Tonbridge Angels Dream Team

I was recently asked to produce my Dream Team for the retro football magazine Backpass. It's a fun topic of conversation that has occupied many an hour on lengthy away trips and no two person's team are the same. Here was mine, as produced in the February 2026 edition.

My Dream Tonbridge Angels team? Having supported the club for 66 years, time itself presents a challenge. I wonder how many players have gone through the books in that time. Non-League football has traditionally had a turnover of players, so a rough guess of 30 a season ticks up nearly 2,000. How many have I forgotten, probably 1,800!

My Dad took me to the Angel Ground for the first time in 1959 to watch a former England international, Charlie “Cannonball” Fleming, who was playing, and scored, for Bath City.

My love for the club saw me through childhood into marriage with just a couple of County Cup successes to sustain it, before in 1980, they lost their toughest match against Tonbridge Urban District Council and were evicted from the Angel Ground.

The fight through the High Courts and liquidation in 1976, left me deciding to seek football elsewhere and, for many years, Gillingham took over as my principal interest, but my heart always remained with the Angels and as they found a new home at Longmead, I slowly returned to the club.

What exercises my choices? Head or heart? Through the misty eyes of the last Kent Senior Cup win in 1975, heart has probably won that battle and with that have chosen to employ relatively modern-day players into the old W formation.

TOMMY BICKERSTAFF The choice of goalkeeper was most definitely made with the heart. There have, undoubtedly been better keepers wear the Angels jersey but my first Angels hero was Tommy Bickerstaff, an amiable Scotsman, who had moved south in 1955 from Third Lanark and went on to make over 250 appearances for Tonbridge, a record for a goalkeeper that was only in recent years surpassed by Jonny Henly. Profile HERE as produced in Up There Cazaly

JOE CAROLAN I was a Manchester United supporter as a kid, so you can imagine my excitement as an 11-year-old when the former Busby Babe pitched up at the Angel Ground in 1962. Joe went on to serve Tonbridge for eight seasons before managing the club for just over a year. Joe was a left back, rather than right, but his versatility took him all over the pitch which allows me to choose a genuine left-footer on that side. Profile HERE on Page Four.

PETER LOVELL Ask any old-timer leaning on the perimeter fencing who they would select as left back and the name of Peter Lovell will inevitably be raised. Lovell made 470 appearances for the club from 1958. Once again, heart wins over the accomplished Danny Tingley, who only fell 20 or so appearances short of Lovell’s total ending in 2002.

D’SEAN THEOBALDS It seems an obligation that a member vow the 2019 Isthmian League play-off squad is included and that place goes to D’Sean, who capped off a great season with a memorable goal in the Super Play-off Final at Metropolitan Police to send the game into extra time and onwards to winning and promotion to National League South. D’Sean left to attempt to make it in the professional game, but sadly that didn’t quite work out.

JOHN KEIRS Thoughts drift back to 1975 and the Kent Senior Cup Final and the scorer of the opening at, and against, our greatest rivals Maidstone United, John arrived in 1973 from Charlton Athletic via a spell in South Africa and in two spells amassed over 350 appearances, scoring 70 goals from centre half. He later managed the club for three seasons. Profile HERE on Page Three

GEOFF TRUETT Geoff was a powerhouse of a half-back who joined the club in 1962 from Crystal Palace and went to to make 517 appearances, finding the net an astonishing 115 times. He took penalties in the old-fashioned way, laces through the ball and rarely missed. He represented the club until 1970 and helped Tonbridge gain promotion to the Southern League Premier Division in the 1963-64 season and triumph in the Kent Senior Cup the following year. He was a complete payer, a colossus for the club. Profile HERE on Page Six

GERRY FRANCIS Gerry was brilliantly covered in the summer edition of BACKPASS reproduced HERE from Page Three. Francis escaped the apartheid of South Africa, travelling to the United Kingdom in the mid-1950’s to become the first South African to play top flight football in England after joining Leeds United. Gerry arrived at Tonbridge in 1962 via York City and in the course of three seasons made 174 appearances, scoring 61 goals whilst delighting the Angel Ground with his fleet-footed skills. Gerry died in May 2025 at the age of 91 in Ontario, Canada. He was very much mourned at the present-day club as a significant figure in our history.

PHIL STONEBRIDGE If I have to pick an Angels’ GOAT then Phil would take my accolade as the club’s leading goalscorer. In 19786, having stayed loyal to the club after Tonbridge went into receivership, he left for local rivals Maidstone United before returning in 1981. Over his two spells, he made 442 appearances, scoring 133 times. Phil played anywhere on the pitch, even in goal once, and was a member of the 1975 team. Profile HERE on Page Five

JON MAIN Mainy arrived at Longmead in 2006 where he had drawn attention. The Angels’ manager at the time, Tony Dolby, said of him that he wasn’t one that loved football; wasn’t the best trainer, he just scored goals and in a two season spell he bagged 61 of them before leaving for a record fee paid by AFC Wimbledon where he formed a prolific partnership with another ex-Angel, Danny Kedwell. He returned to the Angels in 2011 after suffering a serious injury at Wimbledon and added another ten goals to his tally.

FRANNIE COLLIN So here we are, 14 years after Frannie left the club, we get a free-kick and somebody will inevitably say “Frannie territory”, such was the cultured left foot of one of, if not the most technically gifted player ever to wear an Angels shirt. In a three-year spell, Frannie rippled the net 75 times in 140 appearances and not many of them would be poacher’s goals. Profile HERE on Page Two

NICKY WHEELER Wheeler crosses, Elder scores was a familiar refrain for two seasons from 2015, which yielded 108 appearances for Nick before he moved on to the EFL and Dagenham and Redbridge. Always immaculately turned out, he would take a bit of stick that he would never have a hair out of place, but then he was a hairdresser. In 2015-16 he recorded 28 assists, while Nathan Elder scored 29 goals; the maths tell the story. Wheeler recently retired after serving Worthing and Dorking Wanderers to great effect.

