Tonbridge Angels 2 Hemel Hempstead Town 0

Match 44/24/2283 - Saturday, 23rd November 2024 - National League South

Tonbridge Angels (0) 2 Shields
Hemel Hempstead Town (0) 0
Attendance: 796
Admission: Season Ticket
Mileage: 38/3,406

Two second half goals from Sean Shields, on his 50th appearance, were more than enough for Tonbridge Angels to comfortably record a first-ever victory over Hemel Hempstead Town.

On an afternoon where Storm Bert had all but a dozen hardy supporters from the nearly 800 attendance heading for the covered enclosures, the Angels were largely in control of the game throughout.

Jay Saunders speaking after the game: “I’m pleased that we’ve kept our unbeaten run at home in the League going with a good three points in difficult conditions, especially in the first half, against the wind was difficult. I was pleased with the all-round performance, we’ve controlled large parts of the game and today taken our chances.”

Jay brought his new loan signing, Makise Evans straight into the starting line-up for Trevan Robinson with Ethan Sutcliffe and Shields returning from the side that exited the FA Trophy at Gosport Borough; Crossley Lema (who had suffered illness during the week) and Nazir Bakrin taking places on the bench.

Having sacrificed their favoured, second half direction of play towards the south stand to play against the wind in the first half they restricted the visitors to precious little whilst creating the best chance when Charlie Pegrum steered his shot wide from close range after being sent clear by Shields.

There was no lack of passion in the game as three first half challenges from both sides ended up in yellow cards and player melees but as the game settled into a pattern it was the Angels that wove them albeit without testing the Hemel goalkeeper, James Holden unduly.

In the second period, now with the worsening elements in their favour, the Angels pressed on quickly creating chances for Shields and debutant Makise Evans before finally going ahead after 53 minutes when Shields’ shot took a heavy deflection to wrong foot Holden.

Evans’ pace was continually troubling the Hemel backline and when Holden was needed to venture 30 yards from his goal line he was robbed by the debutant before the ball was scrambled to safety.

Of Evans’ debut, Jay commented: “I thought he had a really good debut, he’s had one training session with us on Thursday. He’s a young lad, one thing I knew we would get was work rate and honesty from him and I thought we got that and he was unfortunate not to score, but he worked hard and will get better as he is integrated into the squad.”

The second half was completely dominated by the Angels with the visitors not managing a shot on target until the 72nd minute that was comfortably saved by Matt Rowley.

The game was finally put to bed with three minutes remaining when a cross from Pegrum evaded Evans but fell to Shields who had an easy finish from the edge of the six yard box.

Jay concluded: “Today was a big win, now we need to back it up on Tuesday night at Welling, another place where we don’t have the best record, and it we can do that, we are in a good place.”

Bert tried his hardest to dampen the Angels spirit but nobody, supporters and squad alike, were having any of it!

Tonbridge Angels U18 1 Glebe U18 2

Match 43/24/2282 - Monday, 18th November 2024 - Isthmian Youth League Cup QF

Tonbridge Angels U18 (0) 1 Pritchard 67
Glebe U18 (0) 2 Unknown 76,85
Attendance: 33
Admission: Season Ticket
Mileage: 38/3,368

The Under-18’s suffered a disappointing quarter final defeat as their visitors, Glebe, executed the perfect smash and grab.

The home side dominated the game for huge periods and when they finally broke down a resilient Glebe defence after 67 minutes it seemed that the path to the semi final had been set but the visitors responded with two headed goals leaving a sense of frustration and missed opportunity.

Dom Welsh, never lost for words, was almost that: “Less said the better. We dominated the game but through lapses of concentration we were punished. We deserved what we got in the second half, good luck to Glebe in the semi-final.”

It was a filthy night at Longmead with driving rain sending supporters of both sides to the covered areas.

The pattern of the game was set from the outset with the Angels pressing forward but too often a misplaced pass, overhit cross and stubborn defending saw attacks break down with no end product.

Half-time arrived with the game goalless but the deadlock appeared to have been broken early in the second half when Robert Penman found the net but the goal was denied by the assistant referee’s flag.

Glebe firing a couple of warning shots across the bows of the Angels back line when Josh Hanson was asked to save on 50 minutes and from a corner, a header when well placed was steered wide.

Despite this, it continued to be the Angels that held the vast majority of possession with Penman shooting wide on the hour before they finally made their breakthrough when Callum Fincham broke clear down the right to across to the far post where Fiachra Pritchard was on hand to tuck the ball home.

