Sunday 17 March 2024

Tonbridge Angels 4 Torquay United 1

Match 93/23/2216 - Saturday, 16th March 2024 - National League South

Tonbridge Angels (1) 4 Hinds 22 Odokonyero 71,76 Shields 72
Torquay United (0) 1 Ash 79
Attendance: 1,308
Admission: Season Ticket
Mileage: 38/6,724

Tonbridge Angels supporters departed the Halcyon Wealth Longmead Stadium full of the joys of spring after watching their favourites demolish Torquay United with three second half goals in a five minute spell. For the visitors, it was the end of a terrible week that had seen a 10 point deduction following their intention to go into receivership.

After a morning of sunshine, cloud cover was hardly spring-like as Jay Saunders made two changes from the side beaten at Aveley on Monday. Kodi Lyons-Foster and Ryan Hanson returned following injury with Jernade Meade and club captain Scott Wagstaff, who had been ill this week, dropping to the bench.

A healthy contingent of Torquay supporters had defied the M25 closure to take their places in an attendance of 1,308.

After a quiet opening 10 minutes the game sprang to life with Torquay’s goalkeeper, Mark Halstead, making a superb save to deny Hanson’s header at the near post from a Sean Shields corner.

Within a minute, the visitors had a great chance when a cross into the box from Bradley Ash found Aaron Jarvis who dwelt too long allowing Jonny Henly to smother at his feet.

Tonbridge took a 22nd minute lead when Shields released Liam Vincent down the left and from his low cross, Tariq Hinds scored from close range at the far post.

The game was delayed when referee Dan England was struck on the head with the ball and within a minute of the official recovering after treatment, Jordan Higgs was similarly struck.

Six minutes before the break, Torquay went close when a cross from Jack Stobbs was back headed by Tom Lapslie but his effort nestled on the roof of the net.

On the cusp of half-time, Nathan Odokonyero saw his effort deflected narrowly wide.

The early part of the second half saw an Odokonyero shot saved by Halstead and after a fine interchange between Hinds and Odokonyero, Shields saw his space denied and the ball was scrambled to safety.

Torquay had a spell in which they dominated the possession before a five minute spell from the Angels saw them surge into an unassailable four goal lead. On 71 minutes Shields sent Odokonyero clear to cooly convert one-on-one with the goalkeeper and a minute later an audacious lob from the right side of the penalty area from Shields left Halstead helpless.

On 76 minutes, brilliant footwork from Odokonyero made space for a shot into the bottom corner and despite Bradley Ash scoring a 79th minute consolation goal for the Gulls the game was as good as done.

The announcement of Ryan Hanson as the Man of the Match brought a complimentary chant from the supporters of his ex-club before the final whistle brought disgruntled boos from same fans whilst the Angels supporters celebrated joyously at the other end.

Tonbridge Angels Academy 7 Maidstone United Academy 2

Match 92/23/2215 - Wednesday, 13th March 2024 - National League U19 Alliance

Tonbridge Angels Academy (0) 7 Velvick 47,83,86 Shave 65,71, C.Dudley 75, F.Dudley 81
Maidstone United Academy (2) 2 Kiel 30,37
Headcount: 15
Admission: Free
Mileage: 38/6,686

Tuesday 12 March 2024

Aveley 2 Tonbridge Angels 1

Match 91/23/2214 - Monday, 11th March 2024 - National League South

Aveley (1) 2 De-Graft 35 Ogunrinde 52
Tonbridge Angels (0) 1 Odokonyero 47 (pen)
Attendance: 337
Admission: £10 Senior
Mileage: 92/6,648

Tonbridge Angels slipped to a narrow defeat on a chilly evening at Aveley’s Parkside Stadium.

Promotion, through the play-off route, chasing Aveley scored a goal in each half to further their credentials for the post-season finale.

Jay Saunders made two changes from Saturday’s drawn game at Havant with Scott Wagstaff returning from suspension for Ryan Hanson (injured) and Jernade Meade for Kodi Lyons-Foster, who was withdrawn injured at half-time on Saturday.

Tonbridge made the early running in the first half, forcing early corners and, in the 11th minute, Liam Vincent playing further forward than his normal full back position, was denied by Aveley goalkeeper Jonathan North’s feet that deflected the ball away for a corner.

Vincent was very much to the fore seeing a shot blocked and on 32 minutes, a header from a Sean Shields cross that cleared the bar was a great chance.

Three minutes later the Angels were behind when the home side broke away down the left that ended with Razzaq Coleman De-Graft shooting across the goal to find the bottom right hand corner.

Tonbridge had mainly been the equals of their hosts but nonetheless went into the break with that one goal deficit. This was quickly equalised in the second half when following an effort from Nathan Odokonyero that was turned away for a corner from which Ethan Sutcliffe was bundled to the ground with the referee immediately pointing to the spot. Odokonyero sent North the wrong way as he converted the penalty.

Unfortunately parity lasted a matter of moments as Jason Ring sent a cross into the box, that one being half-cleared back to Ring who recrossed this time for Manny Ogunrinde to fire into the bottom corner.

