Tonbridge Angels 1 Havant & Waterlooville 1

Match 48/22/2055 - Saturday, 26th November 2022 - National League South

Tonbridge Angels (1) 1 Greenidge 9
Havant & Waterloovile (0) 1 Faal 83
Attendance: 964

Admission: Season Ticket
Programme: £3
Mileage: 38/3,502

The loudspeakers belted out The Proclaimers and the crowd sang along. This was captain Sonny Miles’ day, a 500th appearance for the club that he has graced for not far short of two dozen years.

After representing the club as an Under-10; he made his debut in 2008 against Merstham and here we are 14 years later, and barring one season when he was lured to the dark side by now Angels’ manager, Jay Saunders, he continues to be the rock at the centre of our defence with his no-nonsense defending and, friend or foe, a constant stream of chatter.

The team on the other side of the pitch were another of the high-spending, full-time clubs that sit healthily in the top three with their goals scored column the best in the league. So Sonny’s task to celebrate the occasion would be a daunting one and one that threatened to go horribly wrong after 11 minutes in an incident that I’ve only ever seen before on television!

After the presentation of a framed “500 Miles” shirt, Sonny lined up in an Angels XI that showed Craig Braham-Bennett returning to the side with Dajon Golding retiring to the bench.

Havant showed their attacking capabilities right from the outset and Muhammadu Faal put a shot only narrowly wide of the right hand post. But it was Tonbridge that took a ninth minute lead when Jordan Greenidge, winning the ball on the left touchline, surged inside to strike into the far corner.

The lead was apparently not too last too long as one of the strangest incidents I’ve seen in a long while transpired. Initially a cross from the left from Joe Newton was handled by Miles as the ball was about to drop onto the head of Jason Prior. We held our breath, surely not today of all days, was Sonny about to see a red card? Referee Matthew Norton rightly deemed that a cross is not a goal scoring attempt and the yellow was brandished but a penalty given. What happened next was, at first baffling, and something that is going to witnessed very few times in a lifetime. James Roberts stepped up to take the penalty and sent Jonny Henly the wrong way, but as he struck the ball, he slipped and both feet made contact, thus disallowing the goal. It was a great spot from the referee, and I would hasten to add, the young lad stood alongside me!

Louis Collins had a great chance to double the Angels advantage on 24 minutes when Joe Turner headed the ball forward and Collins got in behind the Havant back line but his attempt to lob Brad House was a tame one and the goalkeeper collected with ease.

Havant continued to create chances, Danny Wright flicked a header wide and Faal was denied by Henly with a save at his near post and, five minutes before the break, Faal should have done a lot better than shoot straight at Henly when sent clear.

Henly continued his heroics early into the second period saving with his legs again, this time from Charlie Ruff, whilst just past the hour, Faal shot wastefully over. It was not quite one-way traffic and Greenidge won the ball just inside Havant’s half before sending Devote Aransibia clear but his shot was taken too early and drifted wide.

Henly saved a long shot from Roberts and then produced a remarkable stop to deny Faal and with Paul Rooney blazing the rebound over, as the game entered its final 10 minutes, perhaps another great win was on the cards.

But, in football it is the hope that kills you and with seven minutes remaining those hopes were dashed. Tommy Parkinson, on as a substitute, attempted to shepherd a ball out of play for a goal kick, but Newton hooked the ball back to Faal whose initial shot was parried by Henly but it rebounded back off Faal and into the net.

A point would have been most acceptable before the kick-off but this was heartbreaking. But, this was Captain Fantastic, Sonny Miles’ day, duly awarded Man of the Match (and not without merit) and it was fitting that a superb defensive display had brought reward from the game.

Tonbridge Angels 2 Bracknell Town 4

Match 47/22/2054 - Saturday, 19th November 2022 - FA Trophy 2R

Tonbridge Angels (1) 2 Greenidge 45,56
Bracknell Town (2) 4 Sanders 3 Miles (o.g.) 23 Esprit 49 Grant 73
Attendance: 669

Admission: £12 Senior
Programme: £3 purchased
Mileage: 38/3,464

It’s mid-November so it’s time to bid farewell to the Wembley dream for another year.

In years to come, Angels aficionados and historians will have a favourite quiz question regarding one management team that inflicted two first entry round exits with different clubs in the same season. The answer is Jamie McClurg and Carl Withers and this time there can be no excuses of hopes being kicked into the long grass.

