried by goalkeeper Laurie Shala.
This is perhaps the biased bit! I have to say that given the early goal this should have been the catalyst for a promotion-seeking, a club of substantial means, such as Maidstone United to go on and win the game comfortably, that they didn’t is a credit to Tonbridge, but also an indictment that they simply do not have the credentials to achieve to what they supposedly aspire, or could it be that the behind-the-scenes rumours that they don’t aspire to that are actually true?
Tonbridge regained their composure and were unlucky not to go into the break on level terms, with an effort from Tom Leahy that brushed the post and an, albeit mishit cross from Ricky Korboa, that sailed over the head of the Maidstone goalkeeper, Nathan Harness, who had a shaky afternoon, only to strike the inside of the post and rebound to safety.
Dunne made half-time substitutions, something that he does to good effect. Sometimes I don’t agree or even understand them, but more often than not he is right and I’m not, and that’s why he is a football manager!
But Scott Wagstaff brought a different tempo, a quality that eventually brought the equalising goal but not before Korboa had struck the post a third time with the ball gratefully falling back into the arms of Harness.
The equaliser came on 67 minutes, begun and finished by Korboa, who released the livewire substitute Bunmi Babajide who drove at the Maidstone back line before releasing Wagstaff, who driven wide by Harness was still able to put in a cross to the far post from where Korboa was left with a tap in.
A melee in front of the dug-outs saw Wagstaff ending with a dislocated shoulder and leaving the pitch from a situation that an incompetent official in Tom Ellsmore saw pretty much nothing. Biased opinion again maybe, but had Wagstaff stayed on the pitch, Tonbridge were winning this game.
I walked away from a mostly happy Longmead Stadium actually gutted that we hadn’t won the match and whilst it will be Maidstone that, in terms of their league position, will be most disappointed with the point, it was as much as they deserved.
Photos: Dave Couldridge
Tonbridge Angels (0) 1 Korboa 67
Maidstone United (1) 1 Moore 5
Attendance: 2,509
Admission: Season Ticket
Mileage: 38/3,186
The circus that is the A26 derby came to town and for another year Maidstone United returned to the county town unbeaten as they have been since Teniola Time in August 2014, but at least this season has seen the Angels take four points from their biggest rivals following their historic win at the Gallagher in November.
How I wanted a win today, having sat out that Gallagher success on the end of a hospital bed awaiting my wife’s discharge who had spent eight days in hospital following a fall. When the winning goal went in, I asked her if anybody would notice if I ran down the corridor waving my shirt, she said that seeing we hadn’t seen a soul for hours, nobody would notice!
It was not to be, there was no Teniola or Shields Time but Tonbridge gave it their best shot, recovering from going a goal down with less than five minutes on the clock, they hit the woodwork three times before crafting an equaliser that sent a packed Yeomans into rapture.
Alan Dunne’s side is a long way from the finished article, he better than anybody knows that, and just when you think they are on the road to consistency they can throw in a performance that doesn’t meet the standards that he is striving to achieve. But, I as a supporter and I hope many of the people around me, can see where we are heading and that is not back to the Isthmian Premier.
Week after week it seems they are coming up against teams that Dunne labels as “heavyweights” and he bemoans the disparity between his side and full time teams, but, whilst not winning every game, they rise to the challenge. But, strangely and something that certainly needs addressing, it is the odd occasion when they meet a side on a level playing field that they fall short and to ensure our National League South status, the visits of Chippenham, Hampton, Bath City and Salisbury need to supply the vast majority of the 15 points required to get to the magic 50.
The attendance of 2,509 was only a hundred or so short of the number at the reverse fixture and the large number of travelling support in the segregated north end were in jubilant mood when the Angels fell behind to a scrappy, set piece goal bundled home by Deon Moore after Taylor Foran’s initial effort had been parried by goalkeeper Laurie Shala.
This is perhaps the biased bit! I have to say that given the early goal this should have been the catalyst for a promotion-seeking, a club of substantial means, such as Maidstone United to go on and win the game comfortably, that they didn’t is a credit to Tonbridge, but also an indictment that they simply do not have the credentials to achieve to what they supposedly aspire, or could it be that the behind-the-scenes rumours that they don’t aspire to that are actually true?
