Tonbridge 5 Tunbridge Wells 1

Match 05/13/1032 - Saturday, 13th July 2013 - Courier Cup

Tonbridge (2) 5 Akokhia 19, Muggeridge 32, Watts 55,
Blewden 60, 75
Tunbridge Wells (1) 1 Sinden 65
Att. 301

Entrance: £3 Senior
Programme: 50p
Mileage: 26/202

Match Report

This game marks a fresh start for Tonbridge Angels, their manager Tommy Warrilow and to a certain extent their supporters. Last season finished with much relief as relegation from Conference South was avoided but this led on to early summer disappointment as two of the fans’ favourites, Lee Worgan and Frannie Collin departed for their most bitter of rivals, Maidstone United. That disappointment has been tempered by the arrivals that the freeing up of two of the club’s more expensive salaries have allowed, Nathaniel Pinney (pictured) is the striker that has been asked to pick up the mantle of Collin’s goalscoring whilst Clark Masters is the new custodian of the Angels’ goal.

Other new arrivals have been Ryan Watts, a winger; the competitive midfielder Philip Appiah and returning striker, Luke Blewden.

Tunbridge Wells arrived at Longmead fresh from an encouraging performance in defeat at Maidstone and full of hope that they could live up to the “noisy neighbours” tag that appears to have arrived from nowhere. They were still missing Perry Spackman and Andy Irvine.

On a stifling hot day, which perhaps sent people to the coast rather than to a football ground, hence the rather disappointing attendance of 301, the greater squad depth of the hosts eventually proved too much for Martin Larkin’s troops.

Tonbridge's first half eleven included a triallist, Emmanuel Akokhia, released by AFC Wimbledon who caught the eye, linking well with Pinney and scoring the opening goal after 19 minutes with a good finish from a Jon Heath cross. Akokhia was also involved in the second goal when his cross was retrieved by Pinney, who set up Henry Muggeridge to fire home. Tonbridge could well have had the game out of sight by half time had it not been for the fine keeping of Chris Oladogba.

In the second half, with Tonbridge able to field a new eleven over the course of the half, the Wells visibly tired in the intense heat and the Angels were able to take full advantage. Ryan Watts crashed in a 20 yard shot before Blewden showed the quality finishing that caught the eye at Crawley Down with opportunist goals, the first a volley from a Muggeridge cross and the second, through on goal following a pass from youth teamer, James Pass. In between Richard Sinden scored a consolation goal for the Wells.

So the “noisy neighbours” were sent back over Quarry Hill to reflect on two reasonable performances against teams of higher standing, but ultimately two defeats and one of them rather heavy. From a Tonbridge perspective, all the new players impressed and certainly Akokhia earned further opportunities to impress in the upcoming games against Welling on Tuesday and next Saturday’s game in Belgium if he is able to travel.