SUBSTITUTES

SONNY MILES AND JOE TURNER Many Angels supporters, especially those with fewer years on the clock than myself, will question how the club’s leading appearance maker, Sonny Miles, who retired having played 527 times for a club in a career of 15 years in which he only spent one season away from Longmead, doesn’t make the team. Joe will also raise eyebrows with his exclusion, signed from Kingstonian he was the only player to win the Player of the Year accolade three times. He made 261 appearances, scored 67 goals, many of which were of the spectacular variety and, without doubt, would feature in many supporters’ Dream Team. But that was mine, borne of 66 years and counting!

Southend United 0 Wealdstone 0

Match 86/25/2428 - Sunday, 17th May 2026 - FA Trophy Final

Southend United (0) 0
Wealdstone (0) 0
Southend win 4-2 on penalties
Attendance: 43,307
Admission: Complimentary
Mileage: 132/5,278

Match 85/25/2427 - Sunday, 17th May 2026 - FA Vase Final

AFC Stoneham (0) 0
Cockfosters (0) 0
AFC Stoneham win 4-2 on penalties


DOUBLE BAGELED

Wembley brought the curtain down on the 25/26 season being double-bageled by Non-League Finals Day.

Thankfully, we were spared the drudgery of extra-time with both finals going straight to penalties as two very poor games laboured their way to their conclusions.

As a friend posted, it’s a day spent in the company of good mates, even if you have no allegiance to any of the competing clubs. But, should you not be part of such a group, then two uninspiring games can make for a very long day. That I was not part of my mates group was entirely my own fault, missing the deadline for neutral tickets and took a seat among largely Southend United supporters.

Goalless draws by definition are extremely tight matches which these were, so it is a marginal opinion that the two better sides lost out in the penalty shootouts and the best two players, Junior Moses for Cockfosters and Wealdstone’s Nathan Tshikuna, ended with losers medals.

The Vase final was contested by AFC Stoneham, who hail from Eastleigh in Hampshire and Cockfosters, whose journey could be negotiated entirely on the London Underground with a couple of changes of line.

I had watched Cockfosters semi-final, second leg game at Punjab United, in which George Lutaaya scored an extraordinary goal, that I said at the time he will never do again, let alone in a Wembley final.

One decent chance fell the way of Cockfosters’ Kendall Gyamfi in the first half, racing clear to go one-on-one with Callum Lee but a poor touch allowed the goalkeeper to smother the ball with relative comfort.

Gyamfi struck the bar early in the second half and Stoneham’s Duarte Martins did similarly with a header after 64 minutes but chances remained very much at a premium before tired legs took out what little remained of momentum in the game.

Stoneham scored from all four of their spot kicks whilst Cockfosters missed their second and it was a sad moment for Moses, who after excelling for 90 minutes, blazed his penalty high over the bar to complete the Hampshire side’s 4-2 win from the spot.

One hoped for better fare from the Trophy Final involving National League teams, Southend United and Wealdstone, but once again, defences ruled the roost and goalmouth action was scarce.

Harry Cardwell struck a post for Southend with just seven minutes on the clock and they had a goal ruled out on 27 minutes following a corner and a foul on the goalkeeper, whilst Wealdstone brought a good save from Adeng Ndi to deny Anthony Georgiou just before the break.

The second half was even tighter with Keenan Appiah-Forson clipping the bar with a cross and Georgiou blazing over.

Ndi dived low to his left to save Wealdstone’s opening two penalties before Southend missed their third but two successful spot kicks with Gus Scott-Morriss firing home the winning kick sent the Shrimpers’ 22,000 fans home deliriously happy.

A mid-season hiatus with a couple of domestic issues left me well short of a hundred games for the for the first time since the Covid seasons and the double-bagel also left me frustratingly a goal short of 300 for the season. Six weeks break before we start all over again.

ONE MILLION VIEWS!

ONE MILLION VIEWS!

Life has changed a bit since I wrote the very first post for That’ll Be The Day on 24th May 2007.

Allegiances haven’t really changed, just their order of importance, although the travelling with England has ended. The very first post can be read here https://thatbetheday.blogspot.com/2007/05/why-this-blog.html?m=0

I wasn’t on Twitter or Facebook, had no idea what I was doing, but with the help of a few tech savvy workmates, it was published. I didn’t think for one minute that anybody would read it, or even know it was there, but here we are, 19 years later, and a football blog that largely follows the fortunes of a club in the English sixth tier, has just had its one millionth view.

That is just crazy and the fact that it is read all over the world, from iconic football nations such as Brazil and Argentina, the cricketing strongholds of Bangladesh and India to the footballing minnow of Tibet, just blows my mind.

At my age, nearly 75, perhaps its 2,000,000th view is a little too much of a wish but I’ll keep posting just because I continue to love the game and writing about it.

Tonbridge Angels U15 4 Ebbsfleet United U15 3

Match 84/25/2426 - Thursday, 7th May 2026 - Kent Youth League U15 Cup Final

Tonbridge Angels U15 (2) 4 Pali 3,54 Palmer 12 Green 80+4
Ebbsfleet United (0) 3 Harman 72,78,80+5
Estimated Attendance: 300
Admission: £3
Mileage: 50/5,146

U15's THRILL IN CUP TRIUMPH

Tonbridge Angels Under-15’s completed a Kent Youth League and Cup double with a thrilling 4-3 win over Ebbsfleet United at Faversham Town’s Salters Lane stadium.

In an exceptionally successful first season return to the KYL wearing the badge of the parent club, to which will be referred later, a Cup Final win put the icing on the cake.

A fantastic turnout, estimated around the 300-mark, from both clubs saw the car park full long before kick-off, meaning a quick retreat seeking a spot in a nearby residential road.

