Tonbridge Angels 2 Dartford 3

Match 89/21/1953 - Saturday, 29th January 2022 - National League South

Tonbridge Angels (0) 2 Wood 53 Olutade 90+4
Dartford (2) 3 Leonard 13,20 Jebb 86
Attendance: 1,205

Admission: Season Ticket
Programme: £3
Mileage: 38/4,883

Give yourself a mountain to climb and sometimes even the most experienced of climbers fail to reach the summit.

A poor first half display left Tonbridge with the proverbial mountain and despite a much improved second period that it could be argued deserved some reward, they just fell short.

Steve McKimm welcomed back Luke Jenkins to the starting eleven with Sonny Miles unavailable on what would have been his 377th start for the club, this eclipsing the total of Danny Tingley. Up front, Adam Coombes formed a two man strike force with loanee James Taylor dropping to the bench.

Three minutes after the start, Dartford’s Danny Leonard went down to receive treatment, nothing much significant in this except it set the tone for the afternoon as the female physio from the visitors spent as much time on the pitch as some of the players.

Dartford dominated, or should I say were allowed to dominate the first half as it seemed the Angels paid them too much respect and missed Miles’ authority and voice at the back.

Dartford took the lead after 13 minutes when a straightforward channel ball down the right from Keiran Murtagh found Leonard who cut in and fired home a shot into the far corner.

On 20 minutes, Dartford doubled their lead and it looked like a very long afternoon was on the cards for Tonbridge and, once again, it was all too easy. The goalkeeper’s punt downfield was won by Ade Azeez, a pass this time found Leonard clear in the left channel to round Jonny Henly and finish to the delight of the big Dartford following in the large crowd of 1,205.

Whilst the Angels front two fed off scraps, Dartford could have added to their total with a couple more chances but the game deteriorated as play was continually stopped by a whistle happy referee and the regular appearance of the female physio.

McKimm needed to change something at the break and injected some pace into his side with the introduction of Aaron Smith-Joseph and James Taylor and, in truth, it worked. The big, but slow Dartford back line became a little more stretched and less comfortable.

It took just one minute of the second period for the Dartford physio to make a further appearance, if she was on TV she would be challenging Alex Scott for screen time!

The Angels were right back in the game on 53 minutes when Tommy Wood scored. Pace down the left stretched the Darts and when Joe Turner fed the ball to Wood, he was the man over on the right and finished well into the bottom corner.

The Angels gained the ascendancy and Dartford were really holding on but attempts from Turner and Taylor were just comfortable saves for Dan Wilks and it took a brilliant save at the other end from Henly to deny Azeez.

Ibrahim Olutade came on for Adam Coombes with 20 minutes to go and within a couple he had a clear chance but his shot didn’t carry any venom and Wilks saved easily.

The game was put to bed in the space of 10 minutes, six of which were spent, yet again, with the Dartford physio going about her duties as ward sister. But, whilst in defeat, there is no hiding place behind the referee, but Paul Johnson was integral in those moments. He might well have got the decision right but it was the handling of those situations that didn’t feel right.

On 76 minutes, Wood was brought down in the Dartford penalty area but appeals for a penalty were waved away. Then, on the 80th minute, at the other Dartford were awarded a free kick on the edge of the box following a coming together of Craig Braham-Barrett, who was absurdly booked, and Leonard. The long stoppage got even more confusing as Dartford took the opportunity of making substitutions. The referee then gave Jack Jebb a very generous 10 yards to ball and the Dartford midfielder has the ability to take full advantage and he did with a beautifully placed shot into the top corner.

Tonbridge’s second half fighting spirit saw Olutade bring the score back to 3-2 with a glancing header from a Tom Beere free kick and another chance that was cleared from the line and, lo and behold, there was still time for another appearance from the Dartford physio, what a shift that young lady had put in!

Spirited, but ultimately you cannot give top six teams a two goal start and expect a result, in fact you cannot do that with any National League South side.

Havant & Waterlooville 1 Tonbridge Angels 1

Match 88/21/1952 - Wednesday, 26th January 2022 - National League South

Havant and Waterlooville (0) 1 Oastler 57
Tonbridge Angels (0) 1 Coombes 90+2
Attendance: 1,037

Admission: £10 Senior
Programme: £2.50
Mileage: 202/4,845

A lane closure on the A3 at the Hindhead Tunnel; further lane closures on the M25 and finally, notwithstanding several minor roadworks with traffic lights, a road closure on the A21 slowed the ride home but nothing was going to dampen the mood that had been created by a 92nd minute equaliser at Havant & Waterlooville.

When the manager of the home side admits that the visitors deserved their point, however late it may have came, there is no sense of bias in saying to lose would have been a great injustice.

The weather continued with the cold snap but it wasn’t quite as extremity biting as the last few evening games.

