Sutton Common Rovers (0) 0
Tonbridge Angels (1) 2
Heacount: 100
Played at Sutton United
Admission: £4 Senior
Programme: None
Mileage: 106/106
No matter how early we start I love the beginning of pre-season. But, it is definitely not the football that whets the appetite, more the anticipation. New players to see, the odd new club to visit and a meeting with like-minded people for whom the new season cannot come quickly enough.
Football-wise, I think you have to possess a professional eye to understand what is gained from the game apart from the obvious conclusion of minutes under the belt.
From a Tonbridge point-of-view, they fielded two different sides per half, six trialists (some of whom appeared to be wearing different numbers to the team sheet obtained, making it doubly difficult to identify who was whom) and it all looked a muddle. But Steve McKimm assured us afterwards that it was a worthy exercise, so all's well that ends well!
One of the trialists was Ellis Brown who was at the club a couple of season's back and, on this showing, he deserved another run out in next week's game at Sittingbourne. Leo Lawless, last season's Development Player of the Year, did himself no harm. Of the others, I'm not so sure.
Sutton Common Rovers, of the Combined Counties League, certainly gave as good as they got and had they been a bit more clinical in front of goal they would have got something out of the game.
Two moments of quality from Tonbridge brought the goals. After 35 minutes, Khale Da Costa showed the pace that will enthrall his new supporters in the coming months before setting up Chinedu McKenzie to slot home. Ten minutes from time, Jared Small fired in a pearler from the right side of the box into the top corner that had you wishing he had saved it for a more important occasion.
In between Sutton Common Rovers created and wasted several good chances including a penalty after 53 minutes when the Tonbridge defence got themselves into a mess. Nemo Adams crashed his spot kick against the crossbar.
Season 2019/20 is under way and with Tonbridge returning to National South there is a mixture of high excitement with an equal measure of apprehension.
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