Tonbridge have secured their Kent Youth League South title, finishing in all probability with one game remaining nine points clear of Faversham Town, whilst Ebbsfleet, with two league games remaining, presently sit fourth in the central division.

Ebbsfleet, having struck the woodwork three times, and producing a stirring comeback from 3-0 down might just feel a little hard done by, but over the course of a thoroughly entertaining encounter, the Angels were fully deserving of their win.

Tonbridge got off to a great start, but with this week’s events at U18 level, that in itself brought misgivings. Ebbsfleet switched off from a third minute throw-in from Will Smart in an innocuous position to Jurgen Pali, who settled himself with a couple of strides across the edge of the box before despatching a shot between the goalkeeper and his near post.

Captain Stan Boxall fired over, before on 12 minutes, his shot was only parried into the path of Dylan Palmer by Elijah Bateau, who finished clinically in limited space.

Ebbsfleet served notice that they were still very much in the contest when Ryan Dioullo’s shot narrowly went wide of the right hand post and, on 28 minutes, a shot from all of 25 yards from Oscar Streatfield came back from the bar to eventually nestle in the grateful hands of Michael Germanos.

Both sides had chances in the opening ten minutes of the second half, but it was the Angels that extended their lead after 54 minutes when Alfie Murray released Pali to score with a surgeon’s precision into the far corner to give his side what appeared to be an insurmountable lead.

Pali was denied his hat-trick with a fine save from Bateau, but Ebbsfleet refused to lie down and, after 72 minutes, reduced the deficit when a shot from Brodie Baker rebounded off the post to the alert Fin Harman who calmly finished.

Nerves among the Tonbridge contingent were well and truly rattled when a high, looping effort from Streatfield struck the far post and after 78 minutes (of an 80 minute game), Harman fired through a crowded penalty area, to reduce the deficit to a single goal.

As several players from both sides dropped to the floor with the effects of cramp, eight extra minutes brought two more goals in a manic finish to the game.

After Jeremiah Nzuzi had fed the ball to Ethan Green to finish nicely at the near post to return the Angels advantage to two goals after four minutes there was still time for Harman to keep the final alive with his hat-trick goal.

But, the Angels saw out time for captain Boxall to receive the trophy and cap a memorable season.

The return of the Angels to the KYL has seen, in chronological order, the Under-13’s recover from a torrid opening couple of months when their luck seemed to be completely out, to go unbeaten since early December to now sit in fourth place in their division with the possibility of finishing third. The U14’s are neck-and-neck with Maidstone United for the central league title with three games remaining and the U16’s have already been crowned central league champions, ending the season four points clear of Erith and Belvedere.

Next season the Academy (U19) will be brought in-house and this all seems a far cry from the time when, as a board member, I banged my head against a wall attempting to bring the youth team programme back to the club. In fairness, we had a bog of a pitch that was unplayable for three months or more, but with the installation of the 3G pitch and the great support of chair, Sophie Purves, youth team football is now a big part of Tonbridge Angels.

Hollands and Blair U23 5 Tonbridge Angels U19 2

Match 83/25/2425 - Wednesday, 6th May 2026 - Kent Intermediate Cup Final

Hollands and Blair U23 (1) 5 Byrne 17 Arnott 60 Reid 78,87,89 (pen)
Tonbridge Angels U19 (2) 2 Fincham 11 Richardson 22
Estimated Attendance: 250
Admission: £5
Mileage: 34/5,096

U18's WEEK OF DISAPPOINTMENT

It’s been a week of disappointment for Tonbridge Angels Under-18’s but this shouldn’t be allowed to cloud a season of achievement including retaining their Isthmiam Youth League title.

Ultimately, in this Kent Intermediate Cup Final, the physicality of an older age group told its tale but, as has been the case throughout the season, Dom Welsh’s youngsters tried to play their game, but there is more than one way to win a game of football and Hollands and Blair’s direct style was effective and deserving of their win.

The Kent Intermediate Cup is a strangely mixed competition, that Tonbridge have actually won more than any other club. As one supporter said last night that it hardly seems fair, but it is a competition for reserve teams of clubs that compete in the Senior Cup and Trophy with Under-23 and Under-21 teams allowed to enter where there is no reserve team. That some clubs, such as Tonbridge Angels, enter their Under-18’s is their choice.

Tonbridge’s journey to the Final has seen them despatch Under-23 sides but Blair were an altogether tougher ask.

The Angels could not have got off to a worse, or better start, conceding a penalty within two minutes and scoring after 11 minutes, with Callum Fincham involved at both ends of the pitch.

Fincham’s tackle on Jack Shepherd saw the referee point to the spot but Owen Edwards’ penalty was saved by the trailing leg of Jacob Hunt with the ball rebounding off the underside of the crossbar back into the keeper’s grateful hands.

Tonbridge went ahead when a raking crossfield pass from Noah Millis was received by Fincham, who with a couple of strides, took aim to angle a driven shot into the far corner off the right hand post.

Blair were quick to respond and were level on 17 minutes following a left-sided corner that was headed from the far post back to George Byrne to head home.

A frantic opening 20 minutes was completed when Mackenzie Richardson let fly from 25 yards into the top corner with the Blair goalkeeper, Mackenzie Porter, grasping at thin air.

Both sides had further chances in an entertaining first half, with Porter saving from Fincham and Hunt brilliantly turning over a Morgan Arnott header before the break.

The Angels started the second period strongly and had they managed a third goal, who knows, but Fincham’s fizzed effort was inches wide and Robert Penman brought a good save from Porter before, on the hour, Hollands and Blair equalised when Arnott converted a cross from eight yards.

On 78 minutes, Blair hit the front for the first time when substitute Lennon Reid finished a right wing cross at the near post and the game was finished as a contest with Reid poaching an 87th minute goal after the Angels defence had failed to clear their lines.

