Hemel Hempstead Town 1 Tonbridge Angels 1

Match 23/26/2450 - Saturday, 13th September 2026 - National League South

Hemel Hempstead Town (0) 1 Panayiotou 65
Tonbridge Angels (1) 1 Korboa 22
Attendance: 546
Admission: £15
Mileage: 180/1,372

JUST A TAD DULL

There are hoodoos and then there are hoodoos that are just not meant to be broken.

Last season saw first-ever wins at Worthing, Torquay and even the Gallagher, but one frontier remained a step too far and that is Hemel Hempstead Town following a single goal February defeat in a lifeless encounter.

And so it remains, but the overriding opinion of Tonbridge Angels supporters leaving Vauxhall Road was that this was an opportunity lost, grateful for another point on the road but most definitely two points shy of its potential.

The Angels games at Hemel are characterised by late goals (always against) and interminably dull affairs, with a 4-3 defeat in 2022 an outrider, but one, nonetheless, settled by a 96th minute winner.

Why are games so poor and lifeless at Vauxhall Road? Firstly, there is no atmosphere generated in the stadium, with little more than 500 people in attendance, who in fairness were given very little to be enthusiastic about. We were told that attendances have suffered this season following a 25% rise in admission prices. But, personally, I lay a lot of the blame on the pitch. Although it is only six years old, it plays like a 3G from the bad old days. I can recall from its early life, players that have complained about its hardness; managers that have rested players whose knees might not be up to it, now six years on it looks very tired.

But, no excuses, pitches are the same for both sides. Despite losing on Tuesday in the derby, was there an element of after the Lord Mayor’s Show as a reason for the flatness of the performance?

After a reasonably good ride through the tunnel, 20 minutes delay is almost considered acceptable and on a warm afternoon, Alan Dunne selected an unchanged starting XI for the fourth consecutive time.

There was an early scare for Tonbridge, not onfield but, concerning, as Ethan Sutcliffe disappeared over an old style perimeter fence, but thankfully, was able to continue.

A missed penalty, following a needless foul from Jordon Thompson, after 12 minutes gave thoughts of a favourable omen. From a distance I thought Nathan Harness had saved Remaye Campbell’s spot kick but evidently it shaved the outside of the post.

Optimism rose further after 22 minutes when Ricky Korboa received a pass from Lamar Reynolds, cut inside and buried his shot into the bottom corner despite a strong hand from goalkeeper Michael Johnson.

Tonbridge mostly dominated the rest of the first half with Jephte Tanga spurning the best chance to add to their lead.

The second half was a case of nothingness, Tonbridge failed to get going and whilst they did little in terms of threat, when Hemel equalised after 65 minutes, it was a goal that had been a while coming. The ball was worked to the right and from Devante Stanley’s cross, substitute Harry Panayiotou got between two defenders to drag the ball home from close range.

The Angels response was immediate with Tanga bringing a save from Johnson at his near post and there were late efforts from Alfie Pavey and Tanga before the referee mercifully brought an end to proceedings.

There are days like this when a game can be frankly described as dull, thankfully a visit to Hemel is just once a season.

Photo: Dave Couldridge

Tonbridge Angels Academy 5 Whitstable Town Academy 1

Match 22/26/2449 - Wednesday, 9th September 2026 - National League U19 Alliance

Tonbridge Angels Academy (3) 5
Whitstable Town Academy (1) 1
Attendance: 10
Admission: Free
Mileage: 38/1,192

NEW DAWN

Tonbridge Angels comfortably won their opening National League U19 Alliance game, their first since becoming an in-house Academy, beating Whitstable Town at the Yeomans Community Stadium.

Dom Welsh, Academy Team Manager, commented after the game: “A dominant performance and a fantastic start to the season. Plenty of positive football and opportunities to score more but an excellent opening day for the new Academy.”

In the opening 15 minutes, the Angels youngsters should have been a couple of goals to the good having seen the ball cleared from the line in the first minute and a shot from Akshar Santhosh that rattled the crossbar. So it was something of a surprise when Whitstable took the lead on 17 minutes when a free kick from #8, awarded after a foul on #9, who was a handful, found the net coming down off the underside of the crossbar.

The Angels regained their composure and struck the woodwork a second time when a rasping shot from Robert Penman was touched onto the bar by the goalkeeper.

The equaliser came on 25 minutes when Mackenzie Richardson slid a pass for Penman to tap home from close range.

Just past the half-hour, Penman finished clinically into the bottom corner to put the Angels in front but were given a warning shot when another free kick from #8 struck the bar.

The woodwork was being significantly overworked as Callum Fincham hit a post on 41 minutes but, a minute later, the Angels advantage was doubled as Deller-Miles was left, unchallenged in the six yard box, to head home.

Alfie McGuire was required in first half added time as #9 sprinted clear but the goalkeeper saved at his feet.

Half-time substitute Logan Wallace added goals four and five, after 49 minutes when sent clear by Richardson and six minutes later when hooked in a cross from Akshar Santhosh.

Tonbridge dominated through to the end, but Whitstable showed resilience to keep the score at five although Penman gave the woodwork another rattling with a header.

Tonbridge Angels 0 Maidstone United 1

Match 21/26/2448 - Tuesday, 8th September 2026 - National League South

Tonbridge Angels (0) 0
Maidstone United (0) 1 Leahy 80
Attendance: 2,260
Admission: Season Ticket
Mileage: 38/1,154

THAT'S THAT DONE!

It’s done. Once a year the circus rolls into town, they grab a result and leave, hopefully peacefully, allowing us to go about our business for the rest of the season.