Luke Jenkins picked up a hamstring strain on Saturday as was replaced by the returning Tommy Parkinson.

Since my last visit to Westleigh Stadium 10 years ago, Havant have installed a FIFA approved surface (just don’t call it 3G) but strangely did nothing about the slope on which they laid it. But, as it was in 2012, it is a nicely appointed ground with cover on all four sides. Once strange anomaly in these times was that the stadium was virtually cash only, which actually caught me on the hop, arriving with very little cash!

Havant & Waterlooville, under the managership of Paul Doswell, has built a full-time squad based on experience with many hundreds of Football League appearances between them including Nicky Bailey, who once left Charlton for Middlesbrough for £1.4 million.

But, on the field, this squad have not reached the expectations of their supporters, and I would guess their board, and suffered a highly embarrassing 8-0 defeat at Dorking over Christmas with the return at Westleigh also ending in defeat.

Joe Turner was the first to test the home defence after a couple of minutes, with a run through on goal but ex-Sutton goalkeeper, Ross Worner was out quickly to smother the ball.

The first half-hour of the game wasn’t exactly a thriller but it was certainly the Angels that were having the best of the exchanges with Tommy Wood firing a shot narrowly wide and also having a header that wasn’t too far wide.

On 35 minutes a surging run from Craig Braham-Barrett ended with him brought down for a credible penalty appeal but the referee was having none of it.

Tom Beere put another shot marginally wide of the post before the referee called a halt to a half that Tonbridge had enjoyed the better of proceedings.

Probably with the words of Doswell ringing in their ears, the home side quickly seized the second half momentum and when they went ahead after 57 minutes it was a goal that appeared to be coming. A left wing corner was met with a towering header from John Oastler, but it left Tonbridge aggrieved that goalkeeper Jonny Henly had been impeded in his attempt to cut out the cross.

This sparked a period, their only in the game, when Havant were the dominant side and it took a wonder save from Henly to deny Andrews, it felt like a major moment in the game.

Another of those moments came at the other end on 78 minutes when Worner made an equally brilliant save to deny Turner after an initial shot had been blocked.

Steve McKimm had thrown caution to the wind replacing Harry Hudson and James Taylor with attackers Adam Coombes and Aaron Smith-Joseph. For their part, Havant decided to rest on their lead and shut up shop and as the clock ticked into time added it looked like they would see it out.

But this Tonbridge side has a spirit that never gives up and two minutes into the four added minutes they got the break that their efforts thoroughly deserved. A cross from the right from Jamie Fielding saw the ball only half scrambled to safety but to the feet of Coombes whose unerring finish into the far corner brought delight to the Tonbridge faithful, who had travelled in their numbers, positioned behind the goal.

There was one last scare for the Angels as with the last foray of the match a shot across the face of the goal was helped on its way to safety whilst the home supporters desperately called for a penalty.

Home at just about midnight, a journey well worth it.

Additional photos: Kathryn Bell and Dave Couldridge

Tonbridge Angels 1 Hemel Hempstead Town 1

Match 87/21/1951 - Saturday, 22nd January 2022 - National League South

Tonbridge Angels (1) 1 Turner 8
Hemel Hempstead Town (1) 1 Hughes 25
Attendance: 853

Admission: Season Ticket
Programme: £3
Mileage: 38/4,643

When is a draw at home a good draw; when is it a point gained rather than two points lost? Unless your team is stuck in the middle of the table at a point of the season when the result is virtually meaningless it is a debate that is widely debated, up and down the country, every Saturday. It was a debate following the sharing of the points with Hemel Hempstead Town, personally I thought Tonbridge just about deserved their point, whilst my friends both thought that it would be Hemel that were going home feeling that it was two points lost and the Angels’ goalkeeper, Jonny Henly, being made Man of the Match, adds weight to their argument.

Tonbridge fielded an unchanged team from their midweek victory at Chippenham with the unexpected, but very welcome, news that Adam Lovatt was extending his term at Longmead until the end of the season.

Hemel Hempstead have recovered from a poor start to the season when they could not buy a point that culminated with a change of manager. Since Mark Jones has taken over that have pulled themselves clear of danger with an accumulation of points away from home but very few back at Vauxhall Road where last Saturday they won for the very first time this season.

A surprisingly large crowd of 853 didn’t witness a classic, one of those games when searching for a kind word you would come up with absorbing.

Hemel showed the confidence gained on their travels, starting the better, but it was the home side that took the lead after eight minutes. An innocuous looking cross into the box from Craig Braham-Barrett brought a horrible miskick from Jack Westbrook that gave Joe Turner a tap in a the far post.

The goal did nothing to knock the visitors out of their stride and Henly was brought into action with a parrying save from Charlee Hughes with the follow-up effort from Alfie Cerulli being blazed over.