Tonbridge regained their composure and were unlucky not to go into the break on level terms, with an effort from Tom Leahy that brushed the post and an, albeit mishit cross from Ricky Korboa, that sailed over the head of the Maidstone goalkeeper, Nathan Harness, who had a shaky afternoon, only to strike the inside of the post and rebound to safety.
Dunne made half-time substitutions, something that he does to good effect. Sometimes I don’t agree or even understand them, but more often than not he is right and I’m not, and that’s why he is a football manager!
But Scott Wagstaff brought a different tempo, a quality that eventually brought the equalising goal but not before Korboa had struck the post a third time with the ball gratefully falling back into the arms of Harness.
The equaliser came on 67 minutes, begun and finished by Korboa, who released the livewire substitute Bunmi Babajide who drove at the Maidstone back line before releasing Wagstaff, who driven wide by Harness was still able to put in a cross to the far post from where Korboa was left with a tap in.
A melee in front of the dug-outs saw Wagstaff ending with a dislocated shoulder and leaving the pitch from a situation that an incompetent official in Tom Ellsmore saw pretty much nothing. Biased opinion again maybe, but had Wagstaff stayed on the pitch, Tonbridge were winning this game.
I walked away from a mostly happy Longmead Stadium actually gutted that we hadn’t won the match and whilst it will be Maidstone that, in terms of their league position, will be most disappointed with the point, it was as much as they deserved.
Photos: Dave Couldridge
Tuesday, 27 January 2026
Chelmsford City 1 Tonbridge Angels 0
Match 51/25/2393 - Monday, 26th January 2026 - National League South
Chelmsford City (1) 1 Taylor 13
Tonbridge Angels (0) 0
Attendance: 1,357
Admission: £9.36
Mileage: 132/3,148
If the powers that be at the National League could see their way clear to give Chelmsford City automatic promotion out of the South then there won’t be a Tonbridge Angels supporter that will not be eternally grateful. For them, this is the ultimate graveyard.
As every National League manager reminds us, “there are no easy games in this league”, but some are historically more difficult than others and Chelmsford, for a variety of reasons from the Dartford Tunnel closures through to abject refereeing have contributed to the ultimate Theatre of Screams. In fairness, there have been many occasions when we have been beaten fair and square, but back through the years, something always happens at the Melbourne Stadium and rarely in our favour.
We have won there, once, five years ago, when Tom Parkinson and Tom Beere’s goals gave us a 2-0 win in a game that, bar around 15 officials, was seen by nobody due to Covid restrictions. That, as they say, is sod’s law.
Just managing to complete the journey to this soulless place is an achievement. Last season it was my turn, along with my passengers, to fail to make it through the Dartford Tunnel as a vehicle fire led to a situation whereby, at kick-off time, we were still on the Kent side. This season was no different as an earlier accident meant an hour’s delay, that thankfully we had allowed for, but others had to make the decision to turn around.
Of the places we visit in National League South, this is the least appealing. The athletics track means that to sit in the main stand you might as well be in a different county and the maze of barriers that supposedly lead to the terraces behind the goals can take you into dead ends. The pitch looks like it has been used in training for the athletics club hammer throwers and, if all this sounds like an excuse for the result, then it’s not. On the night, Tonbridge’s lightweight attack foundered on the brick outhouses that makes up the Chelmsford back line.
The necessity, due to the athletics club priority status, means that midweek fixtures have to be played on a Monday night, and we never seem to get a Saturday fixture. Consequently, the Tonbridge Angels manager, Alan Dunne, needed to rotate from Saturday’s starting line-up that produced a heartening 4-1 win over AFC Totton, and my guess would be, that if the game had been played, even 24 hours later, he would have chosen a different side.
There wasn’t much in the game, for all their resources which this season, for the first time, means that Chelmsford are a full time club, it took one moment of quality from Lyle Taylor, once of Nottingham Forest and Charlton Athletic, and reported to be earning anything between £1,500 and £2,500 a week, depending on who you a listening to, to seal the points with a cracking effort from 20 yards.
A case could be made that the Angels deserved something out of the game. Three minutes after Taylor’s goal, Matty Warren’s driven shot from a similar distance came back off the crossbar and in a second half scramble in front of goal, the Chelmsford back line threw their considerable bodies on the line to deny Bunmi Babajide, Alfie Pavey and Ansu Janneh within less seconds than shots.