I loathe this fixture, its chaotic, stressful and seemingly the outcome is always the same. Financially, 2,260 through the doors on a Tuesday night is fantastic, but it is the antithesis of what non-league football is about. Segregation, all ticket, car park full 90 minutes before kick-off, there is nothing to recommend it unless, of course, you support Maidstone United and know that your return journey home will be with another smug smile.

Not for 12 years, Teniola Time, has that smile been wiped from their face. Yes, we’ve had success at the Gallagher, but it just doesn’t happen at Longmead.

Maidstone didn’t deserve that smile, but took their chance with a screamer of a goal whilst Tonbridge faltered in front of goal, wasting so many opportunities.

With eight players on the pitch who have played for both clubs it was inevitable that one would be the villain of the piece to one set of supporters and Tom Leahy was the man of the moment.

A wet day had subsided into a pleasantly mild evening but one that necessitated a coat for the first time this season. Alan Dunne selected an unchanged side for a third consecutive time.

The game was what you expect from a derby, helter-skelter with no quarter asked and no quarter given. Certainly a game that needed an experienced referee, and although Craig Barnett didn’t get everything right, he controlled the game whilst allowing it to flow.

Tonbridge threatened their visitors goal within in the first minute when a scramble in front of goal ended with Lamar Reynolds’ shot clearing the bar.

The home side were fully in ascendancy and it took 25 minutes for Maidstone to register a shot on goal with Leone Gravata tamely testing Nathan Harness.

After 41 minutes, Tonbridge had the ball in the net through Frankie Baker, but it was disallowed for offside, a decision that was later questioned.

Maidstone certainly showed greater intent from the outset of the second period with Harness turning a Riley Court free kick over the bar at full stretch.

Although Maidstone were dominating possession in the second half they were creating very little in terms of shots on goal and, after 79 minutes, it was Lennie Holden’s turn to turn over a lob from Lex Beeden.

But, from the resultant corner, Maidstone made a lightning break down the left, partly aided by a challenge from George Fowler that went unseen by the referee, with Gravata who slipped the ball inside to Leahy, who from 18 yards picked out the top corner for an immaculate finish.

Whilst the Angels threw bodies forward in search of an equaliser, Leahy rattled the bar in the last minute of regular time.

Two chances fell the way of the home side in time added with Ethan Sutcliffe and substitute Alfie Pavey both heading over when well placed to find the target.

A draw would have been a fair result with each side having the better of a half, but as Dunne commented after life, let alone football, isn’t fair.

When I read this back, it’s going to come across as bitter, but ask anyone from north London to Glasgow, Milan to Istanbul defeat to your local rivals is always bitter.

Picture: Dave Couldridge

Farnborough 0 Tonbridge Angels 4

Match 20/26/2447 - Saturday, 5th September 2026 - National League South

Farnborough (0) 0
Tonbridge Angels (2) 4 Sutcliffe 26 Thomas (OG) 45+2 Korboa 68 Baker 84
Attendance: 905
Admission: £12
Mileage: 152/1,116

WE ARE REALLY GOOD!

“Ah, but they haven’t played anyone as good as us” said an Angels faithful responding to his friend’s assertion of Farnborough’s good early form. It was a statement I haven’t heard in many years, if ever, but later I reflected that we can’t keep doing ourselves down just because we’ve won a match easily. It doesn’t mean the opposition were poor but, more so, that we were really good.

Alan Dunne was rightly proud of his side, he always is, we as supporters can also be proud but without raising expectations to ridiculous levels. We’re not Dagenham, Torquay or dare I say it, even Maidstone but we are a good side that can look upwards rather than over our shoulder.

At the end of last season with the weather very warm, a foretaste of the summer to come, Tonbridge ruined the hosts’ end of season party with a 6-1 demolition that left manager Spencer Day ruing that he even had to attend the function. Fast forward six months, weather still very warm, and Day’s post-match interview, like him or loathe him they are always good value, had him once more a frustrated man admitting that his side could have been beaten by a similar scoreline.

Farnborough’s grass pitch looked resplendent, far removed from the burnt hayfield of Braintree just a month ago and, following the Bank Holiday five-star performance, Dunne was able to field an unchanged side.

Day bemoaned his side’s early lethargy but, in truth, Tonbridge swarmed all over them from the opening whistle of referee Jamie Stevenson, more of him to come!

Jepthe Tanga got the ball stuck under his feet in front of goal after seven minutes and Lucas Thomas, an 18-year-old goalkeeper on loan from Luton Town, did well to save at the feet of Lamar Reynolds.

Tonbridge hit the front on 26 minutes when a long throw into the box from Bailey Akehurst was headed on at the near post by Reynolds to the far post where Ethan Sutcliffe was there steer his header home.

Tonbridge were dominant but had to wait until the second minute of added time before doubling their advantage following an Akehurst corner that was swung into the mass of bodies into which Thomas came to make his punch but only succeeded in deflecting it into his own net.

Farnborough responded in the early part of the second half, no doubt with the proverbial flea in the ear from Day, but despite a succession of corners there was no suggestion of them getting a foothold in the game.

Mr Stevenson took centre stage on 63 minutes when Frankie Baker was hauled down which both looked a free kick and a potential red card but the official saw nothing illegal in the challenge. Dunney certainly did and was booked for his protest.

Justice was served within five minutes when Ricky Korboa lashed a shot into the roof of the net to make the points safe.

Six minutes remained when Baker got his reward for an afternoon of honest endeavour when he picked up the scraps of some hapless defending to add a fourth.

Farnborough were a long way better than the hopeless category of Walton and Hersham of Monday, but they met a side that were actually very good.