The Angels had one final flurry with Richardson’s shot parried by Porter back to Kyler Barton, but the last say went to Reid, who completed a 16 minute hat-trick from the spot to give a 5-2 scoreline that didn’t reflect the competitive nature of the game.

Our U18’s reform next season, as with all age group football, many of the squad become over age, but the beauty of the Angels newly (finally!) formed pathway is that some of the successful U16’s squad now progress into the higher age group and the process starts all over again!

NB: For supporters of a Gillingham persuasion, in the Blair squad were Morgan Arnott, son of Andy and Zach Tydeman, son of Sam and grandson of the legend that was Dick Tydeman.

Tonbridge Angels U18 2 Burgess Hill Town U18 4

Match 82/25/2424 - Monday, 4th May 2026 - Isthmian Youth League Champion of Champions SF

Tonbridge Angels U18 (2) 2 Fincham 2 Sulovari 22
Burgess Hill Town (0) 4 Golabzadeh 57,90+2, 90+7 OG 90+5
Headcount: 65
Admission: Season Ticket
Mileage: 38/5,062

ADDED TIME DESPAIR

Tonbridge Angels Under-18’s suffered heartbreak as three goals in added time saw them exit the Champion of Champions playoffs.

Leading 2-0 at half-time, there was a sense that the third goal in the tie was going to be pivotal and when it went to the visitors, Burgess Hill Town, the second half unraveled in dramatic fashion.

Skipper and central defensive lynchpin, Ed Dyer, needed to be substituted due to illness and, in a moment of uncharacteristic madness, Lucas Kernan saw red handing the visitors the initiative to launch their stunning comeback.

Manager Dom Welsh: “Everything went wrong in the second half, losing Ed (Dyer), the sending off, but no excuses, these things happen and we wish Burgess Hill good luck in the final.”

The Angels couldn’t have asked for a better start, going ahead after just two minutes when a cross from River Ballach evaded Robert Penman at the near post but fell invitingly for Callum Fincham to lash home.

Jacob Hunt made a good save from Burgess Hill’s Luca Oliva as the visitors looked for an immediate response but it was the Angels who were comfortably controlling the game and went two-up in the 22nd minute when good movement between Mackenzie Richardson and Ballach saw the ball pulled back for Dani Sulovari to score.

The search for a third goal saw efforts from Fiachra Pritchard and Nathaniel Waul saved whilst a header from Dyer drifted wide.

In the closing minutes of the first half, Burgess Hill served notice that they were far from out of the game with a shot from Eddie Jimenez that rattled the crossbar; Hunt saving from Xander Silverthorne and a miraculous goal line clearance from George Vassilev.

A defensive reshuffle was required as Dyer needed to be replaced, but the chances came again as Fincham, Penman, Richardson and Vassilev peppered the visitors goal.

But on 57 minutes, a goalkeeping error allowed Burgess Hill an open goal gratefully accepted.

Penman was sent clear but denied by good goalkeeping from Jake Rhodes and on 77 minutes, the lively Bardia Golabzadeh struck the post.

Kernan was shown a red card for retaliation with 10 minutes remaining and it became backs to the wall as Burgess Hill threw everything forward in search of an equaliser that seemed inevitable.

But the clock had ticked into seven minutes of added time when the resistance was finally broken with a surging run and cross from Jimenez was headed home by Golabzadeh.

Two minutes later, an own goal saw the ball spin past a wrong footed Hunt and, in the very final act, Golabzadeh cemented a fine performance with a fourth goal.

A quick turnaround to Wednesday’s Kent Intermediate Cup Final doesn’t allow the Angels youngsters time to dwell on what might have been’s but for the fourth time the Champion of Champions has eluded them.

Gillingham 1 Shrewsbury Town 0

Match 81/25/2423 - Saturday, 2nd May 2026 - League Two

Gillingham (0) 1 McCleary 90+2
Shrewsbury Town (0) 0
Attendnance: 6,415
Admission: £22
Mileage: 45/5,024

THE FINAL CURTAIN, THANKFULLY

I’m inclined to think that the loudest cheer of the afternoon was reserved for the final whistle that brought down the curtain on the most turgid of seasons.

Gillingham supporters have endured eight months of even less than mediocrity since they led the League Two table back in September in the midst of a record unbeaten run of 21 games. Perhaps prophetically, that run was brought to an end at Priestfield Stadium by Harrogate Town, who suffered relegation on the last day.

Where did it go so horribly wrong? Gareth Ainsworth’s sabbatical due to a major heart operation; or Ainsworth himself, who had the indignity of hearing his previous club’s supporters sing that his football was shit with the Rainham End joining the chorus; or was it just the players, who week after week, have brought the indictment from supporters that they just didn’t care and certain players were subject to ridicule that helps nobody.

Certainly, the indication that as many as 14 of the squad are about to be released tells its tale and the evidence of this game bares testament to that thought.

Two teams, Gillingham sitting 18th to Shrewsbury’s 19th with every club below still facing the prospect of relegation, bellowed mediocrity but sadly, with one notable exception, didn’t even reach that heady height.

As Shrewsbury had passed up chances to win the game which plodded its way into time added, substitute Gareth McCleary let fly from 25 yards to find the top corner, the polar opposite of what had previously gone by in regular time.

How John Marquiss managed to spoon the ball over the bar from six yards one will never know and he was just one of several visiting offenders.

The game had its emotional moments with goalkeeper Glenn Morris, saluted throughout on his last appearance for the Gills whilst Sam Vokes was given a guard of honour from his team mates on his 70th minute substitution to mark his retirement from the game.

Gillingham fans are a resilient bunch, in the past eight days they’ve travelled in huge numbers to suffer a 6-2 defeat at Barnet and had the embarrassment of the club’s end of season awards dinner cancelled presumably because of the lamentable season. But, nonetheless, 6,000 of them turned out for a meaningless game and despite the winner, you cannot say they were rewarded. They deserve better.