Despite the admirable effort, there was a sense of inevitability that another miserable evening in Chelmsford was going to go unrewarded, only leaving the prospect of doing battle with the M25 as the motorway fairies were despatching their lane closure cones. Thankfully, this was a contest that was won with a trouble-free drive home. Happy endings, now that is clutching at straws.
Chelmsford City (1) 1 Taylor 13
Tonbridge Angels (0) 0
Attendance: 1,357
Admission: £9.36
Mileage: 132/3,148
If the powers that be at the National League could see their way clear to give Chelmsford City automatic promotion out of the South then there won’t be a Tonbridge Angels supporter that will not be eternally grateful. For them, this is the ultimate graveyard.
As every National League manager reminds us, “there are no easy games in this league”, but some are historically more difficult than others and Chelmsford, for a variety of reasons from the Dartford Tunnel closures through to abject refereeing have contributed to the ultimate Theatre of Screams. In fairness, there have been many occasions when we have been beaten fair and square, but back through the years, something always happens at the Melbourne Stadium and rarely in our favour.
We have won there, once, five years ago, when Tom Parkinson and Tom Beere’s goals gave us a 2-0 win in a game that, bar around 15 officials, was seen by nobody due to Covid restrictions. That, as they say, is sod’s law.
Just managing to complete the journey to this soulless place is an achievement. Last season it was my turn, along with my passengers, to fail to make it through the Dartford Tunnel as a vehicle fire led to a situation whereby, at kick-off time, we were still on the Kent side. This season was no different as an earlier accident meant an hour’s delay, that thankfully we had allowed for, but others had to make the decision to turn around.
Of the places we visit in National League South, this is the least appealing. The athletics track means that to sit in the main stand you might as well be in a different county and the maze of barriers that supposedly lead to the terraces behind the goals can take you into dead ends. The pitch looks like it has been used in training for the athletics club hammer throwers and, if all this sounds like an excuse for the result, then it’s not. On the night, Tonbridge’s lightweight attack foundered on the brick outhouses that makes up the Chelmsford back line.
The necessity, due to the athletics club priority status, means that midweek fixtures have to be played on a Monday night, and we never seem to get a Saturday fixture. Consequently, the Tonbridge Angels manager, Alan Dunne, needed to rotate from Saturday’s starting line-up that produced a heartening 4-1 win over AFC Totton, and my guess would be, that if the game had been played, even 24 hours later, he would have chosen a different side.
There wasn’t much in the game, for all their resources which this season, for the first time, means that Chelmsford are a full time club, it took one moment of quality from Lyle Taylor, once of Nottingham Forest and Charlton Athletic, and reported to be earning anything between £1,500 and £2,500 a week, depending on who you a listening to, to seal the points with a cracking effort from 20 yards.
A case could be made that the Angels deserved something out of the game. Three minutes after Taylor’s goal, Matty Warren’s driven shot from a similar distance came back off the crossbar and in a second half scramble in front of goal, the Chelmsford back line threw their considerable bodies on the line to deny Bunmi Babajide, Alfie Pavey and Ansu Janneh within less seconds than shots.
Despite the admirable effort, there was a sense of inevitability that another miserable evening in Chelmsford was going to go unrewarded, only leaving the prospect of doing battle with the M25 as the motorway fairies were despatching their lane closure cones. Thankfully, this was a contest that was won with a trouble-free drive home. Happy endings, now that is clutching at straws.
Slough Town 2 Tonbridge Angels 3
Match 50/25/2392 - Saturday, 24th January 2026 - National League South
Slough Town (1) 2 Makowski 1 Oshilaja 37
Tonbridge Angels (0) 3 McCann 8 Leahy 34 Babajide 80
Attendance: 784
Admission: Pass
Mileage: 156/3,016
Tonbridge Angels recovered from going a goal down within the opening minute to record back-to-back wins for the first time under Alan Dunne with a deserved 3-2 success at Slough Town.
A delighted Alan Dunne commented in his post-match interview: “It wasn’t great start, we got caught cold but the reaction was really good. After going ahead it was disappointing to concede again, Slough are one of the in-form teams, but in the second half the boys really stepped up with those coming off the bench all helping to change the game. This time of the year, it is all about results and back-to-back wins, I’m buzzing!”