Photo: Dave Couldridge

Tonbridge Angels 5 Walton and Hersham 1

Match 19/26/2446 - Monday, 31st August 2026 - National League South

Tonbridge Angels (3) 5
Walton and Hersham (1) 1
Attendance: 1,218
Admission: Season Ticket
Mileage: 38/964

EASY DOES IT!

Even the hard hearted would have had a certain amount of sympathy for the 20 or so disconsolate Walton and Hersham supporters stood behind the goal as their team was torn apart. But the wider picture is that their club has far bigger problems than heavy defeats on the pitch.

Those supporters, and probably a lot more of them, should have arrived at the Yeomans on a wave of optimism following four promotions in the last five years and a place in National League South for the first time.

But a dispute with their landlords the local council, Elmbridge Borough Council and their stadium operators over the revenue that is generated at the Xcel Sports Hub where none of the match day secondary spend benefits the club leaves them without the resources to compete at step two and the consequence has been a nightmare start to the season with six straight defeats and an already mountainous negative goal difference.

Manager Kevin James, who bore fairly light hearted criticism from those 20 hardy souls, paid the price with his job after this latest defeat.

All of this shouldn’t detract from a scintillating performance from Tonbridge Angels who shredded their hapless opponents with football that was a delight on the eye for the most part.

On a warm Bank Holiday Monday, Alan Dunne gave his skipper, Sam Corne, a first start and for an hour until his substitution he ran the show.

The passage of the game was set in the opening ten minutes when the home side could have been four goals to the good as the Walton defence cleared efforts away from the line and Frankie Baker struck a post after rounding the goalkeeper.

The breakthrough finally came on 19 minutes as Ricky Korboa threaded an exquisite pass to send Jepthe Tanga clear to drive his shot past a despairing Tommy Reid.

The floodgates were opening three minutes later when Lex Beeden, recycling a corner, crossed for Baker to score from close range with a neat touch.

The Angels were swarming all over their visitors at this point and looked like scoring with every attack but had to wait until the 39th minute when Bailey Akehurst’s inswinging corner travelled all the way into the far corner.

Into the second period and the Swans woes continued as a cross from Akehurst was horribly spilt by Reid to allow Lamar Reynolds an easy finish.

The scoreline allowed Corne to take his leave of proceedings, an hour’s work greatly admired and as Dunne rang the changes the momentum slipped away to the point that Walton managed a consolation with a good hit from Matas Skarna.

Tonbridge rounded off proceedings eight minutes from time with a goal that spoke volumes of Walton’s catastrophic defending all afternoon as substitute Alfie Pavey was allowed to stroll unchallenged to head home a corner.

When I visited the Excel Sports Hub back in 2018, the business model wasn’t sustainable for Walton and Hersham then and it certainly isn’t now in the rarified air of the National League, I wish them well but fear for them in equal measure.

Photos: Dave Couldridge

Billericay Town 2 Tonbridge Angels 2

Match 18/26/2445 - Saturday, 29th August 2026 - National League South

Billericay Town (2) 2 Benton 1 Long 40
Tonbridge Angels (1) 1 Brown 27 Tanga 65
Attendance: 1,065
Admission: £10
Mileage: 120/926

A DAY OF TWO HALVES!

That’ll be the day that started badly, seemed to get worse but came good in the end with an entertaining game and a decent point.

It just has to be a Bank Holiday weekend when the downstairs loo springs a leak and, after much mopping, the drive into Essex is brought to a crawl at the Dartford Tunnel. Experience built half-an-hour into the estimated journey time, so the 40 minute delay was irritating rather than desperate. Just 52 seconds into the game, calamitous goalkeeping saw Tonbridge behind, is this day going to get any better?

Thankfully, yes.

A lot has changed at Billericay Town since those heady, madcap days of the Glenn Tamplin era, three hedonistic years from 2016, that brought the relatively humble Essex club to the front pages of national newspapers, mostly, for all the wrong reasons.

The chaotic multi-million wage bill with high profile ex-Premier League players has been replaced by a local consortium of businessman who have steadily returned the club to a stable structure and, this season, find themselves back in National League South following their promotion via the Isthmian League Premier play-offs.

The legacy of Tamplin, however it was funded, remains with the ground improvements in which he invested including the 3G surface and modern clubhouse and, even the blessed mural remains but now, somewhat more tasteful, with the self-indulgent elements painted over and replaced with club-themed depictions.

Tamplin remains a fugitive, having failed to appear for court proceedings on drugs charges in 2023 but the stand with the mural on the rear still bears his name.

The drought has been brought to end with some decent rainfall that had eased to a drizzle by the time we reached Billericay. Alan Dunne had Sam Corne back at his disposal and he took a place on the bench alongside the returning Bunmi Babajide and Lamar Reynolds.

We hadn’t completed the process of changing ends to the goal we were attacking before Billericay opened the scoring. A ball headed forward should have been dealt with easily, but Alfie Pavey, taking a call from Nathan Harness, ducked under the ball, only for the keeper to drop the ball at the feet of a grateful, probably astounded, Jon Benton who had the simplest of chances to tuck it home.

The helter-skelter nature of the early stages continued, in fact didn’t really change all game, with Ricky Korboa testing Joe Wright and a cross, after six minutes, frustratingly begged any touch which didn’t happen.

Billericay’s Taylor Clark spurned a great chance before the game started to settle down and, once a little structure was added, the visitors became the better side and finally equalised on 27 minutes when a ball forward was headed backwards by Pavey to Jepthe Tanga who laid the ball into the path of Jayden Brown to pick out the top corner from the edge of the box with a curling shot.

