Truro City 1 Tonbridge Angels 2

Match 44/23/2167 - Saturday, 28th October 2023 - National League South

Truro City (0) 1 Greenslade 90+6
Tonbridge Angels (1) 2 Fish 45 Gard 60 (pen)
Attendance: 237
Admission: £9 Senior
Mileage: 488/3,224
Weather: Warm sunshine following heavy rain, 16degC

Played at Plymouth Parkway
New Ground: 382

The longest trip of the season went to plan in terms of travelling but the outward journey was an anxious one as the weather looked set to make it a wasted one.

Newly-promoted Truro City are groundsharing at Plymouth Parkway whilst Stadium Cornwall is being built, so the journey could have been 50 miles further.

The day started ominously, alarm at 6am to the sound of pouring rain followed by a better omen that the walk to the station was done in a period of brief respite. It remained dry until after Totnes when the rain returned and how!

Arriving in Plymouth at 12:15, there was plenty of time to follow the internet’s guidance to Parkway by bus. Not to be trusted, especially as the rain started to fall in monsoon proportions. The bus stop was found but not the bus and I dragged myself back to the station to get a taxi to the ground, three miles away. Soaked and now very worried that this might be all for nothing.

On arrival, the information was that the pitch had survived a first inspection but it wasn’t going to take much more rain and then once more the heaven’s opened.

Thankfully, it was a short, sharp shower and perhaps the fact that referee Claussen had travelled even further, from Southend, the game was given the go ahead.

Plymouth Parkway’s Bolitho Park is a tidy ground with a 250 seater stand straddling the half way line. Opposite is a full length covered enclosure, that has an area of seating with flat standing either side. Behind one goal there is a full length covered flat standing. At the other end, where there is a tented area to eat or drink, is also a mini covered terrace area, that could hold 20 or so at best!

Another absence, Jamie Fielding, saw Joe Tyrie taking a starting place forming a teenage central defensive partnership with Ethan Sutcliffe.

Truro have struggled at home this season, only winning twice, and how they are sustaining a National League side on a gate of just 237 with just a minibus load of Cornish people lending their support.

The pitch was obviously going to be difficult but probably improved as the game wore on as some warm sunshine emerged from the clouds.

The first half ebbed and flowed with neither side dominating but the Angels creating the better chances and were deserving of their lead, taken on the stroke of half time, when a peach of a pass from Charlie Pegrum send Sonny Fish clear to finish coolly past the advancing Jamie Pardington.

Truro started the second period with a couple of early chances but the Angels took charge and doubled their advantage on the hour when Fish was brought down by Ed Palmer. Lewis Gard maintained his perfect record from the spot sending Pardington the wrong way.

Tonbridge had chances to put the game to bed through substitutes Jordan Greenidge, who hit a post, and Joe Turner but found themselves a man short when Ansu Janneh was unluckily sent off as he slipped as he made a challenge and ending up going through the player.

Truro gave themselves a chance in the lengthy added time when a 25-yarder from Harvey Greenslade found the bottom corner which was a particular disappointment for the young central defensive pairing who had done so well aided by a superb Jordan Higgs in front of them.

Truro’s Tyler Harvey also saw red in the closing moments for a second yellow.

Opening my front door at 11:35 pm, it had been a long day but three points eased the tiredness and the clocks going back gave an extra hours sleep.

Farnborough 4 Tonbridge Angels 1

Match 43/23/2166 - Tuesday, 24th October 2023 - National League South

Farnborough (2) 4 Pendlebury 29,85 Folivi 45 Hall 53
Tonbridge Angels (0) 1 Meade 71
Attendance: 607
Admission: £10 Senior
Mileage: 180/2,736
Weather: 11degC., chilly

Oh dear. Oh dearie, dearie me! One of those nights when you throw your hands to the air in exasperation and just question what you have just done with the last seven hours.

Perhaps there can be some consolation in that it cannot get any worse than this, surely. But, the little voice nagging away in the back of my head, is saying it most certainly can.

It was the same little voice that had been telling me: “Do yourself a favour, pay the National League £9.50 and if it turns to crap you can join the wife for another episode from 2000 of Dalziel and Pascoe”, but no, the bit of the brain that controls sentimentality shouts the loudest and off I trek to face the trials of the M25 and M3 at rush hour.

Before we pick the bones out of an excruciatingly poor performance from the Angels, let’s not forget that there were two teams on the pitch and one of them was actually pretty good. Farnborough, unbeaten at home, just one defeat in their last nine, were a good enough side not to need any help.