Stung into a more positive mindset after going behind, Glebe instantly brought a save from Hanson and, after 76 minutes, a free kick sent to the far post found a header that Hanson desperately tried to keep out at the post, but the referee adjudged that the ball had crossed the line for the visitor’s equaliser.

The goal completely changed the momentum of the game and following a succession of Glebe corners, a clearance bounced up on the edge of the box from where an arriving defender headed upwards for the ball to loop over Hanson and into the net.

Five minutes remained and Glebe naturally resorted to what they had done excellently for most of the game, defending resolutely to see the game to its conclusion and enjoy the full time celebrations of a place in the last four.

Gosport Borough 1 Tonbridge Angels 0

Match 42/24/2281 - Saturday, 16th November 2024 - FA Trophy 2R

Gosport Borough (0) 1 Cope 87
Tonbridge Angels (0) 0
Attendance: 594
Admission: Pass
Mileage: 240/3,330
New Ground: 388

This FA Trophy tie pivoted in the space of a minute, late in the game, leaving the Angels exiting the competition at the hands of their hosts, Gosport Borough.

Three minutes remained when Trevan Robinson was sent through on goal, one-on-one with the goalkeeper, he shot wide. The game quickly switched to the other end, a shot from Samuel Faniyan was parried by the Angels keeper, Matt Rowley, but only into the path of Cope who took his chance from close range and the Angels Wembley interest was ended for another year.

“We were toothless in the final third. We’ve had loads of possession, balls in the box, opportunities, but you have to take them and make them count, we haven’t done that and we’ve got punished at the end,” said a frustrated Jay Saunders after the game.

Under grey Hampshire skies, Jay was denied the services of Noel Leighton (injury) and Sean Shields (illness) as he made one change from the side that gained a point at Torquay with loan signing Charlie Pegrum coming in for Shields.

From one of countless Liam Vincent crosses through the game, Jamie Fielding headed into the hands of Callum Ward after six minutes and a stalemate followed with little or nothing being achieved by either side in a half instantly forgettable for an attendance of 594.

The second half began and continued with the same momentum with an early effort from Crossley Lema clearing the bar and Vincent continuing to rain crosses into the box only to find the final touch missing.

The Angels themselves had a mighty let off on 52 minutes when Alfie Stanley saw his header rebound off a post back into the grateful arms of Rowley.

It is said that possession is nine-tenths of the law, football doesn’t work like that and as chance after chance went begging, Ryan Hanson shooting over after 54 minutes; Robinson at the goalkeeper after 58 minutes and forcing Ward into a good, low save on 72; the spectre of penalties was looming large. And all the while, Vincent continued to cross the ball …

When the last few minutes were entered and penalties seemed inevitable, the fateful 87th minute pronounced its verdict and despite Vincent putting one last cross into the box that was attacked by the pushed forward defenders Fielding and Nazir Bakrin, the ball was scrambled to safety.

Asked about the finishing, Jay concluded: “People have been given enough chances, but the facts are the chances we have, Trev goes through at the end, he has to score. There is no like, he’s unlucky, I’m done with unlucky, he has to score, you can’t go through like that and not finish, one-on-one with the keeper, it’s not good enough.”

Tonbridge Angels 6 Beckenham Town 1

Match 41/24/2280 - Tuesday, 12th November 2024 - Kent Senior Cup 2R

Tonbridge Angels (4) 6 Sutcliffe 19 Leighton 25 Date 28,76 Dudley 32 Bakrin 55
Beckenham Town (0) 1 Wallace 48
Attendance: 306
Admission: £8
Mileage: 38/3,090

Tonbridge Angels cruised into the Kent Senior Cup Third Round with a comfortable win over Beckenham Town.

Both sides made several changes from their Saturday starting XI’s with Jay Saunders giving Academy players Ben Martin-Coward, Hayden Velvick and Casey Dudley, who had a fine game with an wonderful individual goal, Angels starts. Further scholars, Mackenzie Richardson and Andrew Norburn were introduced as substitutes. Senior players returning were Joe Tyrie, Deondre Date and Ethan Sutcliffe.

Jay Saunders was naturally pleased with the Kent Senior Cup progress and a six goal haul: “It was a worthwhile exercise. I thought Beckenham come here and played some good football. We made a lot of changes, got minutes into people that we needed too, some experience for some of the younger lads coming through, scored a few goals and all in all it was a good night’s work.”

Beckenham, leaders of Isthmian South East, were a potential banana skin, but a positive start with Noel Leighton testing the goalkeeper, Archie Burford, after two minutes and Trevan Robinson rather wastefully, shooting into the side netting after a quarter hour, put the visitors on the back foot.