Bracknell Town’s joint management team left Binfield almost immediately after their FA Cup success for their step three neighbours and came to Longmead after an admirable FA Cup First Round performance against Ipswich Town. They replicated their previous employers four goals with a display in which they were the better of their hosts in every department.

The seemingly never-ending procession of new players to Longmead continued with the arrival of a towering striker in the shape of Jordan Greenidge from Hemel Hempstead.

The inconsistency that has become the watchword of this Tonbridge squad is borne of their inability to play the same team in successive games, through unavailability, all season and the consequence is that either side of that magnificent performance at Ebbsfleet there have been shockers at Concord and this Trophy exit.

On the day this was a defensive nightmare but that’s not where the problems have been this season, mostly that’s been okay.

In midfield, how we craved to see Taylor, Gard, Santos and Wagstaff together. Never happened and now never will.

Up front is well chronicled and, despite his two goals, the jury is already out on Greenidge.

A case has to be made that five or six weeks of stability of selection with what we have would, at least, give some clarity and, personally, I’m confident we would continue to accumulate points as players return from long periods of injury.

Bracknell started the game in a positive manner; scored after just three minutes and pretty much stayed on the front foot for rest of the game.

For the opening goal, Jonny Henly saved low from a shot by Joe Grant but his parry only fell at the feet of Darryl Sanders who tucked it home from close range.

Dajon Golding put a diving header well wide before the visitors doubled their lead on 22 minutes when a free kick from the right was floated in to the far post where Sonny Miles turned the ball into his own net under pressure from Grant.

Tonbridge produced a couple of half-chances, headers from Louis Collins and Ben Swift that cleared the bar before they give themselves a lifeline just prior to the break with a goal from Greenidge who converted a Joe Turner cross with a good finish from around eight yards.

Using a well-worn football phrase of “small margins” the game probably had its defining moment just two minutes into the second half when Golding, put through, crashed his shot against the bar and Bracknell broke upfield and almost immediately restored their two goal advantage through Jordan Esprit, who cut in from the left to bury a low shot between Henly and his right hand post.

The Angels gave themselves plenty of time to retrieve the situation when, after 56 minutes, A free kick from Turner found the head of Greenidge and his looping header sailed into the far corner.

After 65 minutes, Henly breathed a sigh of relief as a shot came back off the post straight into his hands but that relief was short-lived as a cross found Grant peeling off the back of a defender to volley home Bracknell’s fourth.

Tonbridge had their half-chances to drag the game into penalties with Collins twice heading over and Greenidge pulling a shot wide, but, in truth, there could be no complaints as to the merit of their visitors success.

Last season’s run to the Quarter Finals of the FA Trophy heightened belief that one day, a Wembley visit might happen but season 2022/23 hopes end, as always, in frustration.

Tonbridge Angels Academy 6 Ebbsfleet United Academy 2

Match 46/22/2053 - Wednesday, 16th November 2022 - National League U19 Alliance

Tonbridge Angels Academy (1) 6 Davies 25 Velvick 47 Tyrie 49 Vowles 52 Hermitage 75 Mdyadora 79
Ebbsfleet United Academy (1) 2
Headcount: 20

Admission: Free
Programme: None purchased
Mileage: 38/3,426

The Academy maintained their unblemished start to the League season whilst inflicting a first defeat on their visitors, Ebbsfleet United, with a comprehensive win at Longmead on Wednesday lunchtime.

Three goals in the opening seven minutes of the second half put the game out of reach of Ebbsfleet after a first half in which the Angels were wasteful in front of goal, despite going into the break a goal to the good.

That lead barely reflected a half of Tonbridge dominance from the outset in which the visiting goalkeeper, Connor Cooper, was not only kept busy but excelled in the process. Two chances went astray in the opening two minutes with Jezreel Davies going close following a corner and, moments later, Hayden Velvick shot across the face of goal.

Will Saunders tested Cooper before the goalkeeper made a double save to deny both Saunders and Ben Hermitage.

Saunders needed to be substituted in the 18th minute by Billy Robbins as the chances continued to be made and wasted, or denied, as Cooper continued to save the day.

On 23 minutes, an extraordinary piece of skill from Davies, deserved a better outcome than a disallowed goal as he beat three players but unfortunately as he lobbed the ball over the head of one defender, the ball struck his hand before he dispatched his shot into the bottom corner.