Photo: Jim Case

Tonbridge Angels 1 Torquay United 2

Match 80/25/2422 - Saturday, 25th April 2026 - National League South

Tonbridge Angels (0) 1 Babajide 67
Torquay United (0) 2 Moore 58 Morgan 61
Attendnance: 2,026
Admission: Season Ticket
Mileage: 38/4,979

GULLS FLY AWAY

They came to Tonbridge in their hundreds, adding a swathe of yellow to the Yeomans Community Stadium. They left, as one supporter said, job done.

Torquay United, a giant of a club who really shouldn’t be National League South, arrived in the knowledge that a win could see them avoiding the playoff eliminators whilst defeat could see them fail to make the knockout stages at all.

When Paul Wotton was dismissed in March after a 5-0 home defeat by Chelmsford, this challenge seemed unlikely but the appointment of the ex-Totton manager, Jimmy Ball, has seen a remarkable turnaround in form.

For the home supporters there was a relaxed atmosphere, satisfied with their mid-table finish after a start to the season that shouted relegation from the rooftops. But the nervousness of the Torquay supporters is what we want for ourselves, to be there with something to play for (at the top of the table) on the last day.

Those of a certain vintage will remember final days of the past when keeping in touch with games elsewhere meant having a transistor radio to the ear listening to the updates as a main commentary match continued. Of course these days the smart phone means that a goal scored at Bath City is transmitted within seconds, but this also brings the “fake news” as Maidstone United supporters suffered when, having fought back from two down at Bath to win 3-2, news circulated that a late Hornchurch goal against Maidenhead had secured an unlikely playoff spot, only to have their celebrations cut short.

Torquay brought the sunshine of the English Riviera with them but, in fairness, the Garden of England has been similarly blessed all week. Tonbridge manager, Alan Dunne, gave Scott Wagstaff a starting place in what was likely to be his final game with the Angels.

Perhaps the nervousness of the visitors contributed to a flat first half which saw little goalmouth action with neither goalkeeper seriously tested.

The game turned in the west country team’s favour in the matter of a couple of minutes around the hour mark. Firstly, after 58 minutes, an inswinging corner was bundled home by Deon Moore, a disappointing goal to concede that had echoes of Maidstone’s opener in the Kent Senior Cup Final.

On 61 minutes, Dylan Morgan cut in from the left to curl a shot into the bottom corner and, with results elsewhere, Torquay moved into third place.

Tonbridge didn’t lie down and a spectacular 25 yard strike from Bunmi Babajide reset the ambitions of the visitors who retreated to defend what they had.

Chances came for the Angels, a great one for Alfie Pavey, one-on-one with the keeper, but the custodian came out of top.

But the yellow army wound their way back west, ready to sell out Plainmoor next Saturday and roll on towards the National League. Personally (but selfishly) I hope they make it, with Truro City back on the the fixture list, it is one less long journey to deal with and although Plainmoor is a big ground in National League South, being corralled into a corner with limited facilities isn’t ideal.

But, their good natured supporters who swelled the Angels’ coffers with more than a few pints sunk, deserve it.

Tonbridge Angels 0 Maidstone United 2

Match 79/25/2421 - Wednesday, 22nd April 2026 - Kent Senior Cup Final

Tonbridge Angels (0) 0
Maidstone United (0) 2 Kargbo 49 Court 90+7
Attendnance (TBA): 1,200
Admission: £15
Mileage: 48/4,941

THE WAIT GOES ON

That went well! Let’s get this out of the way from the outset, Maidstone United won the Kent Senior Cup Final because they were the better side on the night; they had the best player on the field and found two finishes in a game where that art was severely lacking.

But, I’m making no apology in being a Tonbridge Angels supporter and this blog doesn’t hide that fact and, without condoning the behaviour of Tonbridge’s Alfie Pavey, the after-match carnage would have been avoided if the Maidstone goalkeeper, Nathan Harness, had stayed with his team mates celebrating their win and not make the inane decision to sprint 60 yards across the pitch to goad Pavey, who met him with a headbutt that laid him out. Without that run, the cup would’ve been presented, both teams could take their medals and everyone would have gone home, elated or disappointed.

Gillingham’s Priestfield Stadium is a bit cavernous with little more than 1,200 people inside with 475 Maidstone supporters occupying the Gordon Road stand whilst 750 Tonbridge fans (and neutrals) were sat in the lower tier of the Medway Stand with both ends uninhabited.

The match, not of the greatest quality, was not helped by poor officiating from an experienced referee, Dan Blades, who has many games at National League level and, supposedly, is in line for promotion. Nobody should accuse him of being biased, he was equally bad for both teams. Perhaps the wisest decision he made all night was at the final whistle when, as the carnage ensued, he wandered away to the dressing room.

That the Kent FA has labelled the occasion as “an evening to remember” can only smack of the suits partaking a little too heavily in the liquid refreshments.

The first half, on an evening that became increasingly cold, was one in which the Angels had the better of the possession and territory, but the two best chances fell to the Stones.

On 23 minutes, the Angels had a viable penalty appeal turned away as Harness felled Frankie Baker in the box in an effort to retrieve the ball.

The first meaningful shot of the evening came a minute later when a shot from outside of the box from Jordon Thompson, Harness did well to get down and push the ball away to safety.

After 35 minutes Maidstone should have hit the front when a cross from Leo Hamblin found the head of Hamzad Kargbo who steered the opportunity wide of the right hand post and, as the clock ticked into added time, Maidstone debutant Mark Boruk, who had an impressive game, swung in a cross from which John Gilbert wastefully blazed over.

The opening of the second period saw better intent from Maidstone and they were ahead after 49 minutes when a Riley Court corner dropped in the box for Kargbo to squeeze the ball into the far corner from close range.

Just past the hour, Matt Rowley was called upon to make a good, low save to deny Court, as the 19 year-old was proving the driving force in either midfield.