Arbour Park was a windy place with that wind carrying a real chill as the manager named the same side that beat AFC Totton at the Yeomans Community Stadium last Saturday. Ansu Janneh, who has returned to the club, took a place on the bench.
The Angels could not have got off to a worse start with a ball lofted forward towards the Slough leading goalscorer, Wiktor Makowski, who it appeared had pushed Ethan Sutcliffe, but the referee adjudged that he had won the challenge fairly and clinically finished into the far corner.
Tonbridge responded to the setback positively and, after five minutes, Ricky Korboa lofted his goalbound lob over the walkabout goalkeeper Adam Desbois, only for the Slough player-manager, Scott Davies to clear from his line.
Three minutes later the Angels were level when, following a left-sided corner from Marcus Sablier, Noah McCann powered in a header from the edge of a crowded six yard box that found the net despite a desperate attempt to clear from the line.
Laurie Shala was called into action, just three minutes later, as he reacted brilliantly to a wicked deflection following a Slough corner.
Desbois was having an erratic first half as he, once more, travelled out of his penalty area only to collide with his own defender and then dropped a resultant corner under little pressure.
On 33 minutes, the Angels supporters were breathing a sigh of relief as a left wing cross from Basil Tuma narrowly evaded Johnny Goddard, but that anxious intake of breath was replaced with cheers moments later when Frankie Baker got the better of Kiki Oshilaja to cross to an unmarked Tom Leahy who picked his spot from 10 yards to give the visitors the lead.
Sadly the lead was only to last three minutes as Slough worked a good move down the right before Makowski was released to cross for Oshilaja to head into the net, off the left hand post.
The chances kept coming as Baker charged down a clearance from Desbois and just before the break nearly squeezed the ball under the body of the goalkeeper at the near post.
The half-time break almost certainly gave both managers an opportunity to get into their defenders and ask for some discipline at the back and the second half saw a far less goalmouth action.
Alan Dunne rang the changes early in the second period introducing Scott Wagstaff and Bunmi Babajide for Bradley Williams and Sablier, and the lively Babajide was quickly unsettling the Slough backline, but on 66 minutes, it was the home side that spurned a golden opportunity to get their noses in front when Harvey Walker’s cross was met with a Makowski header, but the normally clinical striker’s header cleared the bar.
Slough were made to pay for that profligacy 10 minutes from time, when Kyle Smith laid a pass into the path of Babajide, who from the tightest of angles, rifled an unstoppable shot into the roof of the net between Desbois and his post to spark wild celebrations behind the goal.
The Angels saw a valid appeal for handball waved aside as the game entered its closing stages and negotiated six added minutes relatively comfortably aside from an effort from Tyrique Clarke that was steered wide.
Alan Dunne concluded: “Today, we wasn’t at our best, some of our players were not at their best, but we still managed to grind out a win, I think that shows the sign of a good side, today we were a bit scrappy but we got the job done.”
Slough Town (1) 2 Makowski 1 Oshilaja 37
Tonbridge Angels (0) 3 McCann 8 Leahy 34 Babajide 80
Attendance: 784
Admission: Pass
Mileage: 156/3,016
Tonbridge Angels recovered from going a goal down within the opening minute to record back-to-back wins for the first time under Alan Dunne with a deserved 3-2 success at Slough Town.
A delighted Alan Dunne commented in his post-match interview: “It wasn’t great start, we got caught cold but the reaction was really good. After going ahead it was disappointing to concede again, Slough are one of the in-form teams, but in the second half the boys really stepped up with those coming off the bench all helping to change the game. This time of the year, it is all about results and back-to-back wins, I’m buzzing!”
Arbour Park was a windy place with that wind carrying a real chill as the manager named the same side that beat AFC Totton at the Yeomans Community Stadium last Saturday. Ansu Janneh, who has returned to the club, took a place on the bench.
The Angels could not have got off to a worse start with a ball lofted forward towards the Slough leading goalscorer, Wiktor Makowski, who it appeared had pushed Ethan Sutcliffe, but the referee adjudged that he had won the challenge fairly and clinically finished into the far corner.
Tonbridge responded to the setback positively and, after five minutes, Ricky Korboa lofted his goalbound lob over the walkabout goalkeeper Adam Desbois, only for the Slough player-manager, Scott Davies to clear from his line.