Hemel’s equaliser on 25 minutes subsequently came as no surprise. A through ball from Alfie Williams found Hughes whose shot took a wicked deflection that wrong-footed Henly.

The visitors went on to dominate the half but without causing major concern to the Tonbridge goal.

An earlier foul on Luke Jenkins that brought a caution for Hemel’s Hughes brought a half-time substitution of the youngster with Tommy Parkinson returning to the action after missing a couple of games through injury.

The Angels came out of the break and took the game to their hosts. Harry Hudson had an effort that was deflected away for a corner and Braham-Barrett made a similar foray on the hour mark but his shot cleared the bar.

Henly was exercised when a shot from Gus Scott-Morriss brought a fine save and as the game entered into the last quarter hour it became stretched and Henly saved well again from Hughes.

Henly confirmed his man of the match status with another fine save this time from substitute Chris Paul to secure a valuable point for Tonbridge.

It was a point with added value as defeat for Welling meant that Tonbridge climbed a place in the table.

East Grinstead Town U18 3 Tonbridge Angels U18 0

Match 86/21/1950 - Thursday, 20th January 2022 - Isthmian Youth

East Grinstead Town U18 (1) 3 Burgess 30,72 McKenna 72
Tonbridge Angels U18 (0) 0
Attendance: 39

Admission: £4
Programme: None
Mileage: 62/4,605

The Under-18’s slipped to a disappointing defeat in their Isthmian Youth League game at East Grinstead. It was a strange game in which the Angels dominated the first half but went into the break a goal down and conceded two goals in a couple of minutes midway through a second half in which they literally failed to get going.

On another cold evening and on a hard, frost-bound pitch, the players studs sounded a bit like the hoofs horses charging past.

For the best part of the first half-hour, Tonbridge played some attractive football and created some good chances. Haydn Velvick saw a shot deflected to safety after eight minutes and on 21 minutes, East Grinstead managed to survive as firstly the goalkeeper saved well from Velvick; the follow-up from Fin Wolvey was blocked with the returned shot from Harry London narrowly going wide.

Four minutes later Wolvey attempted an audacious lob from the right but was thwarted as the goalkeeper touched the ball onto the crossbar and over.

But, it’s goals that win games, and with their first attack and a route one pass over the top that sent East Grinstead's Burgess clear to finish well past the advancing Matt Larkin.

Tonbridge continued to dominate the half but apart from a free kick from Wolvey, the goalkeeper was not really stretched.

If they Angels went into the break scratching their heads as to how they found themselves a goal down, they would be completely nonplussed as to why they “disappeared” in the second period.

Certainly the loss of skipper Harry London had a significant bearing on the second half performance in which the fluency of the first half hour was lost.

Chances were still created with the home goalkeeper, who had a very good game, saving well from George Theis after 53 minutes and brilliantly from Velvick, readjusting after a deflection on 67 minutes.

But, once more, a route one pass saw Tommy McKenna lob the ball over Larkin to double the home side’s lead after 67 minutes and two minutes later it was game over as Burgess cut in from the left to bury a shot into the far corner for 3-0.

It summed up the Angels frustrating evening when Velvick’s shot came back off the underside of the bar straight into the goalkeeper’s arms.

The Angels youngsters struggled in the last 20 minutes to gain any momentum and East Grinstead finished the game by far the stronger and might well have added to the score from several reasonable chances.

A disappointed Dom Welsh commented after the game, “it was a strange game and a very indifferent performance from us.”

Cleeve Park 4 Hugh Christie 0

Match 85/21/1949 - Wednesday, 19th January 2022 - Academies League Premiership

Cleeve Park (1) 4
Hugh Christie (0) 0
Attendance: 1

Admission: Free
Programme: None
Mileage: 76/4,543

Tonbridge Angels U18 3 Maidstone United U18 4

Match 84/21/1948 - Monday, 17th January 2022 - Isthmian Youth

Tonbridge Angels Under-18 (1) 3 Saunders 5 London 48 Wolvey (pen) 85
Maidstone United Under-18 (3) 4 Jeche 1,73 Terry 29 Vine 40
Attendance: 49

Admission: £4
Programme: None
Mileage: 38/4,467

On a freezing evening and a pitch that was getting visibly whiter as the game progressed, both sides worked hard to produce an entertaining match that might just have warmed the extremities of the hardy spectators. Might, but not quite, as nobody could feel their toes by full time!

League leaders Maidstone United got off to a blistering start taking the lead after just 40 seconds when a powerful shot from Nathan Jeche, a one-time Angels Under-16 player, beat the Tonbridge keeper Matt Larkin.

Jeche was proving a real handful, following his goal, he put a chance into the side netting and forced Larkin into a save in the opening four minutes.

But Tonbridge recovered from that torrid opening to fashion a terrific equaliser after five minutes. A great through ball from Shea Brennan put Rockie Burke in the clear; his shot was parried by the Maidstone goalkeeper but only into the path of Will Saunders who scored with a composed finish.