As for Tonbridge, it was another match, another enforced reshuffle, another game of fitting square pegs into round holes, another match where they are robbing Peter to pay Paul in terms getting the best out of the players we have got.

As one comes back, in this case Jernade Meade, another goes missing as in Tariq Hinds through illness. Jordan Higgs returned but is still carrying an injury; Jordan Greenidge, dropped to the bench not being fit enough for a full ninety. With Ben Swift serving the second of his three match suspension, Tommy Parkinson continued whilst there was another new addition, Ansu Janneh from Havant, in midfield with a further signing, Ethan Sutcliffe, from AFC Wimbledon, on the bench.

The square peg in a round hole is never more apparent than the sight of Scott Wagstaff filling in at right back and as one long time Angels supporter said as we disconsolately left Cherrytree Road, we will not see any improvement in performances or results while we have to utilise him there.

I haven’t the heart to recall each kick. Farnborough took the lead on 31 minutes with a free kick from Olly Pendlebury that was fired low past the wall to nestle into the corner. Sonny Fish brought a decent save from Jack Turner as Tonbridge endeavoured to respond but hopes that they would get to the break with just the single goal deficit perished when Michael Folivi turned and shot past Jonny Henly.

The game was as good as over seven minutes into the second half as Taylor Maloney played in Connor Hall to add Farnborough’s third. Meade gave the sizeable Tonbridge support (given the distance on a Tuesday night) some hope when a 25 yard shot took a deflection but with five minutes to go, many of those supporters headed for the exit as Pendlebury added a fourth.

The usual overnight motorway roadworks saw the M3 slip road closed and plenty of average speed zones adding another 30 minutes of misery to the journey home.

Why, oh why and on Saturday, there is the little matter of the 500 mile plus journey to Plymouth for the visit to groundsharing Truro City.

Tonbridge Angels 3 Bath City 2

Match 42/23/2165 - Saturday, 21st October 2023 - National League South

Tonbridge Angels (1) 3 Fielding 8 Gard 69,88 (2 pens)
Bath City (2) 2 Cooke 27 Wilson 31
Attendance: 883
Admission: Season Ticket
Mileage: 38/2,556
Weather: 16degC., heavyish showers

One of the great unquantifiables, be that in football or in life, is luck. Over the course of a football season it supposedly evens itself out. If it doesn’t then you are either Manchester City (who don't need it) or destined to finish a distant last in whatever division in which you compete.

Whatever the shade of fortune you endure or enjoy, it isn’t only the fickle finger of the good Lady, much is of your own making but when that rub of the green isn’t going your way there is little you can do until a break comes your way.

In his programme notes, Tonbridge Angels manager, Jay Saunders, bemoaned their rotten luck so far this season and I’m inclined to agree that we deserved a break.

But when Tonbridge, 2-1 down in the closing moments of the first half saw a ball cleared from a couple of yards beyond the goal line it appeared that nothing was about to change anytime soon but Lady Luck was about to have her say. In the midst of the passage of play that led to the goal that wasn’t, Bath City’s goalkeeper, Ollie Wright, suffered a dislocated shoulder that needed hospital treatment and without a keeper on the bench, right back Joe Raynes took the gloves. Bath were not the same side in the second half, the Angels took advantage and the rest is history.

Last week at Weymouth, injuries, suspensions and unavailability led to a selection shorn of any attack; this week roles reversed, no defenders and with Bath carrying one of the more potent strike forces in National League South, the outlook was ominous.

If the theory was that the best form of defence was attack, Tonbridge flew out of the traps and were ahead after just eight minutes when a corner delivered by Sean Shields was met with a towering header from Jamie Fielding that looped over Wright and into the far corner.

Scott Wagstaff, filling in at right back was finding Ewan Clarke a difficult opponent and after 11 minutes Fielding was needed to clear from the line and, on 23 minutes, they were relieved to see a linesman’s flag after Scott Wilson had the ball in the Angels net.

The equaliser that was coming duly arrived four minutes later when Clark delivered a cross to the far post from where Cody Cooke bundled the ball home from close range.

On 31 minutes the visitors were in front when a long clearance saw Tommy Parkinson misjudge a header and with a swivel and a first time shot from 35 yards the ball sailed over a stranded Jonny Henly.

Tonbridge responded and in the second minute of added time Wright did well to claw away a shot from Charlie Pegrum that was heading for the top corner, but from the resultant corner, two shots from Lewis Gard were saved before the ball was bundled over the line with Wright left prostrate as arguments raged around referee Eugene Robinson.

The referee whistled for half-time and almost the entire break was taken treating the Bath goalkeeper before he was ferried to hospital by a Tonbridge official.