Billericay employed an unusual kick-off to restart the game with a ball hoisted so high into the sky that it endangered homecoming aircraft into Stansted, it was novel and certainly caused a bit of confusion.

The home side retook the lead on 40 minutes when a long ball forward found Elliott Long, who brushed off a challenge before burying his shot into the bottom corner.

The Angels were offered the chance to go into the break on level terms on 44 minutes after Tanga was brought down in the box but Bailey Akehurst’s spot kick was well saved, down to his left, by Wright.

Alan Dunne chose to replace his goalscorer with Corne at the break and the dividend was almost instant as his first touch in a competitive Angels shirt rattled the bar.

It set the tone for the second period with Tonbridge dominating before they equalised on 65 minutes when substitute Babajide weaved his way into the box before his shot was palmed by Wright into the path of Tanga at the far post leaving him with a tap-in.

Corne stood up an exquisite cross for fellow substitute Reynolds to steer a header inches wide.

Tonbridge survived a late penalty appeal, later pictures appear to show that it would have been another soft one given, leaving the Billericay faithful to voice their displeasure of the newly-promoted match referee, Henry Harvey, who had a good game that he allowed to flow into the entertaining affair it was.

As if to prove my point, that days can get better, a trouble-free sail over the bridge was a welcome end.

Staplehurst Monarchs U23 1 Maidstone United U23 4

Match 17/26/2444 - Tuesday, 25th August 2026 - SCEFL Development East

Staplehurst Monarchs U23 (1) 1
Maidstone United U23 (2) 4 Gravenell-James (2), Lovejoy, Kuale
Attendance: 75
Admission: £2.50
Mileage: 2/806

Tonbridge Angels 0 Truro City 2

Match 16/26/2443 - Saturday, 22nd August 2026 - National League South

Tonbridge Angels (0) 0
Truro City (0) 2 Harvey 51 (pen),74
Attendance: 964
Admission: Season Ticket
Mileage: 38/804

WIN ONE, LOSE ONE

Win one, lose one would bring an end of season yield of a respectable 69 points and would probably give a top half finish. Financially, one would guess, winning all your away games and losing every one at home would be a disaster.

It’s early days, none of the above is going to happen but as much as two away victories already on the board is fantastic, losing both the home fixtures is a little concerning but, and guessing, both the visiting clubs, Torquay United and Truro City are likely to be challenging at the top end.

Truro made the longest journey of any team visiting the Yeomans this season but, following their overnight stay, showed no sign of travel weariness.

Fresh from their relegation from the National League, Truro showed all the qualities needed to get out of this division a second time. Robust in defence, they have yet to concede a goal this season and up front, Tyler Harvey looks just as sharp as he did in their championship season.

Tonbridge can point to a soft penalty and one that wasn’t given in their favour but, ultimately their opponents were more street-wise and fully deserving of their win.

Hydration breaks seem a thing of the past as the heat has subsided into pleasantly warm days and manager Alan Dunne made a couple of changes with Jepthe Tanga suspended and Bunmi Babajide injured allowing Paul Osew and Harry Gardner starting places.

The first half was one of very few chances with neither side particularly laying a glove on the other and when the gloves were called into action, Truro’s goalkeeper, Aidan Stone turned over a good effort from Ricky Korboa after just four minutes and, midway through the half, Nathan Harness did likewise following a header from Harvey.

Two tempting crosses from Angels’ Bailey Akehurst and Korboa begged a finish that didn’t come leaving the opening 45 goalless.

Truro opened the scoring from the spot after 51 minutes from the penalty spot after Harvey was adjudged to have been brought down by Jordon Thompson with the striker dusting himself down to convert into the bottom corner.

The Cornish side took control of the game following their opener and, on 74 minutes, Harvey made a smart turn in the box after receiving a right sided cross from Luke Jephcott to nestle his shot into the bottom left corner.

The Angels threw bodies forward in search of a consolation but their efforts foundered on the muscular central defensive partnership of Tom Harrison and Shaun Donnellan, who took home a third consecutive clean sheet from the start of the season, limiting the home side to a couple of late efforts from Harry Gardner and Akehurst.

In the closing moments the ball fell towards Alan Dunne who met it on the volley to balloon it away for the referee to issue a yellow card. It was pure frustration, if bookings are taken for frustration then Mr Willmore might as well have booked every Tonbridge supporter in the stadium.

Dover Athletic 0 Tonbridge Angels 1

Match 15/26/2442 - Tuesday, 18th August 2026 - National League South

Dover Athletic (0) 0
Tonbridge Angels (0) 1 Tanga 52
Attendance: 1,005
Admission: £17
Mileage: 88/766

CLIMB EVERY MOUNTAIN!

Scaling and descending the mountainous path to the away end at the Crabble gives plenty of time to reflect. On the upslope the reflection is more of self-preservation, heavy breathing and legs that are turning to jelly whilst the return journey, thankfully in August not having the worry of your feet sliding from underneath you, opinions can be formed on a good result or otherwise.

On this occasion, we were reflecting on a Tonbridge Angels win, but strangely, I carried an admiration of the resilience of Dover Athletic, who had gone down to 10 men following a first half dismissal of ex-Angel Naz Bakrin, but posed the visitors more problems a man light than they had with a full complement.

Whimsical asides with stewards at different points in the climb regarding Sherpa Tenzing and the need for oxygen were met with deadpan faces as the warm hospitality of Dover Athletic was as evident as ever.

Alan Dunne made a couple of changes from Saturday’s home defeat against Torquay United with Jordon Thompson returning from injury and Bunmi Babajide from unavailability.