After such a hectic start the game settled down with Maidstone dominating, fashioning a couple of good chances before they restored their lead after 29 minutes when Joseph Terry scored from 18 yards with a shot into the bottom corner.

A terrible defensive mix-up between goalkeeper and defender after 41 minutes gifted Maidstone a third goal when Jeche capitalised on the miscommunication to set up Jack Vine for an easy finish into an unguarded goal.

The Angels youngsters showed a great deal of resilience to stretch Maidstone all the way in the second half and if they had been clinical in front of goal they might well have come away with a point.

They were right back in the game within three minutes of the restart when Saunders combined with Harry London, who finished well into the bottom corner.

The Angels searched hard for an equaliser and saw an effort from Fin Wolvey cleared from the line on the hour and London failing to find the target from a good opportunity.

Jeche made the Angels pay for their wastefulness when he cut in from the left to fire home from around 12 yards.

Tonbridge were not going to go down without a fight and when substitute George Theis was bundled over inside the box, Fin Wolvey converted from the spot to set up a last five minutes effort to rescue a point. One opportunity fell the way of London but the goalkeeper was equal to it and Maidstone survived to take home the points.

Dom Welsh was pleased with his side’s efforts commenting: “Excellent game tonight against a very good Maidstone side, too many errors made to win the game but possibly good value for a point! Huge progress being made.”

Meanwhile, many a car heater was on full blast on the way home!

Pictures: Dave Couldridge

Tonbridge Angels 1 King's Lynn Town 1

Match 83/21/1947 - Saturday, 15th January 2022 - FA Trophy 4R

Tonbridge Angels (0) 1 Wood 83
King's Lynn Town (0) 1 Barratt 75
Tonbridge Angels win on penalties 4-3
Attendance: 835

Admission: £12 Senior
Programme: £3
Mileage: 38/4,429

History was made when Tonbridge Angels reached the last 16 of the FA Trophy for the first time when 19-year-old Luke Jenkins slotted home his spot kick to win the shoot out 4-3.

The game was taken to the dreaded spot kicks after Tommy Wood had equalised in the 83rd minute after the visitors, King’s Lynn Town had taken a 75th minute lead with a curling free kick from the edge of the box from Joshua Barrett.

Steve McKimm brought Wood into the starting line-up for the cup-tied Adam Coombes and Tom Beere replaced the suspended Doug Loft. New signing from Crystal Palace, James Taylor, came in for the injured Tommy Parkinson.

The first half brought very few chances with the visitors perhaps having the greater share of the possession but the Angels, finished the half the stronger, having the clearer of what were very much half-chances.

Tonbridge were on the front foot from the outset of the first half and almost went in front on 51 minutes when Wood’s cross from met by Joe Turner who shot hit the post before the ball was scrambled to safety.

The National League side took an undeserved lead after 75 minutes when a foul on the edge of the box allowed Barrett to curl a shot from 20 yards beyond the reach of Jonny Henly and into the net.

The lead was to last eight minutes as substitute Aaron Smith-Joseph managed to get in a cross from the left under pressure that was met at the far post with a header from Wood that goalkeeper Paul Jones could only help into the net.

Both sides had half chances to win the game before the spot kicks but to penalties it went. King’s Lynn’s first penalty from Michael Clunnan was saved by Henly and Ibrahim Olutade scored to give the Angels the lead. Successful penalties (Angels from Turner) took the score to 2-2 before Adam Lovatt missed his spot kick. King’s Lynn missed their fourth penalty and Craig Braham-Barrett restored the lead. King’s Lynn’s final penalty was scored, heaping the pressure on the young shoulders of Jenkins, but with nerves of steel he sent the visiting goalkeeper the wrong way and the Angels had made it to the FA Trophy last 16!

A naturally delighted Steve McKimm said after the game: “The players, to a man, were an absolute credit to themselves, their families and the club. We are in the draw on Monday and that’s a fantastic advert for Tonbridge Angels. For the season we’ve had so far, it’s brilliant.

Hero Jonny Henly, who saved two spot kicks, remarked: “Big respect to all the players that took penalties, they are the ones under the most pressure. As a goalie, you are not expected to save them, but I did and it’s great for the club.

It was an excited attendance of 835 that left Longmead looking forward to Monday’s draw which is live on TalkSport at 3:15 pm.