The visitors were clearly unsettled by the loss of the keeper and virtually disappeared as an attacking force in the second half. Peppering of the makeshift goalkeeper from the Angels didn’t really materialise and it took until the 68th minute when a low cross into the box from Turner was handled by Jordan Thomas giving Lewis Gard the opportunity to convert from the spot which he did despite the despairing fingertips of Raynes.

With just two minutes remaining, Tonbridge were awarded another penalty, this time for anyone of three offences, which Bath City manager Jerry Gill honestly admitted it was a penalty whichever the offence and Gard stepped up again to score his fourth penalty since taking on the spot kick role. Once again Raynes managed to get something on the ball but failed to keep it out of the net.

So Lady Luck more than had her say, as did some wayward officialdom. It was our day to enjoy her fickle finger.

Burgess Hill Town U18 5 Tonbridge Angels U18 3

Match 41/23/2164 - Thursday, 19th October 2023 - FA Youth Cup 3QR

Burgess Hill Town U18 (2) 5 Brewer 18,63,87 Lawson 42 Potter 81
Tonbridge Angels U18 (0) 3 Honarvar 48 Larkin 59 Waring 62
Attendance: 113
Admission: £3 Senior
Mileage: 134/2,518
Weather: 16degC., heavy rain

Tonbridge Angels long wait, stretching back to 2005, for a place in the FA Youth Cup First Round Proper will continue for another season as they bowed out of the competition at a rain-lashed Burgess Hill Town.

It was a filthy night in west Sussex with rain falling incessantly on the Home Call Carpets Community Stadium.

The Angels started this Third Qualifying Round tie on the front foot with Felix Waring testing the Burgess Hill goalkeeper after just four minutes and Hayden Velvick outpacing the home defence before seeing his goal bound shot cleared from the line. It was to be Velvick’s last act as he sustained an injury in the attack and needed to be substituted after just 11 minutes.

The home side, having survived the visitors early attacks, mounted their own challenge to take control of the game and this culminated in the 18th minute when a cross from the right was headed home from close range by Alex Brewer.

The slickness of the pitch encouraged both sides, but Burgess Hill in particular, to a shoot-on-sight policy that tested both goalkeepers. After 23 minutes, the Burgess Hill keeper made a great save to thwart Waring and header from substitute Cameron Honarvar whilst the Angels’ keeper, Toby Edwards had to be alert to save from a Brewer header.

Three minutes from the break, an uncharacteristic error from Will Puffette, trying to bring the ball out of defence, saw him robbed which allowed Harry Lawson to stride on before placing past the advancing Edwards.

Matters might even have been worse for the Angels at the break as the home side had a goal disallowed for offside on the stroke of half-time.

Words must have been ringing in the Angels youngsters ears as a completely different attitude prevailed from the outset of the first half. Two quick chances fell to Sam Firman before after three minutes of the half the ball was fed to Honarvar on the right side of the box to cleanly strike into the bottom corner to drag the visitors back into the game.

At this stage, Tonbridge dominated. Waring saw a shot blocked; Ben Martin-Coward had a header deflected away for a corner and, on 57 minutes, Alex Shave, set up by Firman, struck a post.

But, three minutes later, the equaliser arrived when Adam Larkin fired into the bottom corner from the edge of the box following fine work from Waring.

On 62 minutes, Tonbridge got their noses in front when a Reuben Etherington free kick was only partially cleared to the waiting, and trusty feet, of Waring who rifled a shot home from 25 yards.

Sadly for the visitors, their joy was short-lived as a lapse of concentration within a minute allowed Brewer to score from inside the box.

Burgess Hill’s tails were up and Edwards needed to be at his brilliant best to make several saves before, nine minutes from time, a shot from outside of the box by Austin Potter gave the hosts the lead once more.

The Angels pressed hard for a equaliser but their hopes were finally dashed, when Brewer completed his hat-trick with a header from a corner.

A disappointed Dominic Welsh said afterwards: “it was a difficult one to take after clawing it back from two down to lead 3-2 but we made too many mistakes at the back which is so unlike us. It was frustrating that we didn’t do ourselves justice on the night but Burgesss Hill deserved it.”