An opening 20 minutes saw little action on either set of posts before Fabio Roque, with his first appointment at step two level, made his first intervention of the evening with a justifiable yellow card shown to Bakrin as Frankie Baker sought to get clear of the Dover defender on the half-way line.

A minute later Jepthe Tanga went close before, on the half-hour, Tonbridge had their first nervous moment as a header from Sheriff hit his own man to bounce into the grateful hands of the Nathan Harness.

A second ex-Angel Sonny Fish was subject to an unfortunate injury on 45 minutes when following a aerial challenge with Bailey Akehurst, the Tonbridge man’s boot landed on the head of Fish leaving him with a badly gashed head.

Dover were reduced on 10 men in first half added time in curious circumstances. Fair warning had been given by the referee about grappling in the box between Bakrin and Ethan Sutcliffe and when the shirt was virtually ripped from Sutcliffe’s back, Roque brandished yellow cards to both, before being reminded that he had already earlier booked Bakrin.

Tonbridge took the lead after 52 minutes when Tanga took advantage of a mistake from Faud Sesay to race clear and bury his low, angled shot into the far bottom corner for his third goal in three games from the start of the season.

Dover responded positively, but the Angels defence dealt with the majority of their attacks with ease before, after 73 minutes, Harry Gardner let fly with a vicious shot from 25 yards that goalkeeper Mitch Walker could only punch straight into the air above him to collect at the second attempt.

Tonbridge had to survive one final scare in added time when Harness clawed away a corner before the referee blew for time to spark another melee that even involved the Dover chairman marching onto the pitch to confront Mr Roque.

Two away games, two of the most inhospitable visits done and six points on the board, that’ll do nicely.

Tonbridge Angels U18 4 Horsham U18 4

Match 14/26/2441 - Monday, 17th August 2026 - Isthmian Youth League East

Tonbridge Angels U18 (1) 4 Bingham 30,55 (pens) Ejje 48 Byatt 90+4
Horsham U18 (1) 4 Harrington 36 Burrows 70 Theodore 74 Semark 83 (pen)
Headcount: 75
Admission: Season Ticket
Mileage: 38/678

WHAT A MATCH!

Make a note in the diary, 30th November might only be midway through the Isthmian Youth League East season, but I’m willing to bet my pocket money that Horsham v Tonbridge Angels will be the title decider.

No disrespect to any of the other teams in the division, but if I see a better U18’s side than Horsham, I’ll be amazed and it is great credit to Roy Massey’s Angels that they fought their way to a share of the points.

This was a great watch, full of twists and turns with a 94th minute equaliser to conclude the entertainment.

Horsham, who have moved from the Southern Division where, last season, they surprisingly trailed some way behind a very good Burgess Hill team, picked up the momentum after an opening 20 minutes when neither side wanted to lay a glove on the other and, in quick succession, Semark was narrowly off target with shots that cleared the bar.

Against the run of play, Tonbridge went in front from the penalty spot when Jayden Taylor was brought down following a clumsy challenge leaving Harry Bingham to convert from the spot.

Horsham responded with an effort from Harrington, but he was not to be denied on 39 minutes when persistence from Theodore saw him pull the ball back from the byeline for the former to strike from close range.

Tonbridge’s goalkeeper, Tyler Pett, picked up a yellow as he raced from his goal to thwart a Horsham attack and, from the resultant free kick, made a good save.

Massey’s half-time team talk had the desired effect and Tonbridge roared out of the blocks in the second period and were back in front after three minutes when the impressive Harry Ejje collected a pass from the right to fire into the bottom corner. Ejje is certainly one to watch in the coming weeks.

Tonbridge increased their lead after 55 minutes when they were awarded a second penalty after Ejje was brought down and, once more, Bingham stepped up to send the keeper the wrong way.

Pett took a kick in the face as he bravely dived at the feet of Essam and the long delay almost served as a hydration break as Horsham rallied strongly following a touchline huddle.

After 70 minutes they reduced the deficit to one when a left-sided cross from Semark was headed back across the face of goal to be finished at close range by Burrows and, within four minutes, they were level when a pass inside of the defender from Whiteman found Theodore, who drove an unstoppable shot past Pett.

There seemed an inevitability that the visitors would find a winner and with three minutes remaining they were offered the opportunity from the penalty spot following a handball with Semark converting.

To the Angels credit, they strove for an equaliser in seven minutes of added time, but were frustrated in the 94th minute when Furber made a good save from Taylor, but from the resultant corner, Byatt headed home to bring a fair result to a wonderfully entertaining evening.

Roll on November, when these two teams go head-to-head again.

Pictures: Alfie Thomas

Tonbridge Angels 1 Torquay United 2

Match 13/26/2440 - Saturday, 15th August 2026 - National League South

Tonbridge Angels (1) 1 Sutcliffe 67
Torquay United (1) 2 Jenkins 17, Jay 83
Attendance: 1,453
Admission: Season Ticket
Mileage: 38/640

TAKE THE POSITIVES!

Ultimately, a defeat is a defeat however you dress it up, one team goes home with the points leaving the other empty-handed, whether it’s 5-0 or 1-0.

But there are occasions when you can take the positives and a 2-1 loss for Tonbridge Angels against the National League South pre-season favourites Torquay United offered plenty of encouragement, if a little disappointment at the goals conceded.

The visit of the Devon side is highly anticipated, always a good attendance with a healthy, friendly away following. I spent a little while in conversation with a Gulls fan, who actually lived in Borough Green, just a mere eight miles from Tonbridge. His expectations were not unreasonably high, but also very aware that each season has started with the same outlook but now Torquay enter their fifth season at this level and they find themselves in that situation for a myriad of reasons, that he hoped had finally been resolved.

