Kennington 2 Tunbridge Wells 0

Match 8/22/2015 - Saturday, 30th July 2022 - SCEFL Premier

Kennington (2) 2 Griffin 12 Middleton 30
Tunbridge Wells (0) 0
Attendance: 256

Admission: £5 Senior
Programme: £2.50
Mileage: 36/986

Tunbridge Wells began the new season, in fact a new era under the management of Luke Carpenter, with an inauspicious performance at Homelands, where hosts Kennington groundshare with Ashford United.

A poor first half display did see some improvement in the second period but they failed to break down the Kennington defence despite the home side having been reduced to 10 men after a dreadful challenge from Charlie Owen brought a red card after 25 minutes.

The Wells began slowly and paid an early price when Kennington went in front after 13 minutes when a misplaced cross from right back Jordan Griffin sailed over the head of goalkeeper Billy Johnson into the far corner.

Following Owen’s dismissal, Connor Pring brought a good stop from Kennington’s keeper Joe Mant with the rebound being struck home by Trevor McCreadie, only to be disappointed by an offside decision.

That disappointment was compounded two minutes later when Liam Middleton capitalised on a slip by a Wells defender to fire in a shot that was parried by Johnson, but the striker collected the rebound to score into the bottom corner.

The visitors fashioned a chance when a cross from James Nurden found Jack Palmby but his effort was straight at the goalkeeper.

Tunbridge Wells dominated the second half as the 10 men of the home side defended their lead but the chances came and went without testing Mant to any great degree.

McCreadie had the ball in the net on the hour converting a cross from Jaan Stanley with a header that was chalked off by a very doubtful offside decision.

Attempting the draw some positives for Tunbridge Wells, there wasn’t many better players on the pitch than Palmby and McCreadie definitely gave the impression that he has goals in him given a better service than he received today.

Away from the game, with the new Tonbridge Angels pitch nearing completion, a viewing of this first generation surface at Homelands offers plenty of warnings for the future if it is not maintained correctly. This pitch had its problems from the outset and now is in such a sad state, as the pictures below show, that it really needs to be retired to the recycling plant.

Sheppey United U18 3 Tonbridge Angels U18 0

Match 7/22/2014 - Monday, 25th July 2022 - Pre-Season Friendly

Sheppey United U18 (1) 3
Tonbridge Angels U18 (0) 0
Headcount: 50

Admission: Free
Programme: None
Mileage: 56/950

Margate 1 Tonbridge Angels 3

Match 6/22/2013 - Saturday, 23rd July 2022 - Pre-Season Friendly

Margate (0) 1 Bessey-Saldanha 76
Tonbridge Angels (1) 3 Trialist (TQ) 45 Parkinson 63 Miles 81
Attendance: 298

Admission: Pass
Programme: None
Mileage: 110/894

Thankfully it is nearly over! One final friendly at Wingate and Finchley next Saturday which I'm not attending and we can get down the serious business of winning points. It has been an odd pre-season. Off the pitch I've deliberately restricted myself to Tonbridge games in light of the price of fuel but, more importantly, on the pitch, Jay Saunders has been been denied the opportunity of pitching his side against superior opposition and even putting out what he would consider his strongest team with a series of absences and minor knocks. Sadly, even the 6th August opening day is clouded with disappointment for myself as with a delay to the new FIFA approved surface at Longmead, the home game with Weymouth has been switched and, annoyingly, I'm unable to be away for a whole day on this occasion. Weymouth appears to be a ground that will forever elude me. The last time they were in the same division as Tonbridge, the away game was cancelled as Covid brought a premature end to the season, watch them win promotion this season.

Farsley Celtic 0 Tonbridge Angels 3

Match 5/22/2012 - Saturday, 16th July 2022 - Pre-Season Friendly

Farsley Celtic (0) 0
Tonbridge Angels (0) 3 Fagg 11
New Ground: 350
Attendance: 150-ish

Admission: £3 Senior
Programme: £3
Mileage: 488/784

This was the most looked forward to trip of pre-season. A journey up north to an unusual destination with an unlikely ground tick.

Farsley Celtic are based outside of Leeds, a couple of train stops to New Pudsey from the city. They play in National League North and were involved in a relegation scrap last season that went down to the last day of the season before they secured their status.

As a ground tick, The Citadel doesn’t set the pulses racing but with its seating behind one goal and the main stand, it seats around 300 people in a capacity of 4,000. But sitting on a seven acre site there is massive potential.

There are two nice bars in the clubhouse along with an outside beer garden area that on a hot day was put to good use by the travelling Tonbridge support that numbered around the 20 mark. But, apart from coming away with a healthy 3-0 win, the trip will be remembered for the hospitable welcome offered by everyone at Farsley.

The day had started early with a 6:30 am dog walk before leaving Staplehurst on the 8:20 train. The rail network behaved itself perfectly with every journey running to time, arriving back home at 11:50 pm, a long day but a worthwhile one.

