Tonbridge Angels 0 Leatherhead 2

Match 126/17/1576 - Saturday, 28th April 2018 - Bostik Premier

Tonbridge Angels (0) 0
Leatherhead (1) 2 Derry 41 Gallagher 62
Attendance: 518

Admission: £6 Senior
Programme: £2.50
Mileage: 38/8,267

Sadly this game reflected the season since the turn of the year as one that has had a few highs, far too many lows and ultimately has just fizzled out like a damp firework on 5th November.

Every season, at every club, whether successful or otherwise sees players departing at its end. Nathan Elder has been a wonderful servant to the club over the past three and a bit seasons, scoring 65 goals but his presence offering so much more. It would have been great if a role at the club could have been found but such is the financing at Tonbridge, or most non-league clubs, it was not to be. His substitution with a couple of minutes remaining brought the expected acclaim from the supporters and respect on the pitch from friend and foe alike.

The heartwarming side of the club saw Rob Chick enjoying his day as the Gaffa, a prize Kindly donated by the winner of the competition, David Brown.

There was nothing riding on the game as a midweek defeat for the visitors Leatherhead meant that, all bar mathematical miracles, they could not reach the play-off places. Because of this, manager Sammy Moore gave some of his youngsters a run out, but their football at times still suggested why they had come close to the top five.

A third minute effort from Alexander Akrofi brought a comfortable save out of Manny Agboola, a 19-year-old loanee from Oxford United, who proceeded to have a fine game for the Tanners.

Leatherhead throughout passed the ball with a style that was pleasing on the eye and, after 13 minutes, produced a fine move that ended with Nathan Wood firing narrowly wide.

It began a spell in which Leatherhead were dominant before Tonbridge hit back on the half-hour when Joe Turner and Elder brought saves out of Agboola and the goal that everybody wanted for Elder was ruled out for a push as the striker’s header found the net.

Leatherhead bounced straight back on the offensive when a strike from Sean D’Theobalds crashed against an upright.

The visitors went into a deserved lead four minutes before the break when the impressive Wood set-up Tom Derry for a close range finish.

Agboola preserved that half-time lead when he pushed away a good strike from Sam Bantick.

The second half was four minutes old when a through ball saw Derry through on goal and brought down by Tonbridge goalkeeper, Jonny Henly. However, his spot kick was saved.

Just before the hour Agboola was once more the hero brilliantly saving from Liam Smith before a splendid move involving Calum Davies and Reece Williams-Bowers ended with Dan Gallagher firing past Henly to double the Tanners’ advantage.

Elder had one final chance when a good move between Turner and Bantick opened up an opportunity, but a great block from Jerry Nnamani denied the Big Man.

No one can deny that the season, least of all the management team, has been a disappointment and it is pretty certain that there will be other departures in the close season whether that is the choice of Steve McKimm or the players themselves.

The presentation evening saw Turner pick up the three main gongs with Sonny Miles and Jonny Henly honourable runners-up.

Summer is here, even if the coldest last game of the season I can remember in a long time, made it feel otherwise.

Awards photographs from top: Joe Turner, Sonny Miles, Jonny Henly and Alexander Akrofi. Pictures by David Couldridge.

Tonbridge Angels 0 Harlow Town 0

Match 121/17/1571 - Tuesday, 17th April 2018 - Bostik Premier

Tonbridge Angels (0) 0
Harlow Town (0) 0
Attendance: 235

Admission: £6 Senior
Programme: £1.00
Mileage: 38/8,100

A few games back I disregarded Gillingham’s goalless draw as the worst game of the season with a single line blog entry. Sadly, another game similarly lacking in entertainment came along all too soon.

I won’t treat Tonbridge with a one line entry but can assure you that I will not be taking too much of my readers’ time.

The season’s end cannot come quickly enough for the Angels as Steve McKimm is having to send out patched up teams with, on this occasion, five Under-19s featuring.

Luciano Osbourne, making his first start, filled in at left back despite spending his season with the Development team as a number 10. But, until his substitution after 79 minutes, acquitted himself well in the circumstances.