Tonbridge took the lead in bizarre fashion on 19 minutes when a cross into the box from Sutcliffe was mispunched into his own net by Burford and with three further goals coming in the next 13 minutes the game was taken away from the visitors.

Two minutes after the opening goal, Robinson struck the post from 20 yards before Dudley set up a cross for Leighton to double the Angels lead.

On 28 minutes, Date was sent clear to shoot into the far corner and when Dudley skipped through the Beckenham defence to add a clinical finish the game was over as a contest.

Beckenham scored after three minutes of the second period when Jamarie Brissett set up Tylah Wallace for a close range finish but any hope for the visitors of a stirring comeback ended when a clearance rebounded off substitute Nazir Bakrin for the Angels fifth goal.

Several chances came and went before, on 76 minutes, Bakrin supplied the pass for Date to add his second goal and the Angels’ sixth.

As the game closed out Leighton struck a post and goalkeeper Norburn was given 10 minutes between the sticks.

In the draw, already made, Tonbridge have a home tie against Herne Bay in the next round.

Tonbridge Angels U18 5 Chatham Town 1

Match 40/24/2279 - Monday, 11th November 2024 - Isthmian Youth League

Tonbridge Angels U18 (2) 5 Gallacher 8 Pritchard 25 Penman 63 Barton 84 OG 90
Chatham Town U18 (1) 1 9
Attendance: 33
Admission: Season Ticket
Mileage: 38/3,052

On the coldest night of the season so far, the Under-18’s produced a performance to warm the cockles of their shivering band of parents and supporters.

Dom Welsh emphasised the importance of the win in the light of a couple of games in which they haven’t turned possession into points: “An excellent performance. We dominated the ball for large periods and played with intensity out of possession. We said to the boys after the game last week (at Maidstone) and before tonight about dominating the ball again and being better in possession and paid off. We were really good in periods and Chatham are always competitive, they’ve only lost by the odd goal to Maidstone and Welling this season.”

From the outset it was clear that this game would be a good one with no indication that a seemingly one-sided scoreline might ensue. Ash Banwait steered a shot wide in the opening minute with Chatham responding immediately, forcing Josh Hanson into his first save of the evening.

Tonbridge went ahead in the eighth minute when the second of successive corners was played short to Callum Fincham, whose cross to the far post was met by the highest-climbing Jack Gallacher to head home. True to the nature of the opening minutes, Chatham were level within a minute when a cross from inside of the box was turned home from close range by the centre forward.

The Angels regained the momentum and efforts from Fincham employed the goalkeeper before a defence splitting through ball sent Fiachra Pritchard clear to bury his strike into the corner.

The home side continued to dominate the half with Adam Larkin shooting wide and the goalkeeper making saves from Robert Penman.

Tonbridge started the second period in the same vein and the only surprise was that it took until the 63rd minute before the move of the match between Fincham and Larkin opened up an opportunity for Penman to score from close range.

Now in the ascendancy, a raft of substitutions didn’t alter the momentum and, with the best individual goal of the match, substitute Harry Barton skipped away from two challenges while keeping in play a ball that was travelling the sideline before cutting in to shoot between the keeper and his near post.

Perhaps Chatham might feel that a fifth goal in added time when a miscommunication saw a pass back evade the goalkeeper for an own goal, summed up their evening.

Torquay United 0 Tonbridge Angels 0

Match 39/24/2278 - Saturday, 9th November 2024 - National League South

Torquay United (0) 0
Tonbridge Angels (0) 0
Attendance: 3,250
Admission: Media Pass
Mileage: 550/3,014

Tonbridge Angels bounced back from the disappointment of their FA Cup exit with a performance of resilience, concentration and stubbornness to return from Torquay United with a hard-earned, well-deserved point.

A delighted Jay Saunders reflected: “We asked the boys for a response and we ran hard today. It’s never an easy place to come, they are doing really well in the league, good management team and a good squad of players that are full time and obviously we’ve had an early start this morning, so you know that you are up against it. But I’m really pleased with the performance … a clean sheet away from home at Torquay, you’ll take a point.”

Arrival on the English Riviera was greeted with as leaden skies as those left behind in the Garden of Eden.

Three changes were made from last Saturday’s starting XI with Trevan Robinson, Scott Wagstaff and Mo Dabre coming in for Noel Leighton, Taylor Maloney and the recalled Jason Adigun.

The playing of the Last Post and a minute’s silence was respected by the crowd of 3,250 which included an official total of 44 hardy Tonbridge Angels fans that had made the 250-odd mile journey down to the Devon coast.