The hosts largely took control of the game following the goal. Odokonyero’s snap shot on 62 minutes cleared the bar whilst, at the other end, Ogunrinde fired over and shot into the side netting.

Jay Saunders shuffled his team bringing on Josh Popoola and Francis Mampolo but solid defending from the home side offered very little in the way of opportunities, apart from an almighty scramble in the six yard box that saw a couple of scuffed hits before North fell on the ball.

One last chance fell Odokonyero’s way but this drifted wide of the right hand post before the referee’s whistle saw the reasonably sized Angels contingent heading, disappointed, towards the QE2 bridge.

Sunday 10 March 2024

Havant & Waterlooville 2 Tonbridge Angels 2

Match 90/23/2213 - Saturday, 9th March 2024 - National League South

Havant & Waterlooville (2) 2 McCarthy 14 Seager 25
Tonbridge Angels (1) 2 Hinds 6 Dabre 47
Attendance: 975
Admission: £10 Senior
Mileage: 204/6,556

Motivation might well be the watchword for the last six weeks of the season.

For Tonbridge Angels, the season is done. The last eight games will designate whether a finish is top half or not and the manager will shape his squad for another tilt in August.

Off the pitch, thankfully the long journeys are done and so the lack of motivation to get up on a Saturday morning and hack 150 miles or more west is no longer an issue.

The last of the long car journeys took us on a 200 mile round trip to Hampshire and a game that felt like an end of season affair but really should not have done with Havant and Waterlooville fighting for points to avoid relegation. It was a game of missed chances, four goals but there was something lacking in its intensity and on the terraces there almost seemed an air of disinterest.

Who knows what has gone wrong at Havant? There are players there that other clubs would covet, there are players such as Jack Jebb, that are sitting on their bench that I would covet.

Jay Saunders, without Scott Wagstaff serving the second of his two match suspension, fielded the same side as against Eastbourne last time out, with the only changes, significant ones, on the bench where Jordan Greenidge will no longer sit following his departure to Dartford and the arrival of Josh Popoola.

The Angels gave their slightly smaller than usual away following early cheer with a sixth minute lead from Tariq Hinds, who fired in from 12 yards following an excellent run into the box from Nathan Odokonyero.

The lead wasn’t to last when a pass from the left from James Roberts was laid across the edge of the box from where Jake McCarthy was afforded time and space to pick out the top corner.

Odokonyero was leading the Havant defence a dance and once more jinked his way into space but lifted his shot over the bar before, on 25 minutes, the home side went ahead with a well-taken header from Ryan Seager from a right wing cross by Callum Kealy.

Havant had two headed chances to extend their lead before, on 35 minutes, goalkeeper Ross Worner was forced to make a good reaction save to deny Joe McNerney turning Odokonyero’s cross into his own goal.

The Angels came out for the second half positively with Sean Shields testing Worner early before a short corner routine from Shields and Lewis Gard fed the ball to the edge of the box from where Mo Dabre curled a shot into the bottom corner.

A home point was of little value to Havant and Waterlooville and they pressed hard for an winner but their shooting was wayward on several occasions.

A draw was probably a fair result and for a fourth time in four visits to Westleigh Park there was no winner but at least the goalscoring was doubled on this occasion.

Friday 8 March 2024

Ebbsfleet United Academy 7 Tonbridge Angels Academy 0

Match 89/23/2212 - Wednesdayday, 6th March 2024 - National League U19 Alliance

Ebbsfleet United Academy (5) 7
Tonbridge Angels Academy (0) 0
Headcount: 18
Admission: Free
Mileage: 56/6,352
Played at Kedbull Leisure
New Ground: 385

Kedbull Leisure is a new facility that is being developed by ex-Gillingham favourite Danny Kedwell. It is based on the site of Fleet Leisure and Social Club that burnt to the ground in 2017 after closing its doors in 2013. The site is vast and presently one corner is occupied by a full-sized 3G fenced off and, alongside there is a nine-a-side 3G. Further development planned will see a full-sized grass pitch, four seven-a-side 3G plus a clubhouse that will incorporate a gym, classrooms, dressing rooms and offices.

As to the match, well I leave what was the worse defeat for Tonbridge Angels Academy since its reformation to the words of Academy manager, Tommy Parkinson: “Easy to hide away from these type of results but this is the reality and being accountable for being well beaten. A very poor first half performance from the Elite squad left too much to do in the second half. Over three or four years we have set very high standards as an Academy, ensuring we maintain them and match other teams desire and effort to beat us is very important and something we failed to show today.”

Tuesday 5 March 2024

Tonbridge Angels U18 1 Cray Valley U18 2

Match 88/23/2211 - Monday, 4th March 2024 - Isthmian Youth League

Tonbridge Angels U18 (0) 1 Puffette 56
Cray Valley PM U18 (1) 2 Boyle 12 Chukwujekwu 78
Attendance: 51
Admission: £3
Mileage: 38/6,296

Tonbridge Angels Under-18’s home campaign concluded in defeat at the hands of Cray Valley PM, for whom consecutive title wins is in their hands but they face a gruelling backlog of fixtures to make up the ground on leaders Welling United.