Pictures: Dave Couldridge

Greenways 2 Crowborough Athletic 3

Match 82/21/1946 - Monday, 11th January 2022 - SCEFL Challenge Cup 2R

Greenways (0) 2 Reardon 59 Austin 90+2
Crowborough Athletic (1) 3 Tyrie 45 Lambert 65 Murrain 107
After extra time
Estimated attendance: 50

Admission: £3 Senior
Programme: None
Mileage: 28/4,391

The Government seem to be implying that Covid is going away, but once more it is the virus that brings another postponement and another change of direction. Tonbridge Angels Under-18’s game at Chatham Town fell victim to the protocols with cases in the Tonbridge camp, so it was off to Maidstone, and specifically, Cobdown, the strange present abode of Greenways, whose natural home is Gravesend. The attraction being the presence in the Crowborough squad of several past and present Tonbridge Academy lads, of which Ben Hermitage has been added.

Suitably wrapped up to face a cold evening, I probably ended up slightly overdressed as it was nowhere near as cold as I expected. However, my knowledge of the SCEFL Challenge Cup rule book was found to be wanting as the game found its way into extra time rather than going straight to penalties as I had wrongly assumed would be the case.

First clear chance of the evening fell the way of Crowborough’s Joe Tyrie, whose header from a corner cleared the bar.

The game drifted rather aimlessly through the first half-hour with neither side particularly threatening to break the deadlock.

A few minutes after, the referee showed the first of what was to be far too many yellow cards as a spot of handbags followed a robust challenge.

On 36 minutes, Greenways goalkeeper, Daniel Stevens, produced a decent save to turn away a shot from Elliott Duncan at his near post.

On the stroke of half-time it was the visiting Crows that opened the scoring when a corner found its way to beyond the far post from where Tyrie steered the ball home. Stevens made a desperate attempt to claw the ball back from the line but the linesman ruled it had crossed the line.

Greenways, who occupy a place in the lower reaches of the First Division, a level below that of their visitors, started the second period positively but, nine minutes into the half, it took a save from Stevens and the crossbar to deny Jack Funnell.

The referee was being kept busy with some heavy challenges that took the home side’s yellow card count to four by the 55th minute with Crowborough adding a couple to his paperwork.

But, on the hour, Greenways fashioned an equaliser that it would be hard to deny that wasn’t coming. A poor defensive clearance saw the ball recycled to Tom Reardon, who picked out the top corner with a really good strike.

Greenways parity was only to last six minutes when a piss-take of a goal from Jacob Lambert restored the Crows lead. Jinking his way across the edge of the box evading tackles before finding his path blocked; a pass wide returned as Lambert had moved into space, beat a couple more and a shot into the bottom corner. My £3 entrance money completely repaid!

In fairness to Greenways they didn’t give up the ghost and after having a goal disallowed and forcing Grant into a good save, they found an equaliser two minutes into time added. A corner was poorly cleared to the edge of the box from where Lucas Austin fired in a shot that took a wicked deflection, wrong footing Grant.

As referee and linesman hurried from the pitch at full-time, one was left to wonder what was happening but as it turned out they only had a pressing appointment with the Gents before embarking on the extra half-hour!

Crowborough dominated the extra half-hour and their greatest threat was a floodlight switch-off after 10 minutes. The Cobdown lights are on a timer that switches them off automatically at 10 o’clock and the stadium was plunged into darkness. After six or seven minutes, that seemed so much longer, lighting was restored.

Two minutes into the second period of extra-time, a Lambert corner was met at the near post by substitute Lucas Murrain to glance past the advancing Stevens.

The game was seen out with relative comfort by Crowborough although Lambert took another heavy challenge to earn the home side their fifth caution of the evening.

A long way from a wasted evening, even if it took a good deal longer than expected!

Tonbridge Angels 2 Hungerford Town 1

Match 81/21/1945 - Saturday, 8th January 2022 - National League South

Tonbridge Angels (0) 2 Wood 86,90+8
Hungerford Town (1) 1 Evans 45
Attendance: 541

Admission: Season Ticket
Programme: £3
Mileage: 38/4,363

Football, don’t you just love it! (Or hate it in equal measures.) The final 10 minutes which ultimately turned into 21 encapsulated everything people love the game for, whilst the first 80 minutes was a microcosm of Tonbridge’s season so far.

They dominated the game; managed to keep 19 goal striker Ryan Seager quiet for a second time this season; created chances that fell by the wayside and even saw a penalty saved by the excellent, if incredibly irritating, Hungerford goalkeeper Luke Cairney.

The morning, through into lunchtime and beyond, had brought heavy rain and it is a testament to the groundstaff that these days the pitch is durable and able to withstand such a deluge.

In these days of drought in terms of goals, on publication of the team sheet, eyes are immediately drawn to the front two and on this occasion, Tommy Wood and Aaron Smith-Joseph were returned to the bench from the starting eleven in favour of Adam Coombes and a pushed forward Joe Turner.

Turner had the opening couple of chances for the Angels that did not test Cairney but after a quarter of an hour it was his cross that Luke Watkins headed narrowly wide.

Almost immediately play switched to the opposite end and Seager showed his potency with a strike that came back from the crossbar with the follow-up effort blocked by the hosts.