But Davies was not to be denied two minutes later, when from all of 25 yards, he picked up a loose ball in midfield and struck a shot into the top corner that Cooper could only watch and admire.

The right hand post came to the goalkeeper’s rescue when a cross-cum-shot from Hermitage bounced off the woodwork, who also pulled a shot wide on the stroke of half-time.

Two minutes after the restart, Velvick was sent clear by a long pass forward; the pacy forward took on his marker, turning inside, before firing home a shot past Cooper.

A third goal came on 49 minutes when, following a right-sided corner from Leo Vowles, Tom Green knocked the ball goalwards from the far post for skipper Joe Tyrie to touch it over the line.

In this five minute spell, Robbins did well to pull the ball back inside the area for Vowles to power an unstoppable shot from 12 yards to almost put the game to bed and, perhaps, a little complacency set in as Ebbsfleet pulled two goals back.

Angels’ goalkeeper, Nat Gibb dwelt on the ball and was robbed allowing a tap in for 4-1 and on 72 minutes the visitors might have sensed they were back in the game when a ball out of defence saw Hadez Karim race clear to finish past Gibb.

But tha Angels regained their ascendancy with Josh McArthur setting up Hermitage for 5-2 and substitute Joseph Mdyadora produced a composed finish after cutting in from the right.

Tyrie headed over twice in the closing stages as the Angels finished the game strongly.

Academy Manager Tommy Parkinson commented after the game: “A solid performance from the squad against a good Ebbsfleet side. Some good goals scored but lacked quality in the final third at times.”

Ebbsfleet United 1 Tonbridge Angels 2

Match 45/22/2052 - Saturday, 12th November 2022 - National League South

Ebbsfleet United (0) 1 Monlouis 47
Tonbridge Angels (1) 2 Swift 10 Miles 62
Attendance: 1,507

Admission: Pass
Programme: None purchased
Mileage: 54/3,388

About 200 Angels fans travelled to Ebbsfleet more in hope than any expectation, after all the hosts were top of the league, unbeaten in all competitions, the only club in the pyramid that could make that claim. But, every one of those fans, went home on a high of elation as their team upset the form books to win 2-1.

Captain Fantastic Sonny Miles’ 62nd minute goal (what was he even doing there!) led to a 35 minute assault on the Angels goal but heroic defending, countless blocks as bodies were thrown in front of the ball and superb goalkeeping from Jonny Henly saw Jay Saunders’ team through to a famous victory.

In the relative calm of pre-match, Saunders chose to go with three centre backs, Jamie Fielding alongside Ben Swift and Miles with Tom Parkinson dropping to the bench in favour of Tariq Hinds.

In his Friday Briefing, Saunders said “We are not going to just sit back” and in the opening quarter-hour his team were true to his word as they took the game to their hosts. Dajon Golding was proving a handful leading the line and Tonbridge forced early corners before taking the lead in the 10th minute when a cross from the right was laid back into the path of Swift by Golding and his shot from the edge of the box rocketed into the roof of the net past a helpless Mark Cousins.

Joe Turner was stopped in his tracks by a cynical foul from Ben Chapman and Turner’s effort on 23 minutes needed a good block.

On the half-hour, Ben Swift needed treatment for a cut head that saw him return minutes later, Terry Butcher-like, head swathed in bandages and, no less heroic.

A close range header from Luke O’Neill brought a great save from Henly and whilst Swift was off the field, the Angels goalkeeper made another superb stop to deny Rakish Bingham.

Just prior to the break, Louis Collins was sent clear but his shot was wide of the post.

The league leaders came out for the second half, with probably words from Dennis Kutrieb stinging their ears and they were level within two minutes of the restart when a corner saw Kieran Monlouis rise the highest to head home from a right-sided corner.

The home side should have gone in front when Bingham shot over from right in front of goal but the Angels got their noses back in front on 62 minutes when brilliant persistence from Hinds saw his cross knocked on to the far post by Scott Wagstaff where Miles was positioned to turn the ball in from close range.

The Angels fans were in dreamland but the reality was there was over half-an-hour to play and to defend and to a man, bodies were thrown on the line. Henly saved brilliantly from Dominic Poleon and turned a shot from Shaq Coulthirst away for a corner with a fine low save.

