Match 21/25/2364 - Monday, 8th September 2025 - Isthmian Youth League
Three Bridges U18 (0) 1
Tonbridge Angels U18 (1) 2 Unwin 16 Peart 72 Babajide 80
Headcount: 60
Admission: £5
Mileage: 100/1,567
New Ground: 394
Three weeks ago with the Angels Under-18’s trailing Three Bridges in the 96th minute, goalkeeper Jacob Hunt went forward for a corner and stabbed home a valuable equaliser. On Monday, once again in the 96th minute, Hunt was again the saviour, this time in the more traditional role of a goalkeeper, making a point blank save to preserve three points very much hard-earned and well deserved.
In truth, Hunt’s heroics should not have been needed as a largely controlled performance should have led to a comfortable win.
Tonbridge were on the front foot from the outset when, the outstanding River Ballach tested the Three Bridges goalkeeper after just two minutes. The goalkeeper was in action once more to deny Robert Penman before the Angels went in front after 25 minutes with a superb strike into the top corner from 20 yards from Harry Bingham after Fiachra Pritchard and Penman had worked to the ball to the edge of the box.
Ultimately, it was the Three Bridges goalkeeper that denied the visitors a comfortable evening, making good saves to thwart Penman and Ashton Lucas before the break.
After the interval, the Angels remained in charge with the keeper remaining the impenetrable last line of defence making good saves from Penman and Dani Sulovari before a lapse in concentration allowed the home side a route back into the game. A free kick awarded 25 yards out, wide on the right, on 56 minutes, saw a clever straight pass forward when the congested penalty area expected a cross, that allowed the Three Bridges receiver of the pass through on goal to convert with a shot into the bottom corner.
The Angels youngsters quickly regained their composure and were back in front six minutes later when a short corner routine between Pritchard and Callum Fincham saw the cross bundled home at the far post by Jack Gallacher.
A combination of wasteful finishing and the continued excellence of the aforementioned custodian allowed Three Bridges to make their added time assault that emphasised there were two quality goalkeepers on the pitch.
Dom Welsh said after the game: “It was unnecessarily a nervy ending having had many opportunities to kill the game off, but it was a positive away performance.”
Thursday, 11 September 2025
Sunday, 7 September 2025
Salisbury 1 Tonbridge Angels 3
Match 20/25/2363 - Saturday, 6th September 2025 - National League South
Salisbury (0) 1 Coppin 85 (pen)
Tonbridge Angels (1) 3 Unwin 16 Peart 72 Babajide 80
Attendance: 857
Admission: Pass
Mileage: 260/1,467
New Ground: 393
It’s been a while in coming, but Saturday was the day that the plan came together and, for the first time this season, the Angels faithful were able to enjoy the sweet taste of victory.
Craig Nelson’s team were asked to soak up a lot of pressure from a Salisbury side, also searching for their first win of the season, but with the defence standing firm, swift counter attacks brought three superb goals to bring home the points.
A delighted Craig said in his post-match interview: “The credit is with the boys because they have applied themselves all over the pitch today, so they will definitely be in there enjoying that one. Salisbury are a good side with the way they want to play and get the ball to their wingers quickly but we suffocated them, or when they did get the ball to them we were on them. We knew they would be susceptible to the counter attack and all three of our goals came from that, three really good goals.”
On a pleasantly warm afternoon in Wiltshire, Craig made four changes from the side, disappointingly beaten by Enfield Town on Tuesday. Returning to the starting XI were Scott Wagstaff, Arthur Penney, Brandon Pierrick and Martell Taylor-Crossdale with Eddie Simon, precautionary following the head injury sustained on Tuesday, Alfie Allen, Jack Matton and Brody Peart taking places on the bench.
Pivotal moments can arrive in games at any time and one such moment arrived after only six minutes when Jacob Adams made a superb one-handed save to claw away a close range effort from Matty Taylor.