There was a level of expectation from the home support as well, borne of last Saturday’s impressive opening day win at Braintree Town.

Alan Dunne lost two of his squad from last week with strikers Lamar Reynolds and Bunmi Babajide unavailable. Frankie Baker came into the starting XI and two of the pre-season trialists were added to the squad.

The visitors edged a competitive first half with a goal after 17 minutes from Kian Jenkins, who saw his right-sided corner evade everybody at the near post to inswing straight into the net.

Two hefty challenges, first from the Angels’ Bailey Akehurst and a second from Torquay’s Munashe Sundire brought an already hot afternoon to boiling point with referee Daniel Baines brandishing yellow cards to both offenders.

After the hydration break, the home side came back into the game and a great chance was spurned on 35 minutes when Ethan Sutcliffe rose to meet Akehurst’s corner but his header cleared the bar.

A superb save from Nathan Harness, who touched a shot from Callum Morton onto the post, stopped the Gulls from doubling their advantage soon after the break, but from that point it was the Angels who were taking the game to their opponents with Baker being denied by a saving block and, on 55 minutes, Akehurst rattled the post.

The Angels endeavours were rewarded on 67 minutes, when from a corner, substitute Alfie Pavey had an instant impact as he headed on a Kai Martin cross to be finished by Sutcliffe.

With seven minutes remaining, Torquay broke away after a Tonbridge attack ending with Sean Robertson rolling the ball across the box for Matt Jay to finish from close range.

Tonbridge's task was made harder with five minutes remaining as Jepthe Tanga received a second yellow card and, therefore, his marching orders.

In the fourth minute of added time, Torquay’s points were preserved with a magnificent save from Toby Savin to deny Pavey. I think we are going to be hard pushed to see a better save this season.

So, taking the positives, using one of Dunne’s favourite sayings, we have gone toe-to-toe with one of the division’s heavyweight and come away with plenty of plaudits, if not any points.

My passing words with the Angels chair on the way out might be fatalistic, but I’ll stand by them. If we play like that all season, we will win more than we lose.

Picture: David Couldridge

Braintree Town 0 Tonbridge Angels 4

Match 12/26/2439 - Saturday, 8th August 2026 - National League South

Braintree Town (0) 0
Tonbridge Angels (2) 4 Reynolds 14 Tanga 34,51 Baker 90+6
Attendance: 543
Admission: £14
Mileage: 188/602

WHAT A START!

I, or any other Tonbridge Angels supporter I guess, didn’t see this coming! Or, perhaps we might have. Braintree Town, relegated from the National League, have spent the summer under a transfer embargo that was only lifted in the week prior to the fixture and, subsequently, much of their business has been done with signings from the steps below, albeit that some came with a good CV.

After a somewhat difficult journey with Doris the satnav that hasn’t been updated for some years, leading us into roadworks and diversions that could have been avoided if we had just taken the M11 as we did on a trouble-free ride home, Cressing Road had seen little or no improvement during their time in non-league’s top tier. Toilet facilities, in particular, are just not fit for purpose.

But, the real shock came with the state of the pitch. I have never seen a first day pitch in such a state in all my years following the game. It was barren, rock hard and it was hard to disagree with Alan Dunne’s assertion that the game should have been called off as it posed a danger to the players.

All of us with gardens know how difficult it has been to keep a little bit of green in the lawns as the drought continues and my garden has seen about a pint of rainwater fall on it in the last two months, but I’ve managed to keep it looking reasonable without breaking the hosepipe ban. I get it that a football pitch is a much larger scale but there are people spending far more time on it than I am my lawn and it was somewhat ironic that one of the pitch side sponsors were the Lawn Doctor.

Historically there was also nothing to suggest the outcome. Tonbridge have failed to score in any of their last seven games against Braintree and the eighth, in 2020, brought a 1-0 win courtesy of an own goal.

New faces, drafted in during the 24 hours prior to kick-off, included a loan signing Hayden Bullas, from Bromley whilst trialists Jaden Brown, Brody Cockerill and Paul Osew were added to the squad.

With yet another roasting day, 28degC at kick-off, we were glad to find some shade on the side that houses the main grandstand and with a gentle breeze it actually made for comfortable spectating.

Tonbridge, resplendent in their new lilac change kit, took the lead after 14 minutes after the home side had had the better of the opening exchanges. Harry Gardener, dropped a cross from the right, into the near post and Lamar Reynolds reacted the quickest to lift the ball over the advancing goalkeeper.

Having waited nearly six years for a goal at Braintree, a second came along on 34 minutes when short corner saw Gardner cross and as a Reynolds shot from the edge of the box came back from the bar, it was the smallest player on the pitch, Jepthe Tanga who rose the highest to steer a header home via the junction of the post and bar.

The Angels, now thoroughly in control of the game, had three good chances to put the game beyond Braintree in added time with Tanga heading wide, Gardner shooting likewise and goalkeeper, Rylee Mitchell, smothering at the feet of the industrious Tanga.

Gardner, who had provided energy, bite and assists, was withdrawn at half-time following a needless booking for kicking the ball away, making way for Bunmi Babajide.

Babajide was straight into the thick of the action and, six minutes into the second half, slipped an exquisite pass into the path of Tanga who finished past the advancing Mitchell.

With a comfortable lead, and in the heat, Dunne had the luxury of introducing Frankie Baker, Osew and Cockerill from the bench and in the closing moments of added time, Cockerill fed Baker to complete the scoring.

It was a memorable start but one that has to be treated with a certain amount of caution given that I very much doubt we will meet a worse National League South side, for them I fear a very long season. Sadly, the afternoon was also tainted by some unacceptable behaviour from a group of youngsters purporting to support Tonbridge, they are not what our club is about and we don’t need them.