The game itself was a strange affair with Farsley dominating for over an hour but were wasteful in the extreme with the chances that they were offered before folding once the Angels had taken a 70th minute lead.

Tonbridge, who were without Louis Collins (injured) and Femi Akinwande (unavailable) had a makeshift striker in the shape of Tommie Fagg whose 19th minute strike was the first real attempt on goal. In reply, almost immediately, Farsley fashioned a good chance that was squandered without troubling Jonny Henly and sadly for the hosts this became a pattern of the game.

The early part of the second half saw further chances for the home side that went begging before the Angels had their best chance when a teasing cross from Mason Saunders-Henry just evaded the head of Lewis Gard.

But, two minutes later, on 70 minutes, the Angels opened the scoring when a in-swinging corner from Ben Hermitage sailed directly into the net for his first senior goal.

If I was a Farsley Celtic supporter, given their struggles last season, what happened in those final 20 minutes would concern me greatly, because they folded like the proverbial pack of cards although Henly was forced to make his only real save of the game before good work down the left saw a close range tap-in for Saunders-Henry on 78 minutes.

The same source provided a close range header for Fagg on 82 minutes and the game was done and dusted.

A very enjoyable day, capped by a sound performance and win. Who could ask for much more from pre-season.

Corinthian 0 Tonbridge Angels 1

Match 4/22/2011 - Tuesday, 12th July 2022 - Pre-Season Friendly

Corinthian (0) 0
Tonbridge Angels (1) 1 Fagg 11
Attendance: 50-ish

Admission: £3 Senior
Programme: None
Mileage: 60/296

The novelty of preseason is already wearing off, there is only so much to write about the weather, trialists and grounds that have been visited and described many times before, even if Gay Dawn Farm is one of the more quaint. So, the result was as it says at the top and I won’t waste anymore of your time with a lot of drivel! Saturday will be a bit different, a proper adventure up north and worthy of more of an effort!

Cray Wanderers 1 Tonbridge Angels 1

Match 3/22/2010 - Saturday, 9th July 2022 - Pre-Season Friendly

Cray Wanderers (0) 1 Cook 76
Tonbridge Angels (1) 1 Gard 76
Attendance: 100-ish

Admission: £5 Senior
Programme: None
Mileage: 80/236

On a blazing hot afternoon which was more readily associated with the Wimbledon Ladies Final shown on the big screen in the beer garden at Bromley, Jay Saunders’ Tonbridge Angels enjoyed a good first half in which they should have taken the game beyond their Isthmian Premier League hosts, Cray Wanderers but he second half was a different story and Cray were well worth their draw at the final whistle.

I’ve been to Bromley’s Hayes Lane several times with the Academy since the building of the Glyn Beverly Stand but the Broomfields Bar and Kitchen has never been open, so even if it was only to purchase a cup of tea (for the rather extortionate price of £2) it was a chance to view the 500-capacity facility and it did leave me with a massive case of ground envy. Firstly walking into the bar you pass a trophy cabinet that houses the FA Trophy won by Bromley back in May before entering the cavernous and tastefully decorated bar. All this is, of course, underneath a 1,450-seater stand that in itself is superb. But, of course, none of this has anything to do with Cray Wanderers, who are themselves in the process of building a new home at Flamingo Park, Sidcup.

Saunders has reduced his trialist to a single, new addition who played in the second half. I, and I think most others, can start to see the opening day team being based around the starting eleven at Cray with a couple of obvious changes who played in the second period, plus the post-match interview hint that there might be one further addition to the squad.

As already said Tonbridge were dominant in the first half with Jamie Fielding finding plenty of space to raid down the right side and supply a series of crosses that offered chances for Louis Collins and Joe Turner before eventually in the 39th minute his cross to the far post found the head of Lewis Gard. It was good to see the industry of Emmanuel Maja offering the space to bring out the best in Doug Loft.

The raft of second half changes saw Tonbridge losing their shape with Cray capitalising and whilst the Angels reshaped side, including three Academy lads, defended well it was a goal that was a while coming when a cross from the right was steered into the net by Anthony Cook after 76 minutes.

It was a rather run-of-the-mill friendly, interesting if you support one or other of the sides or a groundhopper with a particular interest in club bars.

Folkestone Invicta 0 Tonbridge Angels 3

Match 2/22/2009 - Tuesday, 5th July 2022 - Pre-Season Friendly

Folkestone Invicta (0) 0
Tonbridge Angels (2) 3 Turner (pen) 6 Collins 11 Tralist 80
Attendance: 296

Admission: £5 Senior
Programme: None
Mileage: 76/156

A step up in opposition; more minutes into the legs and a reduction in trialists is the process of each and every pre-season whilst a trip to Neil Cugley’s Folkestone is never anything less than a stern test.