Three minutes later the Angels were level when, following a left-sided corner from Marcus Sablier, Noah McCann powered in a header from the edge of a crowded six yard box that found the net despite a desperate attempt to clear from the line.
Laurie Shala was called into action, just three minutes later, as he reacted brilliantly to a wicked deflection following a Slough corner.
Desbois was having an erratic first half as he, once more, travelled out of his penalty area only to collide with his own defender and then dropped a resultant corner under little pressure.
On 33 minutes, the Angels supporters were breathing a sigh of relief as a left wing cross from Basil Tuma narrowly evaded Johnny Goddard, but that anxious intake of breath was replaced with cheers moments later when Frankie Baker got the better of Kiki Oshilaja to cross to an unmarked Tom Leahy who picked his spot from 10 yards to give the visitors the lead.
Sadly the lead was only to last three minutes as Slough worked a good move down the right before Makowski was released to cross for Oshilaja to head into the net, off the left hand post.
The chances kept coming as Baker charged down a clearance from Desbois and just before the break nearly squeezed the ball under the body of the goalkeeper at the near post.
The half-time break almost certainly gave both managers an opportunity to get into their defenders and ask for some discipline at the back and the second half saw a far less goalmouth action.
Alan Dunne rang the changes early in the second period introducing Scott Wagstaff and Bunmi Babajide for Bradley Williams and Sablier, and the lively Babajide was quickly unsettling the Slough backline, but on 66 minutes, it was the home side that spurned a golden opportunity to get their noses in front when Harvey Walker’s cross was met with a Makowski header, but the normally clinical striker’s header cleared the bar.
Slough were made to pay for that profligacy 10 minutes from time, when Kyle Smith laid a pass into the path of Babajide, who from the tightest of angles, rifled an unstoppable shot into the roof of the net between Desbois and his post to spark wild celebrations behind the goal.
The Angels saw a valid appeal for handball waved aside as the game entered its closing stages and negotiated six added minutes relatively comfortably aside from an effort from Tyrique Clarke that was steered wide.
Alan Dunne concluded: “Today, we wasn’t at our best, some of our players were not at their best, but we still managed to grind out a win, I think that shows the sign of a good side, today we were a bit scrappy but we got the job done.”
Tonbridge Angels U18 4 Broadbridge Heath U18 0
Match 49/25/2391 - Monday, 19th January 2026 - Isthmian Youth League
Tonbridge Angels U18 (1) 4 OG, Barton, Fincham, Edwards
Broadbridge Heath U18 (0) 0
Attendance: 40
Admission: Season Ticket
Mileage: 38/2,858
The Under-18’s returned to winning ways, after last week’s disappointing defeat at Cobham with a comfortable 4-0 win against Broadbridge Heath at the Yeomans Community Stadium.
The Angels youngsters maintain their position in third place in the Isthmian Football League U18 East Division, two points adrift of leaders AFC Whyteleafe, with both home and away fixtures remaining to be played. Cobham, who have played a game more, are sandwiched between the two.
Tonbridge were somewhat eased into a position of comfort much by the visitors’ own doing. Firstly, they conceded an own goal with only 20 seconds on the clock and then, after 26 minutes, were reduced to 10 men when they had a player sent off after being deemed the last man when committing a foul.
Dom Welsh introduced three Under-16’s to the squad, Joel Letsa, Arthur Edwards and Lewis Egbewumni and Edwards got his name on the score sheet with a towering header in the final throes of the game.
A great link-up down the right in the opening attack ended with River Ballach crossing for a Broadbridge defender to turn the ball into his own net at the near post for a perfect start for the Angels.
It gave the Angels the confidence to showcase their passing and movement to which Broadbridge found difficult to counter. After 12 minutes a free kick from Mackenzie Richardson came back off the crossbar and, four minutes later, the goalkeeper produced an absolute world class save to deny River Ballach.
When Robert Penman was dragged back for the referee to brandish a red card, hotly disputed, both on the sidelines and by the offender, the task was an uphill one for Broadbridge Heath.
After Bingham had hit the bar on 32 minutes, Tonbridge doubled their advantage three minutes later with a well worked goal, created by Bingham and Richardson, and finished by Kyler Barton, the Angels were well in control and went into the break three goals up when Callum Fincham intercepted a wayward pass to run clear and finish well into the bottom corner.