As the clock ticked into an eternally long six minutes of added time, Henly once more came out on top in his contest with Coulthirst and in the third minute substitute Dylan Gavin might have given the Tonbridge supporters a comfortable last couple of minutes when he raced clear only to be denied by a last ditch tackle.

As Henly fell on the ball after yet another corner, referee Callum Walchester brought the curtain down on not only Ebbsfleet’s unbeaten record but a Angels victory that will live long in the memory.

Captain Miles said after the game: “To a man everyone was superb, last ditch tackles, clearances off the line, we took our chances when they came. They are a very, very good team, we did very, very well.” And there is not an Angels supporter tonight that is not echoing those sentiments!

Concord Rangers 1 Tonbridge Angels 0

Match 44/22/2051 - Tuesday, 8th November 2022 - National League South

Concord Rangers (0) 1 Williamson 49
Tonbridge Angels (0) 0
Attendance: 309

Admission: Pass
Programme: None purchased
Mileage: 128/3,334

Tonbridge Angels were left to rue a night, and a first half in particular, of missed chances before falling to a disappointing defeat on a wet, thoroughly miserable evening on Canvey Island.

It was a hugely frustrating evening for the vast majority of the Angels faithful, many of whom were hurrying to get through the turnstile as the first whistle was being blown following an accident on Remembrance Way, the main route on and off the island and then saw their return home lengthily delayed by a road closure on the A21. It truly was a night to forget.

Tariq Hinds was one of those delayed and his place in the starting XI needed to be changed as Jamie Fielding returned. Jeremy Santos' hamstring injury saw the return of Tommy Parkinson whilst Ruben Soares-Junior and TQ Addy were on the bench for Dajon Golding and Joe Turner, who will play on despite needing a hernia operation at the end of the month.

Concord Rangers fielded two old Angels favourites in their line-up with Ricky Modeste starting and D’Sean Theobalds on the bench.

The first half was, well you can choose the adjective, but I’ll go for dumbfounding. Virtual total domination for Tonbridge, corner after corner; miss after miss; block after block and a night in which the Concord goalkeeper, Mitchell Beeney will be able to look back with pride.

It left the Angels supporters with a sense of foreboding at the break that with so many chances that should have seen the game done and dusted, this would come back to bite your arse and they were right.

The list of chances could go on forever. In the sixth minute, Turner brought the first of many fine saves from Beeney, who saved the follow-up from Louis Collins and from the resultant corner, Ben Swift headed over.

And this was the recurring theme, Lewis Gard corner, various headers that were turned over the bar or turned away by Beeney.

It was half-hour into the game before Concord ventured out of their half, let alone force Jonny Henly into a save, but save he did, low to his left, from Mo Bettemer, in what was a minor warning shot across the bows for the Angels.

Right up to the whistle for the break, chances continued to be made; chances continued to be wasted, or to be fair, denied by Beeney who saved from Parkinson and Collins.

The second half was a chalk and cheese performance from the first. An early cross from Gard just eluded Collins at the near post and as the visitors began to huff and puff, their hosts grew in confidence and started to carry a threat of their own and four minutes into the half, a corner for Concord was allowed to drop in the six yard box and Ben Williamson was afforded time and space to poke home.

As the half progressed, Tonbridge continued to press but with the Concord back line standing firm, Beeney was far less employed as it seemed Tonbridge simply ran out of ideas as to how to break down this resilient opponent.

It was hugely frustrating, none more so than for manager Jay Saunders who said after the game: “The team that was out there today was good enough to win that game and if we take our chances we do win the game but we haven’t done that today.”

Tonbridge Angels U18 1 Three Bridges U18 2

Match 43/22/2050 - Monday, 7th November 2022 - Isthmian Youth League Cup 3R

Tonbridge Angels U18 (0) 1 Lambert 67
Three Bridges U18 (2) 2 Kaye 31 Jeffrey 42
Attendance: 30

Admission: £4
Programme: None
Mileage: 38/3,206

Despite a spirited second half from the Angels Under-18’s, they slipped out of the Isthmian Youth League Cup following a 2-1 defeat at the hands of an excellent Three Bridges side that have a 100% league record and made it through the qualifying rounds to earn a FA Youth Cup First Round visit to Portsmouth.

