Colliers Wood United 0 Tonbridge Angels 2

Match 01/21/1866 - Saturday, 26th June 2021 - Pre-Season Friendly

Colliers Wood United (0) 0
Tonbridge Angels (1) 2Beere 6 Turner 66 (pen)
Headcount: 120

Admission: £3 Senior
Programme: £2
Mileage: 120/120

I doubt that a pre-season game has been so eagerly awaited. Non-League football is back, its supporters are back and though we are not out of the Covid woods, there are plenty of reasons to believe that this coming season can be played to its conclusion.

As a game this was like every other first pre-season game that I’ve watched since 1850! A clutch of trialists that we won’t ever see again; players that obviously have to get weeks (in some cases months) of inactivity out of their legs; the odd one or two that took the eye with their sharpness and a lovely story to end the match.

My only other visit to the Wibbandune Sports Ground brought a late arrival due to missing the entrance and difficulty parking so it was a massive relief to quickly find a space in the slip road opposite and close to the footbridge.

As with many pitches at this time of the year, the grass was a bit too long but it’s a nice little ground beside a busy stretch of the A3.

Colliers Wood United, from the Combined Counties League, provided good opposition for a Tonbridge team that played most of its trialists in the first half leaving us spectators playing the annual guessing game of who’s that?

Tonbridge went ahead after six minutes when a quick bit of thinking from Tom Beere left the home goalkeeper motionless from a free kick curled into the top corner.

A free kick to Tonbridge that ended up bouncing towards the oncoming traffic on the A3 and some unnecessary bookings from Santa Claus, filling in time between gigs as a referee, were the highlights of the rest of the first half.

New signing Ibrahim Olutade and Tommy Wood brought an extra edge to the visitor’s attack in the second period and a header from the former into the side netting from a tight angle was the best of the early exchanges.

In the 66th minute Tonbridge were awarded a penalty for a trip just inside the box and Joe Turner powered the ball into the top right corner.

Tonbridge brought on three 16-year-olds to play out the last 20 minutes. Toby McKimm, son of manager Steve, took over from Jonny Henly in goal; Bobby Moore, son of assistant manager Barry, slotted into midfield and Eoin Bolger, on the right of midfield. None of them looked out of place, they did things simply and in the case of Eoin produced a pin-point cross that Wood headed narrowly wide.

This was the fresh start that everybody wanted but on a day when 18,270 new cases of the virus were reported, we can but pray that this is not another false dawn.

Punjab United U18 2 Tonbridge Angels U18 7

Match 62/20/1865 - Wednesday, 23rd June 2021 - Friendly

Punjab United U18 (1) 2
Tonbridge Angels U18 (3) 7Jeche 2,90 Wright Burke Stead
Headcount: 24

Admission: Free
Programme: None
Mileage: 48/3,392

Tonbridge Angels will return to the Isthmian Youth League next season after a four year hiatus and Dominic Welsh has been busy putting together his squad via a series of trials and the visit to Punjab United offered a first viewing of his progress.

Ultimately, Tonbridge cruised to a comfortable victory with a team missing a few who might well feature prominently when the League season gets underway on the 23rd August

On a lovely pitch at Gravesend, the Angels opened the scoring within the first minute when Nathan Jeche finished cooly after being sent clear by Harry Sargent.

Matt Larkin, in the Tonbridge goal, made a fine save after seven minutes before his side made several chances to increase their lead including a cracking shot from Harry London that came down from the underside of the bar.

Punjab’s best player, their captain scored from the edge of the box to bring the home side level after a 21 minutes but it lasted barely a minute before a Billy Wright shot looped over a stranded goalkeeper.

Jeche brought the best out of the home goalkeeper with two excellent saves but he was helpless when a cross from the right offered Rockie Burke a tap-in for a 3-1 lead at the break.

Tonbridge largely controlled the game in the second period with Max Lambert testing the goalkeeper early in the half. Eventually, after 57 minutes, Jeche and Zach Stead combined for the latter to finish with a shot into the bottom corner.