Jenkins, an 18-year-old loanee from AFC Wimbledon is proving himself not only a capable defender but a threat in the air from set pieces and from a corner on 28 minutes he challenged Cairney, but as is too often the case, the referee saw in favour of the goalkeeper.

In the closing minutes of the half, Tonbridge were firmly on top with several half-chances but it was the visitors that opened the scoring in the final minute after a clearance only found Jake Evans whose low drive beat Jonny Henly at his near post.

Cairney was collected every high cross into the box with ease and Tonbridge had a hand on heart moment on the hour when Henly raced from his goal to dive at the feet of Sol Wanja-Smith. The Hungerford striker went down, but referee Jack Paxman saw that it was a clear dive and showed the yellow card.

On 64 minutes, a major turning point in the game arrived, when following a corner, that saw various sets of legs trying to hack the ball either forwards or towards goal, Jenkins was brought down and the referee pointed to the spot and sent the offending Louis McGrory receive a second yellow and subsequent walk to the dressing room.

Turner’s spot kick was reasonably well struck, certainly well directed towards the bottom corner but Cairney was equal to it and saved brilliantly.

The lack of goals; chances having gone begging and the talisman missing a spot kick weighed heavily on the mind concluding that once again this was not going to be our day and these thoughts were not improved when substitute Ibrahim Olutade steered a very presentable headed opportunity well wide.

Steve McKimm was positive with his substitutions, Olutade having arrived for midfielder Doug Loft and Tom Beere on for defender Harry Hudson and with a final throw of the dice Tommy Wood replaced Coombes.

Wood made an instant impact forcing Cairney into another save as the ten men visitors managed to get their bodies in front of the ball time after time and also embarked on a time wasting mission that brought a caution for the goalkeeper.

Tonbridge finally got their reward with four minutes remaining when Wood pounced on a rebound following Craig Braham-Barrett’s shot to score from close range.

Cairney produced an unbelievable save with his feet from a Tom Beere drive and when the board showed added time of five minutes it seemed less than generous. A melee of players on the half-way line brought a lengthy stoppage as the referee restored order and the clocked ticked on to the 98th minute when the excellent Braham-Barrett crossed in from the left and, once again, Wood was on the end of it to steer the ball into the net. For Tommy Wood, it was just like buses!

In the stands, demented older people danced with delight not befitting their age, oh, that was me!

The game actually reached its 101st minute before those same people were able to dance again to the tune of the final whistle.

The moment had a Brightlingsea feel about it, and it struck the same chord with the manager who made a mention of that now famous day. History won’t repeat itself with promotion but National South safety will do nicely.

Tonbridge Angels Academy 2 Erith Town Academy 2

Match 80/21/1944 - Wednesday, 5th January 2022 - National League U19 Alliance

Tonbridge Angels (0) 2 Tyrie 71 Hermitage 83
Erith Town (1) 2 Gibson 26 Aroch 58
Headcount: 15

Admission: Free
Programme: None
Mileage: 28/4,325

When third meets second and with either side having the opportunity of climbing to the top of their division, a decent game of football should ensue and the Academies of Tonbridge Angels and Erith Town did not disappoint.

Ultimately, a point apiece was a fair result but helped neither side in their chase of Bromley Whites, who stretched their lead at the top of the National League Under-19 Alliance with a 3-0 win over Welling United.

From the outset, Erith Town looked to be the side that had brushed off its Christmas rustiness but the Angels worked their way into the game and the visiting goalkeeper, Ali Orcelik, needed to stretch his already considerable frame to save from Luca Woodhouse’s free kick and a particularly fine save, clawing the ball out of the top corner to deny Finley Hartley.

From 20 minutes through to half-time, Erith took control of the game with Asanti Aroch proving difficult to contain as a left-sided wing back and from the middle of the field captain Tom Ash in the midst of much of what they were doing well.

Tonbridge’s goalkeeper, Nat Gibb, made a good low save from a shot by Lennie Barnes which took an awkward deflection and, after 22 minutes, made an even better save, tipping onto the bar and over a header from Joe Chalker.

After 26 minutes, Erith’s pressure brought them a deserved opening goal when a shot from Sachi Gibson found the bottom corner.

Erith’s dominance continued, although into first half injury time, Orcelik excelled to save with his feet from Hartley and from the resultant corner Will Saunders headed over.

Tommy Parkinson shuffled his pack during the break bringing on Shea Brennan and Billy Kent for Sam Grant and Luca Woodhouse and there was an immediate greater sense of urgency about their play.

Hartley was once more denied by the excellent Orcelik, touching his shot onto the post within the opening two minutes, but a few minutes later Tom Green produced a goal line clearance after a mix up in the Angels’ defence.

From a Ben Twist corner, Ben Hermitage saw his effort saved and from the corner, Joe Tyrie’s header only found the hands of the goalkeeper.