Tonbridge Angels U18 4 FC Revo 3

Match 11/26/2438 - Monday, 4th August 2026 - Pre-Season Friendly

Tonbridge Angels (3) 4 Penman 27,35 Barton 38 #11 60
FC Revo (1) 3 Crouch 37,47,85
Headcount: 54
Admission: Free
Mileage: 38/414

PRE-SEASON DONE!

Finally, that was that! Pre-season is done, and probably a sentence not often spoken out loud, looking forward to Braintree.

The final match took in another look at Tonbridge Angels U18’s who pitched themselves against Kent County League, Premier Division, FC Revo, who are based at St Gregory’s School in Tunbridge Wells. Revo have experienced a highly successful rise through the lower tiers with four successive promotions from the Sevenoaks and District League to the final tier below that of the national league pyramid.

The Angels U18’s, playing against a mens’ team, included a couple of players from last season’s championship winning side in Fiachra Pritchard and Robert Penman, who are no longer eligible for the age group.

Revo started the game strongly with a couple of chances for the big centre forward but these were spurned with disappointing finishes. Tonbridge, moving the ball around nicely, took the lead after 27 minutes when Penman dribbled across the face of goal before despatching his shot into the bottom corner in true Penman fashion, his goals are going to be hard to replace.

Emphasising that point, after 35 minutes, from a pass, Penman picked out the top corner from 20 yards to double their advantage.

Revo, to their credit, were not at the Yeomans to provide cannon fodder for anyone and, within two minutes, an equally impressive strike from Crouch into the bottom corner made it 2-1. But the comeback was stalled within a minute when a free kick from the edge of the box saw Kyler Barton spot the gap between wall and goalkeeper to execute perfectly.

Revo once more reduced the deficit early in the second half with another good strike from Crouch before the Angels #11, waltzed his way to the bye-line before tucking the ball inside the far post from a ridiculously tight angle.

The visitors wound up the evening, with a hat-trick goal for Crouch with another good strike. We had certainly seen some good goals for our free admission.

I’m pleased with myself that I did all of my scheduled games this pre-season, didn’t skip one because I was getting a little bored. But now, with huge anticipation and the eternal optimism of a football fan, let’s get on with the real stuff.

Staplehurst Monarchs 4 Northumberland Heath 1

Match 10/26/2438 - Saturday, 1st August 2026 - Pre-Season Friendly

Staplehurst Monarchs (3) 4 Kakari 30 Cuttress 38,45+1, Lee 78
Northumberland Heath (0) 1 65
Attendance: 62
Admission: Free
Mileage: 2/376

PITCH ENVY

Gazing across the parched, straw coloured grass towards the rising fences of the cage that will house Staplehurst’s new 3G pitch, begged the question why was it being laid outside of the main stadium of Staplehurst Monarchs. It’s been a question to which I’ve sought an answer since I became aware of its location and got varying explanations, some of which did’t actually hold water.

So after an afternoon, watching two teams provide an entertaining preseason friendly on a bone hard pitch, I sought the definitive answer from Facebook and, from people closely associated with both the football club and the parish council, I now have the answer.

The Jubilee Sports Ground has always housed pitches beyond the senior club and the Monarchs have a thriving youth programme that is the envy of many clubs in the area. At the time of the inception of the 3G, the senior and youth sections of the club were separate entities but that it no longer the case.

Primarily, Staplehurst Parish Council wanted the 3G pitch for the youth section rather than the senior club and, at its planning, a full-sized pitch was envisaged. In the true tradition of local authority bureaucracy and funding, the project took several years to break ground and, in that time, rising costs meant the pitch size needed to be reduced to what is titled “a full size recreational pitch”. So, from the football club’s point of view, it would have been pointless it being laid inside the stadium as step six football could not be played on it.

Staplehurst Monarchs will see benefits as they have priority bookings for their training days and their youth team games, but it is understood that their Under-18’s in the Kent Youth League would need to play inside the stadium.

It is a shame, because whilst we stare at the parched grass today, mid-winter will almost certainly bring postponements for waterlogging that has been endured ever since my first-ever visit, after moving to the village, 11 years ago.

A drive around the South and North Circulars to Wingate and Finchley was less than attractive and, apart from being less than a mile from my house, the Monarchs preseason visitors, Northumberland Heath, were an attractive proposition. What’s not to like about a visit from a touring team from the footballing hotbed of the north-east? Those illusions were rather dashed when, after an internet search, it was discovered that they hail from Erith, in south London and compete in the Kent County League, Division 2 West!

The early exchanges were competitive with Staplehurst having the better of the play with a first minute effort that saw the visiting goalkeeper make a brave block, but one that would see him leave the pitch after 25 minutes, to be replaced by, from the reaction of the cluster of Heath supporters, Sean, who had come totally unprepared to play needing to take not only the goalkeeper’s jersey, but also his boots!

Sean made his first save on the half-hour but after his parry had then seen the ball come back from the crossbar, Steve Kakari was on hand to tuck home from close range.

The game threatened to run away from the visitors as further goals were added with a deft lob from Manny Cuttress and, in first half added time, taking advantage of a missed clearance, Cuttress ran clear to make it three, but in the second half Northumberland Heath showed resilience and made a very decent game of it.

Whilst Sean was doing very well with his role as stand-in keeper, making several good saves, on 65 minutes, the number 14 seized on a poor back pass to round the goalkeeper and reduce the deficit.

Staplehurst had the final say, 12 minutes from time, when Jerome Lee was sent clear to make it 4-1.