Larkin had to be at his best to thwart the lively Punjab captain on three occasions but when the home side were awarded a penalty the skipper fluffed his lines with a spot kick that went high over the bar.

After 74 minutes, Punjab did bring the score back to 4-2 with a close range header but two goals in four minutes from Burke, completing his hat trick extinguished any thoughts of a comeback. Burke tapped in a London cross and finished a fine move involving Sargent and Cameron Howard.

The last kick of the match gave Jeche his second goal and the Angels seventh. Tougher tasks are ahead but the signs for the Isthmian League season are encouraging.

Lifetime match total: 3,120 Number of grounds: 344

Maidstone United Academy 1 Tonbridge Angels Academy 6

Match 61/20/1864 - Wednesday, 9th June 2021 - Kent Academies Cup

Maidstone United Academy (0) 1 83'
Tonbridge Angels Academy (4) 6Lambert 30,89 Lewis 40,45+3 Kent 44 Wootton 63
Headcount: 20

Admission: Free
Programme: None
Mileage: 19/3,344

Tonbridge Angels said a fond farewell to their third year scholars with a rousing victory at the home of our A26 neighbours, Maidstone United. Ned Lewis, who will be taking up a scholarship in the United States, and Jacob Lambert signed off with a brace of goals each whilst Harry Hudson and Sam Babayale, who depart for University, along with Harrison Mayhew can reflect on three outstanding years at the club with a solid defensive showing.

At the other end of the spectrum, the Angels fielded seven first year students and three Under-16’s in this performance of virtual domination.

Such was the control that the visitors had on the game, it was added time in the first half before goalkeeper Matt Larkin, drafted in from the Angels’ Under-16 Kent Youth League side, had any sort of save to make.

It was a very warm lunchtime kick-off at the Gallagher with the Angels, fast out of the blocks and producing chance after chance with Lambert ruling the roost in midfield. Lambert forced the first save of many from the Stones’ keeper within the first minute. Ben Hermitage wasted a very good chance after five minutes and the keeper pulled off a blinding save to thwart Billy Kent and so it continued, Tonbridge versus the Stones’ goalkeeper until the half-hour mark when finally the custodian was beaten.

A lofted through ball from Lewis sent Lambert clear to deftly lob the advancing goalkeeper to put the Angels into a deserved lead. This actually sparked the home side into life but a couple of attacks failed to employ Larkin.

Three quick goals in the last eight minutes put a scoreline on the board far more in keeping with the pattern of the game. After 40 minutes, Lambert supplied the pass for Lewis to score from 10 yards and, four minutes later, a well executed cross from Hermitage gave Kent an easy close range header to make it 3-0. Three minutes into time added, Lewis added his second when latching on to a cross from the right, his first shot was well saved but he was on hand to convert the rebound.

After what one would imagine a stern half-time talk, Maidstone made a better fist of the second period but continued to be dominated by the visitors with Lewis and Kent bringing saves and Ben Twist seeing his shot cannon down from the underside of the crossbar.

The fifth goal arrived on 63 minutes when Hermitage set up substitute Cameron Wootton who, once again, needed the benefit of a second attempt as the goalkeeper saved his initial shot.

Larkin showed his potential and desire to keep a clean sheet making two good saves in quick succession before a brilliant run from Keiarn Corner set up Wootton but his shot was smothered by a fine defensive block.

Sadly, Larkin’s debut was not to be celebrated with a clean sheet when, seven minutes from time, he was beaten when the ball was bundled home after saving the initial attempt.

Jacob Lambert said his final goodbye to Academy football with a characteristic finish in the final minute to round off an impressive display that obviously delighted Tommy Parkinson, who said after the game that it was an outstanding performance and on the departing scholars: “All have been a credit to themselves and their families, they have come on leaps and bounds as players over the three years and more importantly become top people who will all have bright futures.”