Cleeve Park 3 Hugh Christie 4

Match 40/23/2163 - Wednesday, 18th October 2023 - Kent Schools Academies Championship

Cleeve Park (2) 3 32' 44' 82'
Hugh Christie (2) 4 Clarke 15 O'Neill 25 Bidston 49 Dudley 70
Headcount: 15
Admission: Free
Academies: Welling v Tonbridge Angels
Mileage: 64/2,384
Weather: 16degC., Showers

Weymouth 1 Tonbridge Angels 1

Match 39/23/2162 - Saturday, 14th October 2023 - National League South

Weymouth (0) 1 Roberts 63
Tonbridge Angels (1) 1 Shields 7
Attendance: 957
Admission: £12 Senior
New Ground: 381 (revised to align Futbology)
Mileage: 352/2,320
Weather: 20degC., Warm in the sun, cold in the shade

An 80 mile detour to Weymouth following a very pleasant six days on the Isle of Wight wasn’t coincidental and two sides stationed in the lower reaches of National League South served up an entertaining encounter to end our holiday.

Tonbridge Angels had made the 160 mile journey on the day, arriving with a squad without a recognised striker with Jordan Greenidge suspended, Sonny Fish injured and Joe Turner unavailable. Reshuffles were needed during the match and in a different scenario a point might be seen as a good result, this wasn’t one of them.

The Bob Lucas Stadium, named after a president of Weymouth Football Club but also the goalkeeper that represented Tonbridge in their first ever fixture in 1948, was a first visit. It is a classic old stadium, originally built in 1954 for greyhound and speedway racing; the football club moving there in 1987, two years after the dogs and the bikes had departed.

In those days it had a capacity of 10,000 but these days of greater health and safety regulations sees it with a reduced, but still substantial 6,600 capacity. Its main grandstand is towers high over the pitch with the bars and dressing rooms underneath. There is covered terracing at both ends and a long stretch of cover on the opposite side to the main stand. To add to the classic nature of the Bob Lucas there are four old floodlight pylons, known the trade as floodlight porn!

The Angels survived an early scare when a post was hit in the fifth minute while they came to terms with an unfamiliar formation that saw Lewis Gard as the lone striker.

But any unease was quickly dispelled when Sean Shields curled a low free kick into the right hand corner from just outside the box to give the visitors a seventh minute lead.

Confidence quickly grew from the lead and Tonbridge were well in control of the game for the vast majority of the first half. Successive corners brought headers from Ben Swift and Jamie Fielding that were not that far off target; Jernade Meade shot wide with Tariq Hinds and Jordan Higgs having shots saved by Smalley, the half was brought to an end with the Angels disappointed not to be further ahead.

Kodi Lyons-Foster, injured in the opening quarter-hour, failed to appear for the second period causing a further reshuffling of Jay Saunders’ depleted numbers.

Despite this, Tonbridge continued to retain control with efforts from Higgs and Fielding stretching the goalkeeper, but on 63 minutes, the game was turned on its head with the dismissal of Swift for a poor challenge on Thomson, one that was needlessly made.

Further punishment was enacted from the resultant free kick when Roberts headed home for the home side’s equaliser.

Charlie Pegrum was sacrificed to add Tommy Parkinson to the back line as the Angels expected an assault on their goal with a man disadvantage. But, in fairness, it never really materialised. In fact, in the second of an added seven minutes, Shields fired in another beautifully taken free kick only to see it rebound from the underside of the bar and to safety.

Saunders will be reshuffling his pack again next week. On the plus side his front men should all return but the distinct probability is that he will be without both his central defenders.

Tonbridge Angels 3 Hemel Hempstead Town 3

Match 38/23/2161 - Saturday, 7th October 2023 - National League South

Tonbridge Angels (2) 3 Greenidge 5 Shields 42 Gard 94+4 (pen)
Hemel Hempstead Town (2) 3 Brown 12 Williams 20,78
Attendance: 932
Admission: Season Ticket
Mileage: 38/1,968
Weather: 23degC., Is it really October!

Chatham Town 3 Tonbridge Angels 1

Match 37/23/2160 - Tuesday, 3rd October 2023 - Kent Senior Cup 2R

Chatham Town (2) 3 Hobden 36 Yila 45 Nzala 76 (pen)
Tonbridge Angels (1) 1 Lyons-Foster 7
Attendance: 508
Admission: £8 Senior
Mileage: 32/1,930
Weather: 15degC., Autumn evening chill

Tonbridge Angels suffered further cup disappointment as they were dumped out of the Kent Senior Cup at Chatham Town.

Jay Saunders was able to field a strong starting XI including new signings Sonny Fish and Charlie Pegrum and for the opening 20 minutes the Tonbridge supporters in an attendance of 508 had reasons to be cheerful as they dominated the game and took a seventh minute lead through Kodi Lyons-Foster.

Unfortunately, those 20 minutes proved to be a false dawn as the visitors intensity dropped off and Chatham firstly got a foothold back in the game and then took a stranglehold on it.