A very warm day had led to a balmy evening at Cheriton Road bringing an attendance of 296 which included a healthy following of visiting supporters. I did want to describe looking out onto Invicta lush green grass surface but in fairness it looked a little brown and patchy in places. What was in pristine condition was the refurbished terrace at the cricket ground end which always presented a fine viewing point but now restored to a top quality area.

Jay Saunders selection saw his first half team extending their time on the pitch to an hour giving those playing the “opening eleven” game a few clues, or perhaps not! The substitutions brought 10 changes with only the trialist, Simeon D, playing out the full 90 minutes.

The Angels were on the front foot from the first whistle and Sonny Miles saw a header cleared from the line before the visitors went ahead after six minutes through a Joe Turner penalty after Louis Collins had been brought down.

A second goal was quickly added, when a Turner corner was headed across the face of goal for Tommie Fagg to lay a pass into the path of Collins who struck an unerring finish from 12 yards.

Tonbridge were completely in charge of the game but it took a goal line clearance from Manny Maje to deny a Folkestone effort following a free kick after 19 minutes.

In the space of a minute, just past the half-hour mark both Miles and Ben Swift saw headers cleared from the line following corners.

Into the second half and Femi Akinwande had a couple of efforts blocked and Miles saw his third headed attempt go wide before the mass substitution on hour but not before Jonny Henly having a nervous moment when he was beaten to the ball on the edge of the penalty area but, having touched the ball past the keeper, the Invicta striker lost his footing with the goal gaping.

The changes saw the introduction of four Academy lads; another unnamed trialist plus Tommy Parkinson, Doug Loft and Mason Saunders-Henry.

The changes altered the momentum of the game in the home side’s favour for a while but it was the Angels who added to their lead with 10 minutes remaining as Saunders-Henry drove into the box to pull the ball back from the bye-line for the substitute trialist to tuck home from close range.

A satisfied Jay Saunders commented after the final whistle: “First half really good, we started the game well and probably should have put a couple more away. It was always the plan to play 60 minutes and make those changes and I was really pleased with the young lads who came on. Folkestone will be up there so there were a lot of positive signs.”

Sutton Common Rovers 1 Tonbridge Angels 5

Match 1/22/2008 - Saturday, 2nd July 2022 - Pre-Season Friendly

Sutton Common Rovers (0) 1
Tonbridge Angels (4) 5 Akinwande 9,19,41,45 Gard 87
Estimated Attendance: 150
Played at AFC Whyteleafe

Admission: £4
Programme: None
Mileage: 80/80

A new era began at Church Road, the shared home of Sutton Common Rovers. A new man at the helm who has introduced eight new players (so far) and at sometime in the near future a return to Longmead Stadium will see that the hallowed turf has been replaced by a FIFA-approved 3G surface. The sun rose on Church Road to welcome in a bright new future for Tonbridge Angels.

What never changes, of course, is the support and there was a healthy following to watch Jay Saunders’ first selection play two different sides each half with the new players supplementing a core of players from Steve McKimm’s tenure and a clutch of trialists.

Ultimately, the Angels cruised to a 5-1 victory with Femi Akinwande scoring all four first half goals and in Saunders first post match interview he related: “Overall there were positives, some things that could be better but to come away injury free and get a win is always good.”

The first half Akinwande Show began after seven minutes when a ball pumped forward from the trialist left back saw the burly striker outmuscle his marker before burying a shot into the bottom corner.

Ten minutes later he rifled in the first of two 25 yarders past a despairing keeper.

The Angels were looking fluent against their Isthmian League opponents and chances arrived for Doug Loft and Tommie Fagg, whose shot was very narrowly wide.

Akinwande completed his hat-trick on 41 minutes with a goal that pleased him, receiving a pass from Loft into the left hand channel where he nutmegged his defender before slotting into the far corner from the tightest of angles. Femi later commented: “it was one of those days for me. The third one, the nutmeg, was my favourite.”

Not that his fourth, in the final minute of the half, was too shabby! Collecting a clearance, his half volley fairly rocketed into the top corner, leaving the Rovers goalkeeper clutching at thin air.

The second period saw Academy player Leo Vowles brought down in the box for the award of a 48th minute penalty but Joe Turner’s spot kick was kept out by the trailing leg of the Kasper Schmeichel look-alike SCR goalkeeper.

“Schmeichel” actually did very well in the second period making good saves to deny Lewis Gard, Turner and a particularly fine effort to thwart Louis Collins after a superb through ball from Manny Maja.

SCR pulled a goal back with 11 minutes remaining with a lob over the trialist second half goalkeeper, but Gard had the last word finishing a pass from Jamie Fielding.

It was a good run-out in the Surrey sunshine and attention now turns to Tuesday evening on the East Kent coast when the Angels visit Folkestone Invicta.