The Angels settled into the game and after Bobby Unwin had tested the Salisbury goalkeeper, Will Buse, for the first time it was the Tonbridge winger who put his side in front after 16 minutes converting with a far post header following a long cross from the left into the box from Bailey Akehurst.
The two sides largely cancelled each other out in the first half until five minutes before the break when Taylor had a golden chance to bring the hosts level but steered his shot well wide.
Salisbury’s manager Brian Dutton sent his team back out after barely 10 minutes in the dressing room, one would imagine with something more than a flea in the ear and they responded to a degree as the pressure on the Angels goal was intense but the Angels rearguard snuffed out the threat to the point that Adams was not asked to make a single save of note.
Craig rang the changes after the hour mark introducing Allen for Wagstaff, Peart for Unwin and Bunmi Babajide for Pierrick and the added pace up front stretched an already over-committed Salisbury.
On 72 minutes, a short corner was laid back from Marcus Sablier to Akehurst and on to Peart who took a stride before curling a splendid shot into the top corner to allow him to celebrate with his family and the travelling supporters positioned behind the goal.
The game, and the valuable points, were seemingly sealed with 10 minutes remaining when a lightning counter attack scythed apart the Salisbury back line. A surging run out of midfield and pass to the right from Allen sent Taylor-Crossdale clear on the right and his inch-perfect low cross into the box was met by Babajide who swept the ball home from around the penalty spot.
A Salisbury penalty with five minutes remaining, converted by Noah Coppin, appeared nothing more than a consolation but when the fourth official held up the board indicating 12 added minutes there was a flutter of concern among the Angels support. But they had nothing to worry about, in fact, Taylor-Crossdale brought a good, low save from Buse and Jordan Higgs had the final effort of the game, comfortably saved as the time was seen out with ease.
Craig summed up: “We would have liked to have had more possession in the game that’s what we are here to do but that’s not always going to happen, especially away from home. We defended our box exceptionally well and, today, we’ve brought it all together, we’ve proved that we can score goals because we’ve done that. It would have been nice to have had a clean sheet because the boys at the back were exceptional in the way they have defended. Turning it around after Tuesday was a big deal, some people could have folded but they didn’t and I hope that the fans that travelled were proud of the performance.”
Salisbury (0) 1 Coppin 85 (pen)
Tonbridge Angels (1) 3 Unwin 16 Peart 72 Babajide 80
Attendance: 857
Admission: Pass
Mileage: 260/1,467
New Ground: 393
It’s been a while in coming, but Saturday was the day that the plan came together and, for the first time this season, the Angels faithful were able to enjoy the sweet taste of victory.
Craig Nelson’s team were asked to soak up a lot of pressure from a Salisbury side, also searching for their first win of the season, but with the defence standing firm, swift counter attacks brought three superb goals to bring home the points.
A delighted Craig said in his post-match interview: “The credit is with the boys because they have applied themselves all over the pitch today, so they will definitely be in there enjoying that one. Salisbury are a good side with the way they want to play and get the ball to their wingers quickly but we suffocated them, or when they did get the ball to them we were on them. We knew they would be susceptible to the counter attack and all three of our goals came from that, three really good goals.”
On a pleasantly warm afternoon in Wiltshire, Craig made four changes from the side, disappointingly beaten by Enfield Town on Tuesday. Returning to the starting XI were Scott Wagstaff, Arthur Penney, Brandon Pierrick and Martell Taylor-Crossdale with Eddie Simon, precautionary following the head injury sustained on Tuesday, Alfie Allen, Jack Matton and Brody Peart taking places on the bench.
Pivotal moments can arrive in games at any time and one such moment arrived after only six minutes when Jacob Adams made a superb one-handed save to claw away a close range effort from Matty Taylor.
The Angels settled into the game and after Bobby Unwin had tested the Salisbury goalkeeper, Will Buse, for the first time it was the Tonbridge winger who put his side in front after 16 minutes converting with a far post header following a long cross from the left into the box from Bailey Akehurst.