Naturally enough, buoyed by their body of support, Torquay made much of the early running, but in all honesty, they created very little of concern in the opening half-hour whilst a raking cross to the far post from Liam Vincent that just evaded Crossley Lema and a Jamie Fielding from a corner that was steered wide of the post were concerning moments for the home defence.

At the half-time whistle, Matt Rowley returned to the dressing room having not had a save to make.

No doubt with a few harsh words in their ears, the home side once again started the second half with momentum and there were celebrations from areas in the stadium when a left wing cross from Matt Carson was swept into the side netting by Omar Mussa and when Carson went down in the box under a challenge from Ryan Hanson, there was a collective holding of breath from the Angels faithful.

But the Angels continued to defend with a degree of comfort until, with memories of the time added heartbreak at Truro flooding back, a free kick from Jordan Young found the diving head of Rekealan Jeffers to bury the ball into the far corner. Despair turned to relief with the sight of a raised linesman’s flag and the moment had passed and a goalless draw had probably not been so rapturously celebrated in a long time.

And mention must be given, and acknowledged by Jay Saunders of the support given by those Angels fans, who led by the incessant drumming of Harry Lewis, put in a shift in the same manner as their purple clad team had on the pitch. “I thought the support was outstanding today, we fully appreciate it’s a long way to come, cost a lot of money and I’m just glad we have given them something to go home with. But from first to last minute, again fantastic and as much as we let people down last week, we fully appreciate them coming in their numbers and making the noise they did.”

Maidstone United U18 3 Tonbridge Angels U18 3

Match 38/24/2277 - Tuesday, 5th November 2024 - Isthmian Youth League

Maidstone United U18 (2) 3
Tonbridge Angels U18 (0) 3 Manwait 50 Penman 66 Larkin 68 (pen)
Attendance: 55
Admission: £3
Mileage: 20/2,464

As the 5th November fireworks exploded into the night sky behind the Genco stand, a cracker of a game unfolded.

Last time out, manager Dom Walsh had some harsh words following their home defeat against Sutton Common Rovers, but coming back from 2-0 and 3-1 down and to be denied a win by a missed penalty, this time he was fulsome in his praise: “That was a credit to both sides, an absolutely top game of football. From 2-0 and 3-1 down, the boys battled well, playing some fantastic football in the second half.”

The first half seemed to carry a hangover from the last game as whilst Maidstone were good, the Angels were not really at the races. From the outset the home side were on the front foot and completely dominating proceedings with both wingers posing problems for a harassed Angels defence. After a quarter hour, #19 should really have scored, putting the ball wide and from a corner, River Ballach was needed to clear from the line.

Tonbridge had a good chance on 19 minutes when a quickly taken free kick by Callum Fincham put Finachra Pritchard through but the Maidstone goalkeeper was quick off his line to smother the ball at his feet.

But, it was no surprise when Maidstone went ahead on 27 minutes when the #9 pounced on an error to put them one-up and when a couple of passes ripped open the Angels defence for #9 to score again, it looked like the evening might be a long one.

The Angels lads responded well towards the back end of the half with the goalkeeper saving well from Jack Gallacher and, just before the break he was brought into action again to deny Robert Penman.

Dom Welsh introduced Alfie Gilder as a second half and the formation change quickly had an impact after the goalkeeper had saved well at his near post from Penman, the resultant corner led to a loose ball in the penalty area that was seized upon and driven home by Ashvir Banwait.

The route back into the game was seemingly abruptly halted a minute later when the Stones #11 drove the ball into the top corner that left Josh Hanson helpless.

But that never-say-die spirit returned to the team, driven on by skipper Adam Larkin.

On 66 minutes, Penman robbed the dallying goalkeeper to place the ball into an unguarded net and two minutes later, the Angels were on level terms when Penman was brought down by #5, who saw a red card for the offence, for Larkin to thump home the spot kick.

Despite their man disadvantage, Maidstone were still dangerous but now on the break and #9 hit a post before the Angels were awarded a second penalty, six minutes from time, this time after Pritchard had been brought down. Larkin’s penalty cleared the bar and despite an added time effort from Noah Millis that was saved, the spoils were deservedly shared.

Dom Welsh added: “The second half change brought out the best in us. I thought that was the best we’ve played in a long while, even before they went down to 10 men.”