The opening goal came after a quick free kick on the right was played short to Tariq Hinds who crossed low and hard into the box to be met by the onrushing Lyons-Foster who met the ball solidly to score from close range.

Fish, who was enjoying a positive competitive debut, struck a fine low shot that brought a good save at his near post from the Chats goalkeeper, Ben Bridle-Card and from the resultant corner, the goalkeeper was well placed again to save from Lyons-Foster.

Further efforts on goal from Jordan Higgs, Hinds and when Bridle-Card saved with his feet from Jordan Greenidge after being put through on goal by Pegrum, there was every reason for optimism.

But, as if a switch had been flicked, Chatham grew into the game and, after Jonny Henly had made his first save to deny Cameron Brodie, a 25 yard strike from Ollie Hobden found the top corner to equalise for the home side.

Chatham Town are enjoying their first season as an Isthmian Premier League side, presently sitting in second position, and once they had the equaliser their confidence quickly grew and they got their noses in front in first half added time after good work and a cross down the right hand side found Jamie Yila who converted from close range.

Jay Saunders made a half-time substitution bringing on Scott Wagstaff for Lewis Gard and Lyons-Foster had an early opportunity heading over the crossbar from a Jamie Fielding cross.

Ex-Angel Kristian Campbell struck a fierce shot just over the bar from 25 yards as Chatham continued to hold the game’s momentum.

Francis Mampolo was introduced on 56 minutes for Fielding and made a good impression. A Higgs cross on the hour was headed over by Greenidge and the Angels had several corners as they tried to wrest control from Chatham.

But, on 75 minutes, a foul in the box saw the referee point to the spot leaving Ashley Nzala to send Henly the wrong way, rolling the ball into the corner.

It left a mountain for the Angels to climb and despite several corners and strikes on goal saved by Bridle-Card from Mampolo, Chatham never really looked like surrendering their advantage.

Jay Saunders commented after the game: “First 15 minutes we were in control but today highlights where we’re at. We are a bit low and once we conceded we went into our shells.”

Tonbridge Angels U18 3 Bromley U18 0

Match 36/23/2159 - Monday, 2nd October 2023 - FA Youth Cup 2QR

Tonbridge Angels U18 (1) 3 Velvick 5 Larkin 84 Cooney 86
Bromley U18 (0) 0
Attendance: 158
Admission: £3 Senior
Mileage: 38/1,898
Weather: 17degC., Showers

Excuse me if this report indulges itself with a few superlatives. The Angels FA Youth Cup side produced one of, perhaps the best, performances and certainly result, in several years. To a man, they were magnificent.

At this stage last season, a valiant performance at Hayes Lane ended nonetheless with a 4-2 defeat, so to meet them again 12 months later, albeit at home, and to deservedly win by three clear goals is Progress with a capital P!

Gifted an early goal, the Angels had to withstand intense pressure for 80 minutes before two late goals sealed their place in the final qualifying round.

The Angels went ahead after five minutes when Hayden Velvick latched on to a bad back pass before clinically firing into the far corner.

The first half wasn’t entirely backs to the wall although Will Puffette was needed to make a last ditch tackle to deny Bromley’s Will Gates and Toby Edwards saved from Finley Roberts and Kassim Dagher.

But Tonbridge continually looked dangerous on the break and, after 22 minutes, a shot-cum-cross from Felix Waring rebounded from the crossbar.

Tonbridge breathed a sigh of relief just before the break when Temu Appiah put a good opportunity narrowly wide.

The National League side started the second half probably stung by harsh words in the dressing room and rattled the bar after five minutes through the impressive Kaya Hansson but the Angels themselves went close a couple of minutes later when Velvick fired agonisingly wide after being sent clear by Waring.

Bromley dominated the play but whatever was thrown at them the Angels back line stood heroically firm and as the visitors gambled with their goalkeeper virtually playing as a sweeper in the centre circle, they were always vulnerable to the pacy breakaways of the home side such as when substitute Cameron Honarvar broke clear to shoot inches wide.

Four minutes remained when an Angels corner was only cleared to Adam Larkin, who from 25 yards drove the ball low back through a forest of bodies to nestle the ball in the back of the net to put the next round within touching distance.

Two minutes later, Tonbridge Angels name was firmly in the hat as substitute Fin McLeod charged down a clearance for fellow substitute Teddy Cooney to place the ball into the unguarded goal.

Official reports are supposed to be measured, perhaps unbiased, but we can be forgiven that this one is not. A night when even superlatives are not enough!