Tonbridge Angels 3 Kingstonian 4

Match 8/19/1732 - Saturday, 27th July 2019 - Pre-Season Friendly

Tonbridge Angels (1) 3 Turner (pen) 26 Hession-Harris 71 Read 80
Kingstonian (1) 4 Hall 12 Theophanous 60,63,65
Attendance: 243

Admission: £3 Senior
Programme: £1
Mileage: 38/415

A home defeat and conceding a hat-trick of goals within a five minute second half period were good reasons for concern but football was put into stark perspective as the club paid tribute to one of their former players, Charlie Slocombe, who died in the week after collapsing playing six-a-side football. His family and friends attended in great numbers with his father Keith, a former bucket and sponge man while Charlie was playing at the club, alongside his wife, showing great courage.

Thankfully the 38degC heat of Thursday had passed through and a more manageable 25degC proved less of a problem as both sides served up an entertaining game.

There would be speculation that Steve McKimm’s starting 11 would be close to those that walk out for next Saturday’s National League South opener against Dulwich Hamlet but that second half period might just have thrown a few doubts into that equation.

Kingstonian, managed now by Hayden Bird who has brought a fair few of his Merstham team of last season with him, started brightly and their performance over the whole game suggests that they will do very well in the Isthmian Premier this season. A wonderful cross field pass sent the ball behind the Angels’ back line for Reece Hall to latch onto and produce a fine finish after 12 minutes.

The goal sparked a response with Tom Derry to the fore and eventually, after 26 minutes, Tom Brewer spotted the run of Derry from a free kick which ended with the striker being brought down for a penalty which Joe Turner fired into the bottom left corner.

Derry continued to be the main threat with a shot marginally high and a header going similarly close but the half-time whistle came with the score remaining level.

A good run from stand-in skipper Jack Parter was the highlight of the early stages of the second half but, somewhat against the run of play, Kingstonian regained the lead when, on the hour, a straight through pass dissected the Tonbridge defence and Louie Theophanous fired past the advancing Jonny Henly.

Within three minutes the same act was repeated and the clinical Theophanous scored again. He completed a five minute hat-trick a minute later when a wonderful cross from Dan Bennett found the striker to score at the near post.

It was a wake-up call of the loudest order and manager McKimm responded with five changes from the bench. It brought its dividend when, after 71 minutes, Hession-Harries cracked home a fine shot from a tight angle to reduce the deficit.

A great escape looked on the cards when Hession-Harris’ cross found the excellent Alex Bentley at the far post who stretched to volley a cross into the path of Alex Read to score.

Tonbridge pressed hard for a face-saving draw with Rhyle Ovenden’s shot being comfortably saved and Bentley’s header narrowly over but it was not to be.

No points were lost, but a young man with his life in front of him has been. Rest in Peace, Charlie Slocombe.