All credit to Broadbridge Heath who made it hard for the Angels to add to the tally in the second half and it was almost on the stroke of the 90th minute when Edwards header wrapped up the points.
The introduction of the three Under-16’s means that nine from that age group have played up a year this season, a great testament to the coaching of Adam Barden and Roy Massey with the Kent Youth League U16’s.
Tonbridge Angels U18 (1) 4 OG, Barton, Fincham, Edwards
Broadbridge Heath U18 (0) 0
Attendance: 40
Admission: Season Ticket
Mileage: 38/2,858
The Under-18’s returned to winning ways, after last week’s disappointing defeat at Cobham with a comfortable 4-0 win against Broadbridge Heath at the Yeomans Community Stadium.
The Angels youngsters maintain their position in third place in the Isthmian Football League U18 East Division, two points adrift of leaders AFC Whyteleafe, with both home and away fixtures remaining to be played. Cobham, who have played a game more, are sandwiched between the two.
Tonbridge were somewhat eased into a position of comfort much by the visitors’ own doing. Firstly, they conceded an own goal with only 20 seconds on the clock and then, after 26 minutes, were reduced to 10 men when they had a player sent off after being deemed the last man when committing a foul.
Dom Welsh introduced three Under-16’s to the squad, Joel Letsa, Arthur Edwards and Lewis Egbewumni and Edwards got his name on the score sheet with a towering header in the final throes of the game.
A great link-up down the right in the opening attack ended with River Ballach crossing for a Broadbridge defender to turn the ball into his own net at the near post for a perfect start for the Angels.
It gave the Angels the confidence to showcase their passing and movement to which Broadbridge found difficult to counter. After 12 minutes a free kick from Mackenzie Richardson came back off the crossbar and, four minutes later, the goalkeeper produced an absolute world class save to deny River Ballach.
When Robert Penman was dragged back for the referee to brandish a red card, hotly disputed, both on the sidelines and by the offender, the task was an uphill one for Broadbridge Heath.
After Bingham had hit the bar on 32 minutes, Tonbridge doubled their advantage three minutes later with a well worked goal, created by Bingham and Richardson, and finished by Kyler Barton, the Angels were well in control and went into the break three goals up when Callum Fincham intercepted a wayward pass to run clear and finish well into the bottom corner.
All credit to Broadbridge Heath who made it hard for the Angels to add to the tally in the second half and it was almost on the stroke of the 90th minute when Edwards header wrapped up the points.
The introduction of the three Under-16’s means that nine from that age group have played up a year this season, a great testament to the coaching of Adam Barden and Roy Massey with the Kent Youth League U16’s.
Tonbridge Angels 4 AFC Totton 1
Match 48/25/2390 - Saturday, 17th January 2026 - National League South
Tonbridge Angels (1) 4 Sablier 27 Baker 50 Babajide 68 Korboa 71
AFC Totton (1) 1 Osborne 30
Attendance: 1,656
Admission: Season Ticket
Mileage: 38/2,820
A huge crowd, boosted by Tonbridge Angels’ Schools Partners Day, left the Yeomans Community Stadium in a celebratory mood as they saw home success in National League South for the first time since October and for only the second time this season.
A delighted Alan Dunne said in his post-match interview: “It’s been coming (a home win) and the scoreline was about right, if anything we deserved a couple more goals. The first half was tough, they are a big team and I thought we might struggle physically but we got to half-time, staying strong. We got a lot right today, I’m really pleased with that.“
On a mild day, with many happy, young faces ready for their afternoon’s entertainment, the manager made three changes from the side that brought a point back from Enfield Town with Bradley Williams, Frankie Baker and Marcus Sablier starting for Bunmi Babajide, Alfie Pavey who took places on the bench alongside Scott Wagstaff, who featured despite dislocating a shoulder last Saturday.
There was little evidence of the second half that would unfold with three goals for the hosts after an opening 45 minutes in which AFC Totton were marginally the better side with their direct style placing pressure on the Angels back line.
After an opening quarter-hour when the half-chances had fallen to the visitors, Tonbridge took the lead on 27 minutes with a fine team goal that ended with Marcus Sablier scoring with a close range finish at the far post after an slick interchange between Tom Leahy and Frankie Baker.