Angels’ manager Alan Dunne rang the changes but clear opportunities were thin on the ground.

On 81 minutes, Maidstone were reduced to 10 men when Hamblin was shown the red card for an off-the-ball incident and the Tonbridge contingent sensed a turning point in the game and, in the final minute it came, when Naz Bakrin steered a free header wide from six yards.

Seven minutes of added time saw shots from Pavey and Maidstone’s Jamie Yila, who inexplicably hooked the ball wide with an open goal gaping.

In the very final act, Court sealed the cup with a free-kick from the edge of the box, a fitting way for the best player on the pitch to end. It is a shame, that a 19 year-old saw fit to take time out of his celebratory run to his own supporters to provoke a seasoned professional in Scott Wagstaff. The petulance of youth.

The final whistle, the chaos, the felling and the miraculous resurrection of Harness saw the presentations put on hold as the Tonbridge team returned to the dressing room.

51 years and still waiting for an Angels Kent Senior Cup win whilst, for the 20th time, Maidstone take the honours in a game that as the Kent FA say, will be remembered, but for all the wrong reasons.

Photos below from Dave Couldridge

Tonbridge Angels Women 2 Maidstone United Women 3

Match 78/25/2420 - Sunday, 19th April 2026 - South East Counties Women's Football League

Tonbridge Angels (2) 2 Churchill 13 Herbert-Smith 36
Maidstone United (2) 3 Culpitt 25 Kelsi Wilkinson 45+6 Madamombe 50
Attendnance: 428
Admission: Season Ticket
Mileage: 38/4,893

CRUEL END TO TITLE CHASE

Second place is a particularly cruel position in which to finish a season in the seventh tier of women’s football and second place is where, almost certainly, Tonbridge Angels Women will finish for a second consecutive season.

It is a hobby horse of mine that the structure of women’s football in the lower tiers needs addressing. This season, Maidstone United and Tonbridge Angels have been far too strong for their division. Maidstone haven’t lost a game and Tonbridge have only lost to Maidstone, the rest are trailing miles behind. What benefit is it to the competition to stunt the growth of a progressive club leaving them in a division in which next season they will continue to be too strong unless they lose their players who have ambitions for a greater standard.

Last season, a vacancy arose and one club with the correct criteria got promoted and that might happen again this season, but that is a lottery. Surely, 12 team divisions have the scope to expand?

Already this post sounds sour grapes. None of it, on the day Maidstone were the more composed side and well deserving of their win that leaves them needing to win at Hollands and Blair to confirm the title, whilst Tonbridge play host to Long Lane hoping for a miracle.

Tonbridge had done all they could to promote the game and were rewarded with an impressive 428 filing through the gates on a warm, sunny day.

The game started nervously with neither side settling into their natural rhythm but it was the Angels women that hit the front on 13 minutes with a well worked goal. A cross from the right from Charlotte Cresswell was headed on by Phoebe Farnham to an unmarked Aimee Churchill who took her opportunity to fire past a helpless Cara Davies.

Both goalkeepers were tested before the Stones equalised on 25 minutes when a driven shot from Georgia Culpitt found the bottom corner from 20 yards.

On the half-hour a nasty collision between Culpitt and Angels goalkeeper, Lois Bartlett, saw the keeper take a blow to the head that forced her substitution by outfield player Beth Kemp, who in the absence of a regular keeper took her place between the sticks.

Perhaps knowing this, Maidstone took a shoot on sight policy and, from distance, Neve Platt rattled the crossbar.

On 36 minutes, the Angels retook the lead when a clearance fell at the feet of Mollyanne Herbert-Smith, who lobbed a stranded Davies from the edge of the box.

In the much extended added time, due to Bartlett’s injury, Maidstone equalised when Kelsi Wilkinson was sent to clear to finish past Kemp.

The rolling substitutions rule allowed Bartlett to return at the start of the second half but after conceding Maidstone’s third goal when Chi Madamombe ran from deep to finish into the bottom corner, she was forced from the field again still feeling the effects of the blow to the head with Kemp returning for a second spell with the gloves.

Maidstone dominated the second period with the Angels struggling to get a meaningful spell in the half. Resolute defending, wayward finishing kept Tonbridge in the game and, into another long period of added time, their chance came when Herbert-Smith fed Grace Mayhead, but her shot was saved by Davies and soon after the celebrations began for Maidstone United.

If two-season justice prevails local rivalry will be resumed next season in the London and South East Regional League.

Pictures: Tonbridge Angels Women

Farnborough 1 Tonbridge Angels 6

Match 77/25/2419 - Saturday, 18th April 2026 - National League South

Farnborough (1) 1 Lawrence 2
Tonbridge Angels (3) 6 Sutcliffe 31 Baker 36 Babajide 40 Leahy 71 Bakrin 81 Sablier 87
Attendnance: 1,358
Admission: £11
Mileage: 160/4,855

ANGELS HAVE SIX APPEAL

On a bright, sunny day, two teams met in relaxed moods. Farnborough’s season-long struggle against relegation had been won at Dover Athletic the previous Saturday and Tonbridge Angels, who have sat comfortably in the middle of National League South for over a month. What better way to end the season where two teams could release the hand brake and produce an open game. One team took openness to the extreme allowing the other to entertain their travelling support to the full.

There was a heavy air of celebration at Farnborough with yellow and blue balloons escaping the clutches as a brisk wind blew; sweets being handed out to excited children as a very respectable 1,300+ filed into Cherrywood Road for their last home fixture.

Despite being nothing on this match, there was plenty going on elsewhere in National League South that was occupying the conversation pre-match. Worthing visiting Maidstone with the opportunity to win the championship, but could Maidstone win thereby keeping their play-off hopes alive and, just perhaps, diverting their attention away from Wednesday’s Kent Senior Cup Final where they meet the Angels.