There appears to be quite a bit left to do before the 3G surface is ready to receive the appropriate footwear, but when it is, no doubt a Kent Youth League game will catch my eye for a second Staplehurst ground tick.

Tonbridge Angels 4 Eastbourne Borough 2

Match 9/26/2437 - Tuesday, 28th July 2026 - Pre-Season Friendly

Tonbridge Angels (0) 4 Tanga 61 Sutcliffe 71 Trialist 78 Lintott 84
Eastbourne Borough (1) 1 Rees 27 Phillips 46
Attendance: 389
Admission: £5
Mileage: 38/374

FULL MARKS FOR SPIRIT

Full marks for spirit. For a second consecutive time Tonbridge Angels came from behind to record a pre-season victory, this time against newly-relegated to the Isthmian League Premier, Eastbourne Borough.

Matches against Borough are rarely without goals and this one proved no different with Tonbridge coming back from two goals down after an hour to score four times in a spirited recovery.

Nobody expected Eastbourne Borough to produce the season they had last term, in fact, given the resources available to them, many had them down as promotion candidates. But, in a season that saw them go through four managers, they finished rock bottom. Their final manager, Steve King, was unable to recover an impossible situation and remains in-situ to mount a campaign to return to National League South at the first attempt. King is a proven manager with a lengthy CV that has seen success and failure in equal measure. He’s a colourful character and his passion, if we can call it that, has shown no sign of abating from the touchline.

On a very warm evening after another day of intense heat, Ricky Korboa was available for his first start; one trialist started and another two entered the fray in the second half.

The opening quarter, as we are seemingly now bound to call it, up to the hydration break was competitive, if uneventful, before Ethan Sutcliffe headed narrowly wide following a Harry Gardner free kick.

Eastbourne opened the scoring on 27 minutes with a soft goal conceded. A pass inside the defender from Kai Corbett found Josh Rees who scored into the far corner despite Nathan Harness getting a hand to the ball.

Early in the second period, the visitors doubled their advantage with a goal that would frustrate both the manager and supporters alike. A Corbett corner from the right saw Giles Phillips rise at the far post, virtually unchallenged, to head home.

It was such a poor goal, but if it did nothing else, it stung the Angels into recovery mode and the deficit was halved on 61 minutes, when Jephte Tanga, cut in from the right to despatch his shot into the bottom corner.

On 71 minutes, a Bailey Akehurst free kick was dropped by the Eastbourne goalkeeper, ex-Angel Lewis Carey, and Sutcliffe was on hand to stab the ball home.

Tonbridge were now swarming all over their visitors and when Frankie Baker worked himself into a crossing position, he picked out a trialist who swept the ball home.

A change to the rules of the game caught Carey out for the final goal as he took too long to take a goal kick which became a corner from which Akehurst sent to the near post for Harvey Lintott to touch home.

That is the last of Tonbridge’s PSF’s at Longmead with a visit to Wingate and Finchley next Saturday. A trip around London’s South Circular is far from enticing and I will toddle down the road to Staplehurst Monarchs.

Tonbridge Angels U18/19 3 Gillingham U16 0

Match 8/26/2436 - Monday, 27th July 2026 - Pre-Season Friendly

Tonbridge Angels U18/19 (2) 3 Bingham 18,63 Denton 20
Gillingham U16 (0) 0
Attendance: 110
Admission: Free
Mileage: 38/336

THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT!

It came as no surprise that the youngsters of Tonbridge Angels and Gillingham served up the best preseason game I’ve seen this season.

Entertaining, competitive with even a slight edge to it and with no shortage of quality, the extra year or two, saw a mix of Tonbridge U18’s and Academy (U19’s) take what spoils there are from a friendly with a 3-0 win over a Gillingham side largely made up from their Under-16 group.

This season is another big one in terms of transition for the youth programme at Tonbridge Angels. Last season brought the very successful reintroduction of the Kent Youth League teams under the Angels badge and this has been followed by the Academy being brought in-house this season.

Men’s first team manager, Alan Dunne, has bought into the project and in a recent interview, he pledged that he would be using players from the Academy this year, there are opportunities for them and has signed three on National League South forms.

Adding that he would have Academy players training with the senior team as his blueprint would be to bed them into the environment and use them as and when appropriate. This would, in turn, attract better academy players with the knowledge that there is a clear pathway through to senior football.

On a pleasantly warm evening, with the heat of the day receding, both teams showed their attacking intentions from the outset with the Angels’ Harry Bingham forcing a save from the Gills goalkeeper after just two minutes and the visitors replying with efforts that required saving by Alfie McGuire.

Tonbridge went ahead after 18 minutes when a 20 yard shot from Bingham found the bottom corner and they doubled their advantage two minutes later when a run and pass from Harry Ejje set up a shooting opportunity for Jack Denton to find the bottom corner.

Gillingham passed up several opportunities to reduce the deficit with a header that drifted narrowly wide and a shot into the side netting before McGuire made an excellent save as the Gills centre forward went through one-on-one.

Tonbridge certainly had the better of the second period with Amnol Bhandari bringing a good, low save out of the keeper before, on 63 minutes, Bingham wrapped up the game when the ball fell to him in the area following a corner and he clinically drove it home from around 12 yards.

All very satisfying, and Dom Welsh said afterwards, that his team had applied themselves really well and were very comfortable.

Both the Angels sides have history to continue, with the Under-18’s Isthmian divisional champions for the last two seasons and the Academy will be looking to return to being a force in the National Youth Alliance after a season that didn’t quite meet the success of their recent past.

On this evidence, I’ve little doubt, that it will be entertaining.

Picture: Jim Case