Punjab United 0 Chatham Town 3

Match 60/20/1863 - Saturday, 5th June 2021 - Post-Lockdown Toournament

Punjab United (0) 0
Chatham Town (0) 3Bradshaw 49 Bodkin 75 Evans 78
Attendance: 301

Admission: £1
Programme: None
Mileage: 48/3,325

As if Punjab’s task wasn’t going to be hard enough against a highly fancied for the new season Chatham Town, they found themselves down to 10 men after 23 minutes when the referee decided that commonsense was not the order of the day. In a regular season game, the Punjab central defender would have had to walk as he wrestled a Chatham forward to the ground as he got clear. The referee made completely the right decision, but in a friendly tournament, pre or post-season, surely the logical approach would have been to have the player subbed rather than reduce his team to 10 men in pretty hot conditions.

Chatham had already shown their dominance with Jack Evans striking a post after four minutes; Ryan Hayes the bar after six and how they managed not to score after 16 will remain a mystery.

The referee did even up the personnel for 10 minutes when he sin binned Reece Butler after the central defender over emphasised his argument following a foul.

It took 34 minutes for Punjab to test Henry Newcombe with the keeper saving at the feet of William Johnson-Cole.

In the circumstances, the home side did remarkably well to get to the break with the game goalless, but this wasn’t to last too long into the second period.

The ever-impressive Evans had already brought a last ditch block before after 49 minutes, Hayes served up a cross on a silver platter for Bradshaw to head home. Classic wing play to a striker that doesn’t miss from three or four yards.

In fairness, Punjab could easily have wilted at that point but they went toe to toe with the Chats for 25 minutes, hitting a post and wasting another opportunity. But eventually, the man advantage allied to the heat took its toll and two goals in three minutes, both set up from the right wing settled the contest. Matt Bodkin received a cross and had time to turn and shoot into the bottom corner after 75 minutes and Evans was afforded a tap in to make it 3-0.

The referee’s intervention earlier would doubtless have made no difference to the result but it still grates that commonsense didn’t prevail.

Dover Athletic Academy 1 Tonbridge Angels Academy 0

Match 59/20/1862 - Wednesday, 2nd June 2021 - Kent Academies Cup

Dover Athletic Academy (1) 1 42'
Tonbridge Angels Academy (0) 0
Headcount: 11

Admission: Free
Programme: None
Mileage: 62/3,287

Despite a really gutsy performance in stifling heat from the Academy they slipped to a single goal defeat against a physically intimidating Dover Athletic side that boasted seven players six feet or more in height.

Right from the outset, Dover dominated the possession and Nat Gibb made a brilliant save after five minutes and another at his near post four minutes later. The Angels were finding it tough to get a foothold in the game and rode their luck in the 15th minute when the Dover right winger struck a post and after 20 minutes the same player saw his shot come back from the underside of the crossbar.

These early stages were a struggle for Chester Smith up against such an electric player but to his credit he worked him out and managed to contain his threat later in the game.

A splendid pass from Luca Woodhouse offered Keiarn Corner the Angels first opportunity but his shot went wide and, on the half hour, it was Corner that was brought down in the box for a penalty, which unfortunately the normally reliable Ned Lewis put wide of the post.

Within a minute another penalty was given, this time at the other end and somewhat harshly for a handball by Sam Babayale. But, once again the taker failed to convert as Gibb saved from the Dover winger.

Gibb was having a busy spell saving well in quick succession on two occasions.

Eventually, Dover’s dominance told as three minutes from the break the home centre forward scored from close range.

The opening minutes of the second period brought Gibb into action once more saving well from Dover’s number 10 but the Angels coffered a threat of their own with a surge forward from Corner that was ended with his shot blocked.

Tonbridge thought they had equalised after an hour when a lofted free kick from Lewis mishandled by the goalkeeper with appeals that the ball had crossed the line turned away by the officials.

Whilst the heat took its toll in the final half hour both sides had chances, Tonbridge’s coming when 16-year-old Fin Hartley racing clear but steering his shot wide.

There can be no argument that Dover were good value for their win but manager Tom Parkinson was very pleased with the application and endeavour of his young side.