As said, a nice warm day usually brings the consequence of a standstill on the M25, but apart from one minor hold-up it was plain sailing and when you think of travelling into Hampshire it seems a longer journey than it actually is from Kent.

The travelling support bantered that Farnborough’s ground was too big for them and, despite the healthy attendance, at this moment in time it probably is. With a 6,500 capacity and an all-seated Prospect Road stand behind one goal that can accommodate 1,350 that would not look out of place in the EFL. These days Cherrywood Road stands monument to past glories from their previous incarnation as Farnborough Town and their time at the pinnacle of non-league football in the early 2000’s.

Tonbridge manager Alan Dunne was able to recall Jordan Higgs for a first start since November in a side that showed two changes from last Saturday’s home win over Salisbury.

Farnborough, high on confidence with a run of seven wins in 10, were ahead within the first two minutes when a corner was met by a towering header from Nico Lawrence and, for a good 15-20minutes, the Angels could not get a foothold in the game.

Successive free kicks indicated a vulnerability in the Farnborough defence, one of which brought a good save from goalkeeper, Bristol City loanee Joe Duncan, to deny Alfie Pavey.

Tonbridge drew level on 31 minutes, when Ethan Sutcliffe got on the end of a Bailey Akehurst free kick to sweep the ball home and, very quickly the home side caved in.

Five minutes later an excellent team goal involving Bradley Williams and Ricky Korboa set up a tap-in for Frankie Baker and, in the 40th minute, a superb assist from Tobi Omole gave Bunmi Babajide a close range opportunity which he tucked home.

Farnborough manager, Spencer Day, sent out his beleaguered troops early for the second half, no doubt with a flea in their ear and for 20 minutes they, whilst being overrun, were at least competitive. But once they conceded on 71 minutes when Babajide crossed from the right, substitute Tom Leahy met it with a deft touch to add a fourth and, just like the first half, the home side capitulated to the point of giving up.

Naz Bakrin came off the bench to follow-up his initial header with a smart finish and when Marcus Sablier curled in a shot from the edge of the box to make it six the rout was complete, but by that time, it is no exaggeration that the scoreline could have amounted to double figures.

Alan Dunne continues to collect “first since’s”, this was the first league game for 11 years since the Angels have scored six goals, that was against the recently demised VCD Athletic and the first time for 18 years since six or more was scored on an away ground when the passing Heathrow traffic in the sky were able to witness Angels’ seven goals at Ashford Town (Middlesex).

This was a nice little confidence builder ahead of the Kent Senior Cup Final, a game that really, really does matter.

Haywards Heath Town U18 1 Tonbridge Angels U18 6

Match 76/25/2418 - Monday, 13th April 2026 - Isthmian Youth League

Haywards Heath Town U18 (1) 1
Tonbridge Angels U18 (2) 6 Richardson 33,71 Waul 45 Kernan 57 Lucas 90 Sulovari 90+2
Headcount: 60
Admission: £5
Mileage: 82/4,695
New Ground: 398

CHAMPIONES!

Championes, Championes rang out around the HSEnergy Stadium, home to Haywards Heath Town, as our Under-18’s clinched an ultimately comfortable 6-1 win the seal the Isthmian Youth League East title for a second, consecutive time.

After falling behind, the Angels fought back to lead 2-1 at the break and a thoroughly dominant second half performance saw them rattle in another four goals to spark the celebrations.

Dom Welsh, U18’s manager, commented after the champagne had been sprayed: “The dressing room is brilliant, it’s cliche but they’re honestly such a top group of lads, accountability isn’t something often associated with youth level footballers these days, but these lads have that, and not only that, they hold each other accountable too, they’re buzzing tonight, but they have the ‘want more’ mentality. They are already talking of the champions of champions games.”

Dom was taken back to a 4-3 defeat at Cobham and it was put to him that to win the league at that point they would probably need to win every game to retain the title. They’ve done that, and a bit more, as the run includes a trip to the Kent Intermediate Cup Final.

Dom: “After Cobham there was really hurt and disappointment, which on reflection has brought out the best in the group, it’s brought a winning mentality that’s got us to the title. Since that evening we’ve won 10 games in a row, scoring 38 goals in the process, so it definitely turned into a turning point for us.”

On a really cold evening in West Sussex, Tonbridge dominated from the outset with chances falling to Robert Penman, Ed Dyer and Callum Fincham, so it was a real surprise when they went a goal behind, on 20 minutes, as a long ball forward took an awkward bounce that deceived Dyer and allowed the Haywards Heath forward to execute a well taken goal with a lob over the advancing Jacob Hunt.

Dom said of the goal: “It definitely wasn’t in the plan to go one down, the mentality in the build up has been that we wanted to have a quick start and get the game into our control early on, but that’s football, on the night we created loads early on, and got sucker punched with their only shot of the night. However, the players stayed cool, the messages remained consistent and we turned it into a comfortable night. I had said to them before the game, you’ve got to earn a title, it won’t be handed to you tonight, and they certainly took that on board.”

The Angels youngsters continued to knock the door, but as the half drew on and more chances came and went, there was a certain anxiety growing, if only from the visiting support. But, the breakthrough came on 33 minutes when a cross from the right was turned in by Mackenzie Richardson from close range.

In first half added time, which was significantly long due to a serious looking injury to a Haywards Heath player, Richardson opened up an opportunity for Nathaniel Waul who fired past the goalkeeper to give the Angels a half-time lead.

The second half was an absolute procession, but the longer the game wore on, the need for a third goal, and a bit of breathing space, was concerning given that a goal from Haywards Heath and a draw would be opening the door for Cobham.

Some near misses and good goalkeeping kept the Angels at bay until the 57th minute when a quick throw-in caught the home defence unaware which allowed Lucas Kernan an unchallenged run into the box to bury his shot into the bottom corner.