A highly competitive game hinged on a brilliant penalty save from Cray Valley’s Aiden Wicks and some steadfast defending after going down to 10 men when Stanley Flockton was sent off.

The opening 15 minutes saw equal possession but the visitors created the early chances before taking a 12th minute lead when a cross from the left found Riley Boyle at the far post for a tap in from close range.

Tonbridge might have found a quick response when a well worked move involving Noah Millis and Felix Waring ended with Cameron Honarvar shooting narrowly wide.

The game ebbed and flowed with a good tempo with chances at both ends. Boyle brought a good save out of Toby Edwards and Cray Valley had the ball in the net on 24 minutes only to be ruled offside and, for the Angels, Adam Larkin headed wide from a Waring corner.

An already excellent game that had unfolded in the first half was set to get even better in the second as the Angels took the game to the champions. Millis shot wide before, on 56 minutes, a free kick into the box from Reuben Etherington found the head of Ben Martin-Coward to direct across the face of goal for skipper Will Puffette to tuck home.

Tonbridge were awarded a penalty kick in the 66th minute when a through ball from Etherington saw Honavar bundled to the ground. In the arguments that followed, Flockton received a yellow card. Etherington was made to wait a long time before his spot kick that was well struck but Wicks made a brilliant low save.

Two minutes later, Flockton launched into a reckless challenge on Honarvar and was shown a second yellow.

An unnecessary loss of possession in midfield was costly on 78 minutes with Obi Igwe breaking down the left to cross for Arinze Chukwujekwu to score from close range and restore the visitors lead.

With the man advantage, the Angels pressed hard to retrieve the game but Cray Valley stood firm with Wicks excelling.

In time added the bar was struck and the rebound that fell to Fin McLeod was kept out by Wick.

Cray Valley have long been the Angels U18’s nemesis, heavy defeats of the past have been reduced to frustratingly narrow losses but Cray Valley remain the team to beat in the division.

Dom Welsh said after the game: “Tough one to take tonight as a fantastic performance goes unrewarded. One of our best performances of the season in long periods. Small margins in football create big moments and unfortunately we were on the wrong side of those tonight.”

Sunday 3 March 2024

Bromleians Women 1 Tonbridge Angels Women 5

Match 87/23/2210 - Sunday, 3rd March 2024 - South East Counties League Cup SF

Bromleians Women (1) 1
Tonbridge Angels Women (1) 5 Churchill 39,90+4 Cresswell 55 Jones 57 Beeput 86
Headcount: 40
Admission: Free
Mileage: 68/6,258
Played at Chislehurst School
New Ground: 384

Tonbridge Angels Women reached the Final of the South East Counties League Cup with a second half in which their quality shone through on a slog of a pitch. A waterlogged pitch at Bromleians home ground saw the game switched to Chislehurst School for Girls.

After a first half in which the Angels had dominated but, going up the slope, the pitch had been a great leveller and the Angels went into the break on equal terms through a Aimee Churchill goal after falling behind on 23 minutes.

From the outset the difference in quality was obvious but the Angels passing game, effective on their home 3G, was difficult to play on a poor surface whereas Bromleins took a more direct route.

Nonetheless, Tonbridge would have been disappointed to fall behind after good chances had fallen to Charlotte Cresswell whose header was wide from a corner and after being put through by Churchill, Grace Mayhead slid her shot wide with only the goalkeeper to beat.

Tonbridge Angels’ goalkeeper, Ashleigh Rhodes, saved well after 19 minutes with the rebound scrambled to safety but, four minutes later, a free kick into the box found a scoring header,

Rhodes needed to be at her best as Bromleians grew in confidence making further saves before the Angels regained control with Mayhead being denied by a good, low save.

Eventually, six minutes before the break, Tonbridge drew level when Cresswell’s through ball saw Churchill drive it home from the edge of the box.

Both sides had chances to take a lead into the break but the goalkeeper’s stood up to the task.

With the slope in their favour in the second half, the Angels women quickly took control with Freya Jones striking a post and Cresswell firing over before two goals in the space of two minutes shaped the game. On 55 minutes, fed by Churchill, Cresswell struck a shot that flew over the head over of the goalkeeper and the lead was doubled when Jones angled a shot into the bottom corner after cutting in from the right.

For a period, the Angels looked like they might run away with the game but credit to Bromleians who fought back only to find Rhodes standing firm, especially with a brilliant save on 65 minutes than saw her palm to safety a shot and complete with a follow-up save. But she was only a spectator as the Bromley side saw a close range header go agonisingly wide.

The route to the Gallagher Stadium was sealed on 84 minutes when Mandy Beeput found the bottom corner from distance and in the very final act, Beeput send Churchill through to add a fifth.

A cup final is a deserved reward for Tonbridge Angels Women who have enjoyed a fine season following their reformation and on Thursday, 25th April, Margate will be their opponents at Maidstone United.