On a blustery night at Longmead Stadium, Three Bridges were much the better side in the first half and the Angels were thankful to goalkeeper, Matt Larkin, that they were still in the game at the break. But, as the coaching staff of Dom Welsh and Joe Roberts made half-time changes to their formation, they made a real fist of the second period and came oh so close to taking the tie to penalties.

From the outset, the East Sussex club were dominant with striker Alex Kaye proving a real handful with successive efforts on 25 minutes seeing a shot deflected wide and Larkin excelling to deny him moments later.

So it came as no surprise, just past the half-hour, when Kaye surged from deep to break clear and shoot past Larkin.

The visitors lead was doubled three minutes before the break when fine work down the left from McKenzie Mortimer ended with his cross being turned in from close range by Reegan Jeffrey.

Dom Welsh said of the first half “They played their shape so well, and we had to adapt ours to combat it, but took us a little too long to do that.”

Finlay McLeod came on for Max Cormack early in the second period and immediately the Angels front line carried a bit more threat and after 67 minutes, a superb through ball from McLeod sent Max Lambert through to score with a clinical finish.

The need to search for the equaliser did leave the Angels exposed at times and Larkin was needed to be at his brilliant best to keep the dream of the quarter finals alive.

But the defining moment of the game came in the last minute of the game when a dream of a pass from Zak Garcia send Lambert clear but, on the edge of the box, the Three Bridges’ Jellen Bedar cynically hacked him down to earn himself a red card but also, as the free kick from Garcia sailed over, win the game in regulation time for his team.

Welsh said after the game: “Undoubtedly our toughest game of the season. Came up against a very good Three Bridges team. A real game of two halves, which in the end we come away thinking we may have done enough to force penalties, but the better team on the night prevailed. Best of luck to them in the quarter finals.”

Photos: Kathryn Bell

Tonbridge Angels 1 Bath City 2

Match 42/22/2049 - Saturday, 5th November 2022 - National League South

Tonbridge Angels (1) 1 Collins 38
Bath City (0) 2 Hayfield 64 Fletcher 72
Attendance: 988

Admission: Season Ticket
Programme: £3
Mileage: 38/3,168

Sometimes my obsession with football in general, but Tonbridge Angels in particular, goes beyond the boundaries of common sense. Stricken with an obvious case of food poisoning, and against the wishes of those close to me (and obviously a lot more sensible), I dragged a very tired body to Longmead. At half-time, I felt that I should give up and go home, but somehow soldiered on to the finish. I got home, went to bed and that is where I stayed for 12 hours!

The Angels, who have been in good form at home recently saw a half-time lead disappear against Bath City, whose away form is as good as any.

On a wet afternoon and with much of the surrounding areas under water following a couple of days of heavy rain, the 3G surface showed its true worth as just under a 1,000 people were able to travel, safe in the knowledge that the game would go ahead.

A late change to the starting XI, saw Jamie Fielding, not quite ready to return following his injury, so Tariq Hinds took the right back slot. Ben Swift returned in place of Joe Tyrie and there was a rare absence for Joe Turner, also injured. New signing Dajon Golding took a place on the bench.

Bath opened the game on the front foot and it took good blocks from Swift to deny Kieran Parselle after five minutes and almost immediately, Parselle sent in a cross that begged a touch in front of goal.

Tonbridge grew into the game and Lewis Gard saw an effort blocked and the Bath keeper, Ryan Clarke, saved from TQ Addy.

Tonbridge had their goalkeeper, Jonny Henly, to thank, saving brilliantly from Dan Hayfield and Luke Spokes, before they went ahead on 38 minutes when a 20 yard effort from Jeremy Santos was only parried by Clarke into the path of Louis Collins, who gratefully took the opportunity.

Santos was injured just prior to the break and needed to be substituted by Nathan Wood for the second half.

The second period saw the visitors take control of the game and from a chance at one end when Craig Braham-Barrett saw his shot saved at the near post, the ball was swept upfield for Hayfield to smash a shot past Henly on 64 minutes.

On 71 minutes, Bath were in front when a corner travelled to the far post and in the midst of a scramble Alex Fletcher poked the ball home.

Tonbridge made a spirited effort too retrieve a point but Bath’s back line stood firm without offering up to much in the way of chances.

And so to bed!

