Tonbridge 2 Charlton Athletic 1

Match 09/12/962 - Tuesday, 7 August 2012 - Pre-Season Friendly

Tonbridge (1) 2 Purcell 32, Collin 47
Charlton Athletic (1) 1 Azeez 8
Att. 732

Entrance: £4 Senior
Programme: None
Mileage: 26/339

Match Report

The success of the Olympics has made it difficult to lift the backside out of the armchair for a moment let alone an evening to take in yet another Pre-season Friendly. On this occasion it was the relative failure of British athletes that levered me out of the chair and into the car to take in Tonbridge’s game against a Charlton Athletic XI. For all the success of TeamGB it is somewhat sad that the event of Coe, Ovett and Cram fails to produce a finalist for the 1,500 metres. Decision made, leaving Gabby Logan later on in the evening to update the bronze medal success of high jumper Robbie Grabarz.

Charlton brought a mixed team of youngsters, trialists and Leon Clarke, the striker that famously fell out with Paulo Di Canio at Swindon last season. It would also appear by virtue of his appearance at Longmead that his days are numbered at the Valley as well. There was a bit of experience in their side with John Sullivan between the sticks and Paul Hayes in midfield.

Charlton started really well and for 20 minutes, whilst it was ok for those of us on the sidelines to admire their movement and distribution, I’m sure it would have disturbed Tommy Warrilow to watch his troops on the pitch doing much the same thing. In the opening seconds a poor pass back to the goalkeeper from Danny Walder allowed Clarke in on goal, but the striker perhaps showed why he was in this eleven as he allowed Lee Worgan to save with Hayes firing the rebound high over the bar.

The let off wasn’t heeded, the very impressive Ade Azeez cut in from the left hand side, was allowed to travel across the face of the goal almost unchallenged to round Worgan and slide the ball into the empty net. With the South London side pinging the ball about at their leisure and stretching the Tonbridge defence, a pasting seemed very much on the horizon.

But Tonbridge slowly found their feet with George Purcell looking very lively upfront, certainly the best I’ve seen him this pre-season and Tom Davis starting to see more possession in the middle of the field. The blossoming partnership between Frannie Collin and Purcell eventually brought a reward on the half hour when Purcell deftly lobbed the keeper for his first goal for the club.

There was a moment of real concern early in the half when Worgan was clattered by Azeez and his importance was illustrated throughout the half as he made several saves of note. If there is an irreplaceable member of Tonbridge’s squad it is Lee Worgan and there is a collective holding of breath whenever he needs attention from the physio.

An early second half free kick on the edge of the box offered Collin a shooting opportunity. We all know Fran’s ability from that range; seemingly Sullivan in the Charlton goal was less aware, as he was rooted when the free kick nestled in the net off the underside of the crossbar.

Despite the second half being an evenly matched encounter, Worgan was forced on several occasions, particularly in the closing stages, to re-emphasise his value with superb saves from Bradley Jordan and Tobi Sho-Silva.

This was a particularly encouraging display from Tonbridge. The side fielded, one suspects, is not too far away from the starting eleven for the season’s opener at Maidenhead on 18 August. Sonny Miles was onfield during the warm-up and he might come into the reckoning following his hernia operation and Rory Hill might get the nod if he recovers from his knock on Saturday.