Corinthian U18 3 Tonbridge Angels U18 4

Match 59/23/2182 - Monday, 4th December 2023 - Isthmian Youth League

Corinthian U18 (1) 3 Taylor 40,87 Gerard (o.g.) 71
Tonbridge Angels U18 (2) 4 Honarvar 7 McLeod 39 Waring 49 Wallace 79
Attendance: 34
Admission: £3 Senior
Mileage: 60/4,464
Weather: 6degC, damp and cold

Tonbridge Angels U18’s achieved a morale-boosting win against a Corinthian side that they could potentially meet in the Isthmian Youth League Cup Quarter Finals.

The weather had caused some concern about the fitness of the back pitch at Gay Dawn Farm, but it was in great condition and perfectly playable.

The two sides had fought out a very competitive 1-1 draw at Longmead Stadium just a fortnight ago so another tight match was expected and it didn’t disappoint.

Both sides had an opportunity to open the scoring before the Angels did so in the seventh minute when a free kick from the left taken by Reuben Etherington was allowed to carry to the far post from where Cameron Honarvar drifted in to convert with a good finish.

The game, officiated by an all-female team, got mired in a midfield battle for about 20 minutes with niggly fouls breaking up the play and perhaps needing the referee to step in a little earlier than the 30th minute to issue the first yellow card.

The game opened up again after the half-hour and Corinthian twice in a matter of moments tested the Angels goalkeeper, Toby Edwards, who responded with good saves.

In the 39th minute the Angels doubled their advantage when the quick-thinking Etherington slid a free kick through for Fin McLeod to run clear and score with a well struck shot.

Unfortunately, the Angels developed a vulnerability from corners and set pieces and, just a minute later, a corner travelled to the far post where an unmarked Hugo Taylor was on hand to score.

Corinthian mounted a big effort to go into the break on level terms but free kicks in potentially dangerous positions were ballooned over the crossbar.

Tonbridge regained their two goal advantage four minutes into the second half when Felix Waring weaved his way through the Corinthian defence, cutting in from the left, before despatching a fine finish into the bottom corner.

Corinthian got themselves back in the game on 71 minutes with a stroke of good fortune. Once again a corner being the Angels undoing but this time a clearance from Ben Martin-Coward unfortunately struck Sam Gerard in the face and the ball rebounded into the net.

Tonbridge had to withstand a good deal of pressure with Edwards saving well on a couple of occasions but they looked to have wrapped the game up with 11 minutes remaining when substitute Logan Wallace scored with a close range header from a Waring corner.

A brilliant Edwards save, turning over a 25 yard shot, seemed to have secured the points but when Taylor bundled the ball home with three minutes to go a tense finish ensued before seeing out the time added.

Dom Welsh said after the game: “I though we were good tonight against a good Corinthian side. We had lapses in concentration that gave Corinthian lifelines into the game, but we had some excellent attacking play. One defeat in 10 gives us momentum going into the second half of the season.”

Corinthian Under-18 2 Tonbridge Angels Under-18 2

Match 72/21/1936 - Monday, 13th December 2021 - Isthmian Youth

Corinthian (1) 2 Kyeyune-Senyange 13 Husthwaite 86
Tonbridge Angels (1) 2 London 11 Saunders 46
Attendance: 39

Admission: £2.50 Senior
Programme: None
Mileage: 54/4,064

Tonbridge Angels Under-18’s came away from Gay Dawn Farm with a hard-fought, well-earned point but at the same time feeling aggrieved that ill-discipline on one hand, but poor officiating on the other, had left them a man short for the final 15 minutes of a game that they were leading 2-1.

Josh McArthur saw red after an innocuous tackle had seen his Corinthian opponent kick-out following the challenge. McArthur’s retaliation led to a multi-player melee that when brought to order saw the red card issued, a yellow for Ben Morgan, but with the perpetrator walking away without rebuke.

The incident, in a game that had been competitive but without friction, led to a chaotic last quarter hour which also saw the Angels’ manager Dom Welsh sent to the stand. Such was the confusion that even the final whistle was shrouded in mystery.

Both sides had good chances in the opening minutes with the Angels’ Hayden Velvick bringing a good save out of the Corinthian goalkeeper after five minutes before the visitors opened the scoring after 11 minutes when Velvick pulled the ball back for Harry London to drive a shot into the bottom corner from the edge of the D.

The lead lasted barely two minutes when some really good wing play down the left ended with a pass across the face of the goal to the far post leaving Kyeyune-Senyange with a tap-in.

After 15 minutes of a thrilling opening, London went close when his shot clipped the bar.

The game settled down with Corinthian in the ascendancy for a while bringing Angels keeper Matt Larkin into action and five minutes before the break the home side missed an absolute sitter as a cross from the right found the left winger at the far post but he inexplicably managed to put the ball wide of the post from two yards.

The second half was less than a minute old when the Angels were gifted the lead. A pass back to the goalkeeper, who had previously struggled with the ball at his feet, saw him take a bad touch and Will Saunders closing him down, seized upon the opportunity, to win the tackle and roll the ball into the net.

It was the start to the half that Tonbridge wanted and they took control of the game with Saunders and substitute Fin Wolvey testing the shaken keeper.

But the game changed with the sending off and Corinthian sensed their opportunity, although from the free kick that was given to Tonbridge after the skirmish, Morgan struck the bar.

Tonbridge were forced deep but defended doggedly until the 86th minute when a cross from the left found Husthwaite in front of goal, he appeared to mishit his shot, perhaps that’s doing him an injustice, but the ball looped up and over Larkin and into the net.

Unfortunately, with the referee having lost control of the situation, the final minutes became a bad tempered affair with argument taking over from football although Larkin had to be alert to save following a Corinthian corner.

When the final whistle blew, or did it, the referee continued to be in the centre of the action and further yellow cards were brandished, but to whom and why, only the official can say.

Dom Welsh declined to comment on his own sending off or other events surrounding the officials but praised his team for their desire and commitment when down to 10 men against a good team.

Corinthian U18 1 Tunbridge Wells U18 0

Match 89/17/1539 - Tuesday, 6th February 2018 - Bostik Youth

Corinthian U18 (1) 1 Mabb 7
Tunbridge Wells U18 (0) 0
Attendance: 26

Entrance: £1.50
Programme: Free
Mileage: 50/6,427

On an absolutely freezing evening, the referee took the decision to start the game 15 minutes early. I arrived in reasonable time for the original kick-off time but eight minutes after the new start time. The only goal of the match was scored after seven, sometimes you almost have to question whether you are of sound mind?

I understand that the goal was a far post header from Leo Mabb.

Tunbridge Wells made a full contribution to the game, which on a temperature-friendly evening would have been a decent watch. Pip Preston (if the team sheet was to be believed) was a constant threat fired straight at Corinthian goalkeeper, Harry Earls, following a loose clearance and then picked up a booking as the referee started to make stranger decisions than his kick off time choice. Added to my indignation of the referee, I've never seen one that needed to pull up his socks every couple of minutes, borrow a tie-up ref!

Into the second half and Earls made a fine save clawing the ball out of the top corner. Preston took on several defenders but screwed his shot wide.

Corinthian successfully saw the game out under heavy pressure from the Wells who would have seen the defeat as an injustice whilst the real injustice in my eyes was my missing eight minutes and the single goal.