But, somewhat against the run of play, Erith doubled their advantage when Aroch curled in a beauty from the edge of the box into the top corner.

Tonbridge’s fightback began on 71 minutes when a shot from outside of the box by Hermitage was deflected in by skipper Tyrie and the search for an equaliser and, perhaps even a winner was on as the home side looked to be finishing much the stronger.

But they still needed to beat the redoubtable Orcelik, who brilliantly saved a 30 yard drive from Tyrie and came out on top once more in his battle with the Angels’ captain following a header.

But the Angels last 20 minutes of pressure was finally rewarded with seven minutes to go when, following a Ben Twist free kick, Hermitage was in the right place to nod home an equaliser.

Tommy Parkinson said after the game that it was “a great comeback from 2-0 after a very disappointing first half. First game back for three weeks and it showed in large parts today, but great character from the squad to come back against a very good Erith team.”

Bearsted 2 Canterbury City 2

Match 79/21/1943 - Monday, 3rd January 2022 - SCEFL Premier

Bearsted (1) 2 Irvine 38 Stace 57
Canterbury City (0) 2 Amgbaduba 80 O'Donnell 85
Attendance: 113

Admission: £4 Senior
Programme: Included
Mileage: 15/4,297

No disrespect to Bearsted but they were a last minute, third choice destination for a game on Bank Holiday Monday. Waterlogged pitches at Tunbridge Wells and Staplehurst (a novel reason for a postponement these days, rather than Covid) had led to the change of plan, but as is quite often the case, it brought an enjoyable afternoon with a entertaining game of football.

As I senior citizen, with £4 for entry that included a programme, I could hardly go wrong with a 15 mile round trip from home an added bonus.

The context of the game centred on Bearsted losing their goalkeeper, Tom Barns, after 10 minutes. Barns went down injured within the first five minutes but soldiered on for a few more until he needed to be replaced by Joel Wakefield, normally an outfield player. For 70 of the remaining minutes, Bearsted protected him and whilst he had been onfield for an hour before he needed to use his hands, he swept well behind his defenders clearing everything that got behind them.

It makes it hard to fathom that Canterbury barely produced a heart beat flutter for 80 minutes but then produced two goals, the equaliser a wonderful strike from Harry O’Donnell, in the last 10 minutes. It was almost as if it took them that long to realise Wakefield was a stand-in keeper who brought cheers from the home support with every clearance.

Bearsted had the best of the first half chances with City goalkeeper, Tom Benham, saving well from Jordan Tingley and Andy Irvine before Irvine rolled back the years on 38 minutes as he cruised through some pretty feeble defending to put the Bears a goal to the good at the break.

On 57 minutes, Sam Stace curled a beauty from 25 yards to double Bearsted’s advantage and they were looking very comfortable with it.

Bearsted should have put the game to bed with chances for Jon Rogers who struck a post and then, in the 76th minute, clipped the top of the bar.

After an hour of barely dirtying his mate’s gloves, Wakefield was brought into serious action and he excelled making a couple of decent saves before, in the 80th minute, a poor clearance from Wakefield went straight to Eniye Amgbaduba in a clear shooting position and he gave Wakefield no chance with a unerring finish.

Canterbury sensed that there was something to be had from this game and with five minutes to go, O’Donnell, who had looked City’s most likely outlet for a goal, latched onto a loose ball on the left hand side of the six yard box and volleyed in a fine strike into the far corner.

City might well have gone on to win the game and it took a save from Wakefield that any goalkeeper would have been proud of to preserve a point for the home side.

Maidstone United 2 Tonbridge Angels 0

Match 78/21/1942 - Sunday, 2nd January 2022 - National League South

Maidstone United (2) 2 Odusanya 34 Luque 44
Tonbridge Angels (0) 0
Attendance: 3,116

Admission: £13 Senior
Programme: None
Mileage: 20/4,282

It’s done and if I had my way it wouldn’t need doing ever again. A local derby, anywhere up and down the country, is acrimonious and I get that, but trips to the Gallagher are just plain horrible and to be frank I could not care if Maidstone just ran through the divisions, up or down, just as long as we do not have be in the same league. Their team at this time are the best in National South, but their supporters are the worst and the club itself is about as unwelcoming and as far away from the spirit of non league as you can get.

The Angels fell to a second Christmas defeat at the hands of our A26 neighbours, Maidstone United at the Gallagher, who after a run of six straight wins rise to the summit of the National League South table.

For a half-an-hour, the visitors gave as good as they got, but once Maidstone took the lead on 34 minutes, they took control of the game and a second before the break left Steve McKimm’s side with a second half mountain that they were unable to climb.

McKimm shuffled his strike force bringing Aaron Smith-Joseph back into starting line-up for Adam Coombes, who was unavailable. Jamie Fielding and Doug Loft also returned for Tom Beere and Harry Hudson who took their places on the bench.