The two sides largely cancelled each other out in the first half until five minutes before the break when Taylor had a golden chance to bring the hosts level but steered his shot well wide.
Salisbury’s manager Brian Dutton sent his team back out after barely 10 minutes in the dressing room, one would imagine with something more than a flea in the ear and they responded to a degree as the pressure on the Angels goal was intense but the Angels rearguard snuffed out the threat to the point that Adams was not asked to make a single save of note.
Craig rang the changes after the hour mark introducing Allen for Wagstaff, Peart for Unwin and Bunmi Babajide for Pierrick and the added pace up front stretched an already over-committed Salisbury.
On 72 minutes, a short corner was laid back from Marcus Sablier to Akehurst and on to Peart who took a stride before curling a splendid shot into the top corner to allow him to celebrate with his family and the travelling supporters positioned behind the goal.
The game, and the valuable points, were seemingly sealed with 10 minutes remaining when a lightning counter attack scythed apart the Salisbury back line. A surging run out of midfield and pass to the right from Allen sent Taylor-Crossdale clear on the right and his inch-perfect low cross into the box was met by Babajide who swept the ball home from around the penalty spot.
A Salisbury penalty with five minutes remaining, converted by Noah Coppin, appeared nothing more than a consolation but when the fourth official held up the board indicating 12 added minutes there was a flutter of concern among the Angels support. But they had nothing to worry about, in fact, Taylor-Crossdale brought a good, low save from Buse and Jordan Higgs had the final effort of the game, comfortably saved as the time was seen out with ease.
Craig summed up: “We would have liked to have had more possession in the game that’s what we are here to do but that’s not always going to happen, especially away from home. We defended our box exceptionally well and, today, we’ve brought it all together, we’ve proved that we can score goals because we’ve done that. It would have been nice to have had a clean sheet because the boys at the back were exceptional in the way they have defended. Turning it around after Tuesday was a big deal, some people could have folded but they didn’t and I hope that the fans that travelled were proud of the performance.”
Wednesday, 3 September 2025
Tonbridge Angels 1 Enfield Town 2
Match 19/25/2362 - Tuesday, 2nd September 2025 - National League South
Tonbridge Angels (1) 1 Simon 25
Enfield Town (2) 2 Brown 12 Youngs 34
Attendance: 801
Admission: Season Ticket
Mileage: 38/1,207
Tonbridge Angels fell to a dispiriting defeat at the Yeomans Community Stadium as two teams without a win met in what had become a ridiculously significant fixture for the second day in September.
On a damp, autumnal evening, Craig Nelson made four changes from the side that fought out a thrilling 3-3 draw against Farnborough on Saturday. Bradley Williams retained his place following his early substitute appearance for Matty Warren; returning to the team were Jordan Higgs, Jack Matton and Brody Peart with Scott Wagstaff, Arthur Penney and Martell Taylor-Crossdale taking places on the bench.
All three goals came in the first 35 minutes, with Eddie Simon equalising for the Angels after Enfield Town had taken a 12th minute lead.
Craig reflected on the performance in his post-match interview: “We are conceding the same type of goal time and time again. We started brightly, keeping the ball well, but we were toothless when we have got the ball forward into the final third. You cannot win games if you are going to roll over and not compete in the first or second phase and teams are scoring too easily against us.”
The home side were given due warning of the left wing threat that would come from Nino Adom-Malaki when he cut in to shoot over after nine minutes. Three minutes later, the winger crossed to the far post where it was met with a Sam Youngs header, directed back across the face of goal, for Bayley Brown to tuck home from close range.
Adom-Malaki was the provider again as Youngs’ effort cleared the bar before the Angels had their opening effort with a Peart shot that was saved comfortably by Rhys Forster.
Tonbridge were on level terms after 25 minutes when Marcus Sablier slotted a pass through to Simon who found the bottom corner under pressure from a defender.