Tonbridge Angels Academy 4 Welling United Academy 0

Match 41/22/2048 - Wednesday, 1st November 2022 - National League Under-19 Alliance

Tonbridge Angels Academy (3) 4 Hermitage 14 Vowles 19 Velvick 36 Tobin 90+2
Welling United Academy (0) 0
Headcount: 11

Admission: Free
Programme: None
Mileage: 38/3,130

Tonbridge Angels Academy maintained a 100% start to their league season with well-earned win at a blustery Longmead Stadium against Welling United.

The Angels had, by far, the better of the first period, but Welling were much improved after the break and goalkeeper, Nat Gibb and his defenders had to work hard for their clean sheet.

An early chance fell to Josh McArthur who was denied by the visiting goalkeeper, Sonny Findlay but, after 14 minutes, the Angels were in front when a defence-splitting through ball from Hayden Velvick sent Ben Hermitage clear to slot past the advancing Findlay.

The score was quickly doubled when, following a free kick conceded centrally on the edge of the box, Leo Vowles curled his shot into the corner.

Welling offered a response with Gibb twice denying Oghosa Williams but it was the home side that were in the ascendancy with Hermitage pulling a shot wide before Velvick made it 3-0, crashing in a shot from a narrow angle following a short corner routine.

An audacious dummy from Velvick sent Vowles clear just before the break but Findlay saved well at his feet.

The second half was far more even with both goalkeepers gainfully employed. Gibb saved from Williams and Chris Newall whilst Findlay did similarly from Hermitage with Tom Green and Kian Austin shooting over the bar.

With 10 minutes remaining, Welling's Newall smashed a shot against the crossbar but, in time added, the final say went to Josh Tobin, who finished a move involving Velvick and Will Saunders, before firing into the corner from 12 yards.

Ashford United U18 1 Tonbridge Angels U18 2

Match 40/22/2047 - Monday, 31st October 2022 - Isthmian Youth League

Ashford United U18 (0) 1 Stanley (pen) 61
Tonbridge Angels U18 (2) 2 Puffette 37 Firman 44
Attendance: 54

Admission: £3s
Programme: None
Mileage: 40/3,082

Tonbridge Angels Under-18’s dug deep in the second half to preserve the points at a wild, rainswept Homelands.

Dom Welsh has needed to utilise his squad to the full with games on successive days. Four players were also in the starting XI against Phoenix Sports in the Kent Cup on Sunday, whilst all five substitutes on that day were starters on Monday evening.

The game was a hard fought contest throughout with the Angels moving into a 2-0 half-time lead before Ashford United fought back strongly in the second period.

The Ashford goalkeeper was gainfully employed in the early stages turning over a header from Max Lambert from a Johnny Walker cross after three minutes and then saving from Cameron Honavar.

Ashford fought back and this time it was Matt Larkin’s time to excel with a save but also had fortune on his side as a header rattled his crossbar.

After 23 minutes, a surging run from midfield by Felix Waring set up Lambert, but once again the Ashford goalkeeper saved brilliantly.

The game was end to end before the Angels took the lead on 37 minutes when the ball fell to central defender Will Puffette on the edge of the box to drive in an unstoppable shot that any striker would have been proud of.

A minute later, the Angels might have gone two up but Waring saw his shot saved but a minute before the break a well struck shot after winning possession by Sam Firman doubled the visitors advantage.

Half-time brought a huge deterioration in the weather with monsoon-type conditions, driven by a howling gale, sweeping across Homelands. If the weather changed, so did the home side and they took the game to their visitors from the outset.

An early corner was headed over and a shot from 20 years cleared the bar before, just past the hour, following a corner, the referee pointed to the spot for holding. Whilst it looked a soft decision from a distance, the 16-year-old official had had an outstanding game and there was no reason for dispute.

Stanley Oldfield sent Larkin the wrong way and the home side were back in the game.

A rare mishandle from Ashford’s goalkeeper, who was superb throughout, nearly saw the ball creep in at the near post, but for the last 20 minutes it was all Ashford as they sought an equaliser but Larkin and basically his whole outfield team defended bravely, limiting their opponents to a couple of half chances.

Dom Welsh proudly said of his team after the game: “Not pretty but very much job done, played the pitch and the conditions well, dealt with every bomb thrown at us! A really important three points against an Ashford side that were much better than when we played them in the FA Youth Cup with a lot of different players. They were very direct and I thought we dealt with it well. We had an excellent 15 minutes before half time which ultimately won us the game.”