The opening 10 minutes were a struggle for both sides with neither coming to terms with a stiff wind that eventually brought heavy rain for a period. Passes were overhit with regular abandon as the pitch almost appeared two sizes too small.

Tonbridge were the first side to soil either goalkeeper’s gloves as Joe Turner’s cross-cum-shot was comfortably dealt with by Tom Hadler and, after 22 minutes, a long throw from Luke Jenkins caused confusion in the Maidstone defence before Brown turned the ball away for a corner.

The Angels had a golden opportunity to take the lead two minutes later when a cross from the right saw first Loft miss his kick and, perhaps distracted by Loft’s attempt, the ball fell to Tommy Wood who also failed to make a clean contact with the ball.

Just past the half-hour, Wood knocked the ball forward for Turner to run onto but he was closed down by the advancing Hadler who blocked the ball with his body just beyond his penalty area.

Sadly for the Angels, with two opportunities having come and gone, it was the home side that took the lead on 34 minutes when the ball was played square by Jack Barham into the path of Dom Odusanya who drove an unerring shot from 20 yards into the top corner.

Tonbridge failed to get to the break with a single goal deficit when, in the final minute of the half, Tommy Parkinson misplaced a back pass towards his goalkeeper from the far right touchline and Barham latched onto it and crossed for Joan Luque who was left with a tap in at the far post.

McKimm replaced Jerry O’Sullivan for Craig Braham-Barrett for the start of the second period and the Angels started on the front foot with a header from Turner being collected by Hadler.

The vast majority of the second period saw the home side seemingly content to hold what they had and Tonbridge not really having the guile to open up their defence although Jenkins went close with a header.

The game, which at times had been tetchy, was probably ended as a contest six minutes from time when Loft was shown a red card for a high challenge.

The home side saw the game out with a couple of chances falling to Odusanya, who saw his shot well blocked by Henly and to Barham who fired wide.

A naturally disappointed Steve McKimm commented after the game that “they punished us when we made a couple of mistakes, they held on and defended resolutely.” And reflecting on his side’s position in the table: “Of course we’re in a relegation battle, we’re third from bottom. We were before the game. The fans were great again but we have to give them something to cheer about.”

Hythe Town 1 Herne Bay 2

Match 77/21/1941 - Saturday, 1st January 2022 - Isthmian League South East

Hythe Town (1) 1 Woodhouse 17
Herne Bay (2) 2 Harvey 17 Campbell 36
Attendance: 356

Admission: £7 Senior
Programme: £2
Mileage: 70/4,262

Saturday isn’t a Saturday without football, so New Year’s Day took me to a neutral game, something of a rarity for me these days.

Basically I selected Hythe Town v Herne Bay to watch a couple of old Angels faces in the shape of Liam Smith in the home side and Jack Parter for the Bay. But I got a little extra with Charlie Webster for Hythe and Adem Ramadan on the opposition bench with the added bonus of a surprise debut in the Hythe line-up for Tonbridge Academy player Luca Woodhouse.

Woodhouse had a fine game, scored, struck a post and didn’t look out of place in senior football.

My original player watch saw Liam Smith looking comfortable in a central defensive role and Jack Parter still looking like he could occupy the left back role at Longmead in National South.

A low cross from Parter that begged a touch was the first action of the game as Herne Bay dominated the opening stages. A good move saw Kieron Campbell’s shot deflected over the bar and Zak Ansah bring a fine save, low to his left, out of Henry Newcombe. So it came as no surprise when the visitors took a 14th minute lead from the resultant corner that was met with a header that was cleared from the line by Jack Mayhew but only to Laurence Harvey who finished with a good strike from 15 yards.

Going behind shook the New Year’s Eve cobwebs out of the home side and a couple of minutes later they very nearly equalised when an audacious chip from Tyler Sterling struck the post.

But Herne Bay’s reprieve lasted a mere minute when Woodhouse found himself in space to curl a shot into the top corner from 20 yards.

The Bay continued to have the better of the game and after Rory Smith had fired narrowly wide and Newcombe save well from Ansah they went back in front after 36 minutes when Kieron Campbell was allowed to cut in from the left before letting fly with a shot that went through the Hythe goalkeeper.

Chances were thinner on the ground in the second period, the closest coming from Woodhouse whose shot from outside of the box came back from the angle of the post and bar on 59 minutes.

Hythe had the better of the second half but it was a bit huff and puff and the visitors goalkeeper, Jordan Perrin, wasn’t seriously threatened.

Herne Bay had the ball in the net following a corner but this was ruled out for a push and Perrin made his only serious save of the half on 78 minutes from Scott Doe.

This was a decent game of football, a no pressure hors d’oeuvre, for tomorrow’s big derby game at the Gallagher.