Parity was relatively short-lived as the visitors regained the lead on 34 minutes with Adom-Malaki crossing for Youngs to be allowed the time, six yards out, to collect, turn and finish.
Wagstaff was introduced for the second half and immediately injected a tempo that was missing from the opening 45 minutes.
The half unfolded with the Angels showing a greater intensity but the opportunities mainly came and went without Forster being unduly troubled. Higgs headed wide following a corner; Peart shot over and when Simon needed to be substituted after being clattered by Forster, as the goalkeeper advanced beyond his area, the main threat had been removed.
Seven minutes remained when substitute Bunmi Babajide struck the outside of the right hand post but in the remaining minutes it was more likely that Enfield Town would add to their score with Youngs shooting into the side netting and, as a parting shot, firing over.
Craig Nelson commented on the supporters’ reaction at the final whistle; “I don’t blame the fans for that, we are here for them in terms of trying to win games of football and when we are playing teams in and around us, if we don’t win we have to perform better than that and you can’t not win and not perform and expect to have the fans behind you. They are right and the boys have to wear that because if they don’t do that then that’s how it feels. The fans are right to have their voice.”
Tonbridge Angels (1) 1 Simon 25
Enfield Town (2) 2 Brown 12 Youngs 34
Attendance: 801
Admission: Season Ticket
Mileage: 38/1,207
Tonbridge Angels fell to a dispiriting defeat at the Yeomans Community Stadium as two teams without a win met in what had become a ridiculously significant fixture for the second day in September.
On a damp, autumnal evening, Craig Nelson made four changes from the side that fought out a thrilling 3-3 draw against Farnborough on Saturday. Bradley Williams retained his place following his early substitute appearance for Matty Warren; returning to the team were Jordan Higgs, Jack Matton and Brody Peart with Scott Wagstaff, Arthur Penney and Martell Taylor-Crossdale taking places on the bench.
All three goals came in the first 35 minutes, with Eddie Simon equalising for the Angels after Enfield Town had taken a 12th minute lead.
Craig reflected on the performance in his post-match interview: “We are conceding the same type of goal time and time again. We started brightly, keeping the ball well, but we were toothless when we have got the ball forward into the final third. You cannot win games if you are going to roll over and not compete in the first or second phase and teams are scoring too easily against us.”
The home side were given due warning of the left wing threat that would come from Nino Adom-Malaki when he cut in to shoot over after nine minutes. Three minutes later, the winger crossed to the far post where it was met with a Sam Youngs header, directed back across the face of goal, for Bayley Brown to tuck home from close range.
Adom-Malaki was the provider again as Youngs’ effort cleared the bar before the Angels had their opening effort with a Peart shot that was saved comfortably by Rhys Forster.
Tonbridge were on level terms after 25 minutes when Marcus Sablier slotted a pass through to Simon who found the bottom corner under pressure from a defender.
Parity was relatively short-lived as the visitors regained the lead on 34 minutes with Adom-Malaki crossing for Youngs to be allowed the time, six yards out, to collect, turn and finish.
Wagstaff was introduced for the second half and immediately injected a tempo that was missing from the opening 45 minutes.
The half unfolded with the Angels showing a greater intensity but the opportunities mainly came and went without Forster being unduly troubled. Higgs headed wide following a corner; Peart shot over and when Simon needed to be substituted after being clattered by Forster, as the goalkeeper advanced beyond his area, the main threat had been removed.
Seven minutes remained when substitute Bunmi Babajide struck the outside of the right hand post but in the remaining minutes it was more likely that Enfield Town would add to their score with Youngs shooting into the side netting and, as a parting shot, firing over.
Craig Nelson commented on the supporters’ reaction at the final whistle; “I don’t blame the fans for that, we are here for them in terms of trying to win games of football and when we are playing teams in and around us, if we don’t win we have to perform better than that and you can’t not win and not perform and expect to have the fans behind you. They are right and the boys have to wear that because if they don’t do that then that’s how it feels. The fans are right to have their voice.”
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