Relaxing, but maintaining their momentum, Tonbridge went further ahead on 71 minutes when Fincham set up Richardson to tuck home a fourth and on the stroke of the final minute of regular time, a shot from Kyler Barton was parried into the path of Ashton Lucas to make it five.

A sixth was to come, and it was a rather special moment as Dani Sulovari headed home after making the initial run and following up Lucas’ shot with a smart header, as Dom explains: “The celebrations from the outside for a sixth goal may have seemed over the top, but we’ve been giving Dani a hard time over the last few weeks, as he’s been the only U18 squad member not to score, and that includes goalkeeper, Jacob Hunt. It was a fitting way to end the league season with Dani getting his first ever goal!”

As is always the way with age group football, team building needs to start straight away but the introduction of Kent Youth League participation at Under-16 level has given Dom Welsh a platform from which to work as he explains: “The U16’s have had a fantastic season, I think every single one of that group have had some exposure to the U18’s across the season, whether that be in training or games. We’ve handed 11 U16 players their U18 debuts this season, with John Fuller being promoted into the squad permanently. They deserve a massive pat on the back for their contribution. But, a large contingent of our current squad are second years, so the building has already begun for next season with initial trials already having been held and we look forward to continuing to create more memories like tonight!

The season doesn’t end there for the U18’s as they now compete for the Isthmian Champions of Champions Trophy. As yet, the opponents and venue are to be arranged but we have been informed that the semi-final will take place on the week commencing 4th May with the final a week later. It sets up an exciting but busy week of football with the Kent Intermediate Cup Final on the 6th May at Chatham Town against Hollands and Blair.

Haywards Heath have a magnificent 70 year-old grandstand that lays back slightly from the pitch, but nevertheless, gladdens the old purist's eye!

Tonbridge Angels 3 Salisbury 2

Match 75/25/2417 - Saturday, 11th April 2026 - National League South

Tonbridge Angels (1) 3 Thompson 14 Leahy 51 Sutcliffe 72
Salisbury (0) 2 Coppin 67 Odokonyero 77
Attendance: 858
Admission: Season Ticket
Mileage: 38/4,613

SEASON HEADING FOR CLOSURE

At the point of the season when it could be that two teams have nothing to play for, it has to be expected that you get a game that smacked of nothing to play for.

Three-two sounds entertaining and, at times it was, but overall it just had that end-of-season feel of two teams with their foot slightly off the pedal.

Salisbury, mathematically, still had to get over the line to avoid relegation and following this defeat, and results elsewhere, are still not safe, but only extraordinary results might see them go down other than Bath City.

On a day of bright sunshine but a very brisk wind, Alan Dunne’s team selection indicated that he was looking at players with a view to next season with already contracted Ricky Korboa and Bradley Williams taking places on the bench. The chatter on the sidelines is very much along the lines of who might stay and who might go and, in fairness, there seems to be a case made for retaining the majority of the Angels' players, but our idle chatter doesn’t make those decisions.

The attendance slipped below a thousand, but 858 is very respectable given the lack of any jeopardy in the game and the relatively small number making the journey up from Wiltshire.

In the visiting side were Mo Dabre, who still runs on Duracell batteries and Nathan Odokonyero, who had a quiet game but still managed to find the net and claim an assist.

The Angels started brightly with Bunmi Babajide (sign him up, Alan!) shooting over and forcing the Salisbury goalkeeper, Will Buse, into a save within the opening four minutes, quickly followed by Buse saving again, this time from Alfie Pavey. There was also a warning for Tonbridge as an intended cross from Tommy Willard caught the wind and rebounded off the crossbar.

Tonbridge went ahead on 14 minutes after a Bailey Akehurst corner nearly caught out Buse at the near post but from the resultant second corner, Salisbury failed to heed the lesson and Jordon Thompson stole in to head home from an acute angle at the near post.

On 26 minutes, the home side thought they had doubled their advantage through Frankie Baker who poked home after Buse made a hash of punching the ball to safety, but the referee decided to take the soft option and disallow the goal for a foul on the keeper.

This led to a strange moment when Tonbridge felt they should have been awarded a penalty. From the free kick, the goalkeeper side-footed the ball a couple of yards in what could easily have been interpreted as the free kick being taken. The defender stopped the ball with this hand leading to appeals for handball. The referee opted, it seems, to give Salisbury the benefit of the doubt, something I’m not sure is within the referee’s remit and restarted to game with a drop ball to the relieved goalkeeper.

Tonbridge were good value going into the break a goal to the good with further efforts that saw Leahy fire over and a header from Ethan Sutcliffe that was saved low by Buse. Salisbury also had chances in the final moments of the half with Rowley saving at the second attempt a 25 yard shot from Willard and Josh Hedges’ shot that cleared the bar.

The Angels increased their lead six minutes into the half with a peach of a goal, both in its making and its finish. Scott Wagstaff played an exquisite pass from deep that was collected by Tom Leahy, who cut in from the right before burying his shot into the far corner.

Dunne rattled the changes and subsequently the Angels lost a bit of momentum and when Francis Mampolo lost possession, Max Joliffe played the ball down the right flank to Odokonyero and from his cross Noah Coppin found the net with the aid of a wrong-footing deflection from Tobi Omole.

Five minutes later, Tonbridge regained their two goal advantage when Akehurst’s corner, which had been on the money all afternoon, was met with an arching heading from Sutcliffe to make it 3-1.

On 74 minutes, Salisbury were once again back in the game when Hedges crossed for Odokonyero to finish from close range and when the former Angels loanee had another header that drifted wide, but really should have been on target, there were thoughts that a comfortable win could be thrown away. But the remaining time was seen out without too much alarm.

Dunney’s stated aspiration is 60 points, and with two games to go, that it is only three points away and could be achieved at Farnborough next Saturday, something that wasn’t high on the expectation list back in September.

Pictures: David Couldridge