The lead was only to last three minutes when Charlie Osborne released Ash Clarke to squeeze a shot between Laurie Shala and his near post from the edge of the box and, subsequently, the Hampshire side enjoyed the better of the possession for the remainder of the half but without seriously threatening Shala’s goal.
The Angels regained their lead five minutes into the second half when Baker executed a cool finish for his first senior goal after being sent clear to go one-on-one with Totton’s goalkeeper, Jacob Knightbridge.
Totton responded with an effort from Ralph Vigrass but the introduction of Babajide, adding direct pace, on 57 minutes, wrested the initiative back in favour of the Angels.
Tonbridge thought they had doubled their advantage on 66 minutes when Ricky Korboa saw his effort disallowed for offside, but the disappointment was only to last a couple of minutes when Korboa laid in Babajide to lash the ball home from 12 yards and Korboa went from provider to scorer just three minutes later when a defence splitting pass from Sablier allowed Korboa to angle a shot into the far corner to put the game beyond Totton.
Despite being rampant in the closing minutes, it took a superb save by Shala, acrobatically turning over a shot from Osborne to retain their three goal advantage and see the game out as comfortable winners.
Alan Dunne concluded: “It was good to give something back to the fans, it has been a while coming and they deserve that. We stood up today, as men despite being a young group, against possibly the biggest, most physical side in the league and it showed how far we have come as a group.”
Tonbridge Angels (1) 4 Sablier 27 Baker 50 Babajide 68 Korboa 71
AFC Totton (1) 1 Osborne 30
Attendance: 1,656
Admission: Season Ticket
Mileage: 38/2,820
A huge crowd, boosted by Tonbridge Angels’ Schools Partners Day, left the Yeomans Community Stadium in a celebratory mood as they saw home success in National League South for the first time since October and for only the second time this season.
A delighted Alan Dunne said in his post-match interview: “It’s been coming (a home win) and the scoreline was about right, if anything we deserved a couple more goals. The first half was tough, they are a big team and I thought we might struggle physically but we got to half-time, staying strong. We got a lot right today, I’m really pleased with that.“
On a mild day, with many happy, young faces ready for their afternoon’s entertainment, the manager made three changes from the side that brought a point back from Enfield Town with Bradley Williams, Frankie Baker and Marcus Sablier starting for Bunmi Babajide, Alfie Pavey who took places on the bench alongside Scott Wagstaff, who featured despite dislocating a shoulder last Saturday.
There was little evidence of the second half that would unfold with three goals for the hosts after an opening 45 minutes in which AFC Totton were marginally the better side with their direct style placing pressure on the Angels back line.
After an opening quarter-hour when the half-chances had fallen to the visitors, Tonbridge took the lead on 27 minutes with a fine team goal that ended with Marcus Sablier scoring with a close range finish at the far post after an slick interchange between Tom Leahy and Frankie Baker.
The lead was only to last three minutes when Charlie Osborne released Ash Clarke to squeeze a shot between Laurie Shala and his near post from the edge of the box and, subsequently, the Hampshire side enjoyed the better of the possession for the remainder of the half but without seriously threatening Shala’s goal.
The Angels regained their lead five minutes into the second half when Baker executed a cool finish for his first senior goal after being sent clear to go one-on-one with Totton’s goalkeeper, Jacob Knightbridge.
Totton responded with an effort from Ralph Vigrass but the introduction of Babajide, adding direct pace, on 57 minutes, wrested the initiative back in favour of the Angels.
Tonbridge thought they had doubled their advantage on 66 minutes when Ricky Korboa saw his effort disallowed for offside, but the disappointment was only to last a couple of minutes when Korboa laid in Babajide to lash the ball home from 12 yards and Korboa went from provider to scorer just three minutes later when a defence splitting pass from Sablier allowed Korboa to angle a shot into the far corner to put the game beyond Totton.
Despite being rampant in the closing minutes, it took a superb save by Shala, acrobatically turning over a shot from Osborne to retain their three goal advantage and see the game out as comfortable winners.
Alan Dunne concluded: “It was good to give something back to the fans, it has been a while coming and they deserve that. We stood up today, as men despite being a young group, against possibly the biggest, most physical side in the league and it showed how far we have come as a group.”
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