Tonbridge Angels 1 Harborough Town 4

Match 37/24/2276 - Saturday, 2nd November 2024 - FA Cup First Round

Tonbridge Angels (0) 1 Shields 90+4
Harborough Town (1) 4 Walsh 41 Stephens 61,71 Forbes 86
Attendance: 3,132
Admission: £14
Mileage: 38/2,444

I guess, in life not just in football, we've all had the big day, that's long been looked forwarded to, that goes horribly wrong. This one went horribly wrong.

It’s FA Cup First Round day to the Halcyon Wealth Longmead Stadium and, arguably, the biggest game since Tonbridge Football Club’s liquidation in 1976 and the subsequent relocation in 1980. The First Round Proper was reached by the Angels four years ago, but the occasion was somewhat diminished by Covid, an empty stadium and, to be fair, the 7-0 defeat to Bradford City didn’t help!

This time the gates are open, ticket sales indicate the top end of the ground’s capacity could be reached and everyone at the club is eagerly anticipating the big day.

Our visitors are Harborough Town, of the Southern Premier League Central, and whilst the side from Leicestershire occupy a league position in the bottom half of the table, nobody should be fooled into taking them lightly.

Harborough’s route to this stage has seen them dispose of National League North Leamington in the Third Qualifying Round and the reformed Bury Football Club, who were unbeaten in the North West Counties League prior to the cup tie and arrive well supported having sold around 350 tickets.

That was the preview and the warnings signs were posted.

Tonbridge Angels exited the FA Cup in disappointing fashion as they fell to a 4-1 home defeat to their Southern Premier League Central visitors Harborough Town.

A nightmare second half in which they conceded three times whilst seeking to retrieve a single goal deficit at the break, left the vast majority of a record attendance of 3,132 stunned.

A downcast Jay Saunders said after the game: “I’m gutted, absolutely gutted, it’s a tough one to take and it will take a little while to get over that.”

An hour before kick-off the car park was full to closure, a high percentage of the crowd were already staking their claim on their favourite position and the anticipation and excitement which makes the early rounds of the FA Cup the magical competition it is was in the air.

Saunders made just the one change from the starting XI that lost to a last minute goal at Truro with Ryan Hanson being restored and Mo Dabre dropping down to the bench.

For half-an-hour, the occasion appeared to get the better of both sides as neither could gain any sort of control of the game leaving both goalkeepers untroubled.

The first effort of note came from Sean Shields, on 32 minutes, cutting in from the left, took aim from 30 yards and his shot was destined for the top corner had it not been for the acrobatic intervention of the Harborough goalkeeper, Elliott Taylor, who turned the ball over the crossbar.

Tonbridge then had two chances in quick succession as they looked the most likely to break the deadlock. Liam Vincent’s cross to the far post was turned away for a corner and, on 38 minutes, a shot-cum-cross from Noel Leighton both missed the far post and the sliding in Jason Adigun by the barest of millimetres.

Harborough’s giant defenders, that were getting forward for long throws and set pieces were always going to cause a problem and, with four minutes of the half remaining, a corner from Josh Walsh was met with a towering header from Paul Malone that Matthew Rowley could only help on its way into the roof of the net.

Jay Saunders make two changes at the break introducing Tariq Hinds and Trevan Robinson for Crossley Lema and Jason Adigun and the Angels gained the early impetus in the half with a free kick from Vincent that led to a shot from Taylor Maloney going wide and from successive corners Naz Bakrin and Noel Leighton had headers that were saved.

Against the run of play, Harborough doubled their advantage just past the hour when a through ball into the left channel from Ben Starkie sent Ben Stephens into a one-on-one with the advancing Rowley and the visitor’s top scorer put the ball into the bottom corner with an unerring finish.

With the Angels now having to chase the game from two down, Maloney was sacrificed for Scott Wagstaff and, once again found themselves punished by with a break from Harborough. An attack broke down and the ball was hacked clear to the feet of Jamie Fielding, who found himself quickly under pressure from the excellent Riley O’Sullivan, who won the tussle and played the ball into Stephens to finish again into the bottom corner.

It was game over, Mo Dabre was introduced at the expense of defender Bakrin, only for the Angels to succumb to another break away with four minutes remaining when O’Sullivan drove forward from the right before releasing substitute Dan Forbes to add a fourth.

If anything was to sum up the Angels day it was an incredible save from Taylor in added time to deny Vincent and although the visitor’s custodian was to be beaten by a shot from the edge of the box by Shields for a consolation goal it was too little, far too late.

Saunders added after the game: “I congratulate Harborough, first of all, they had a game plan and executed it well and defended well and, at the other end, they were a threat at set pieces. I take nothing away from Harborough, they have come here today and done a job, but we’ve got to be better in both boxes.”