Tonbridge Angels U18 5 Ashford Town U18 0

Match 23/16/1331 - Wednesday, 31st August 2016 - Ryman League Under-18

Tonbridge (4) 5 Sollis 4, Frempong 12, Ikeije 29, Fenton 58, Bakare 82
Ashford Town (0) 0
Headcount: 55

Entrance: Free
Programme: None
Mileage: 38/2,307

With no team sheet and the first time I've seen Tonbridge's Under-18s this season, I bow to Dan Couldridge's superior knowledge of age group football and indulge in a bit of cut and paste from his Tonbridge Angels Forum posting.

A very impressive performance from a Tonbridge Angels side featuring several of last year's successful Under 16 squad with a selection of eye-catching performances from the newcomers.

Pick of the bunch were Sid Sollis, who backed up a four-goal haul at the weekend for the Reserves with a fourth minute header from 15 yards out that crashed in off the bar from Tommy Chapman's corner, and Richard Frempong, who has arrived from Bridon Ropes and is already on the radar of clubs at a higher level. Frempong showed some startling pace in attack, a real knack of staying on his feet under serious pressure despite his stature and wrapped up his performance with a fine goal, somehow keeping possession with three defenders around him and then firing into the top corner from just inside the penalty area.

That goal had arrived in he twelfth minute by which point the result was already in no doubt with Tonbridge asserting a clear superiority throughout the first half. Goal number three arrived with a great ball into the channel from Dom Welsh to Frempong, whose pace took him clear of the right-back and gave him time to unselfishly set up Henry Ikeije for a simple tap in.

Ashford certainly improved in the second half but there was little chance of a comeback. Jack Fenton scored the fourth, volleying in from the edge of the box after the ball had been half-cleared by a defender, before substitute Kunle Bakare wrapped things up with a dazzling run and finish.

The next opportunity to see this impressive Angels side is on Monday 19 September and the team would welcome your support. Dulwich Hamlet or Phoenix Sports will be the visitors in the FA Youth Cup 1st Qualifying Round.

I will add that on leaving the ground with a couple of seasoned spectators at this level, one remarked that this Tonbridge side were the best under-18s he had seen in many a year.