The game was one of very few chances the best of which fell to Harlow’s Thomas Page whose downward header after 57 minutes bounced up and over the bar. The damp pitches of a couple of weeks ago might well have meant it not bouncing so high.

Tonbridge supporters had to wait until the 85th minute for a meaningful effort on goal when Dominic Welsh’s cross found Nathan Elder but his header was comfortably saved by David Hughes.

To draw on the positives it was a pleasantly warm evening given the winter we have endured and the returning Tom Parkinson got another half-hour on the pitch. Small mercies indeed.

Tonbridge Angels 1 Enfield Town 4

Match 119/17/1569 - Saturday, 14th April 2018 - Bostik Premier

Tonbridge Angels (1) 1 Akrofi 15
Enfield Town (1) 4 Wadkins 6,80 Greene 54 Youngs 58
Attendance: 474

Admission: £6 Senior
Programme: £2.50
Mileage: 38/8,027

Tonbridge’s season has been encapsulated in the last week when a fine win on Tuesday against Dulwich was followed by a poor home performance and defeat against a Enfield side that is similarly marooned in mid-table.

Enfield went ahead on six minutes when poor marking from a corner allowed Dernell Wynter a header on goal which was parried by Jonny Henly with the rebound falling to Brad Wadkins to stab home.

Tonbridge responded with Joe Turner and Alex Akrofi going close before the latter equalised after 15 minutes. Turner’s corner was headed at goal by Akrofi whose first effort was saved by Joe Wright with the rebound returning to the striker who curled the ball into the net.

The rest of the first half was evenly contested with Nathan Elder having a header cleared from the line whilst Wadkins had the ball in the net but this was ruled out for offside.

After Turner had seen an early second half effort denied by Wright, low to his left, the half was dominated by the visitors with Aaron Greene giving Enfield the lead after 54 minutes when he latched on to a flick on from Wadkins to fire into the bottom corner with Henly stranded.

Four minutes later a superb curling shot into the top corner from 30 yards by substitute Sam Youngs made it 3-1 to the visitors.

Perhaps the biggest cheer of the afternoon for the home side was reserved for the introduction of Tommy Parkinson who has suffered a season long injury. He slotted into the middle of the defence alongside Sonny Miles, who graciously handed over the captain’s arm band to the club skipper.

Enfield continued to make most of the running with Henly saving from Ryan Blake and Youngs whilst Miles had a header comfortably saved by Wright.

Any lingering doubts to the final result were extinguished on 80 minutes when Wadkins fired into the bottom corner to end a disappointing afternoon for the Angels.

Wingate & Finchley 2 Tonbridge Angels 1

Match 106/17/1556 - Saturday, 24th March 2018 - Bostik Premier

Wingate & Finchley (2) 2 Beckles-Richards 10 Ifil 40
Tonbridge Angels (0) 1 Miles 61
Attendance: 131

Entrance: £6 Senior
Programme: £2
Mileage: 147/7,300

This has been one hell of a week for Tonbridge Angels. Four games in eight days; a return trip from a defeat in Suffolk that was delayed by roadworks and not arriving back at Longmead until 2 a.m., followed just two days later by the momentous victory over Billericay, so perhaps it came as no surprise that the visit to Wingate and Finchley appeared to be a game too far.

Tonbridge looked tired and leggy in a first half dominated by their hosts who deservedly went into the break a couple of goals to the good but, to their credit, the Angels got a second wind (or was fifth or sixth) and could justifiably have claimed that they deserved a point for their efforts.

Wingate were fast out of the blocks seeking to take advantage of their visitors sluggishness. After five minutes they had the ball in the net when a cross from the impressive Paul Ifil found Reece Beckles-Richards head at the far post but the goal was ruled out by a linesman’s flag.

Tonbridge were forced into a reshuffle after just seven minutes when Jack Parter limped out of the action to be replaced by Luke Blewden. This probably had no bearing on Wingate’s opening goal three minutes later when Beckles-Richards curled a 20 yard shot into the top corner giving Jonny Henly no chance.

Tonbridge responded well with Tashi-Jay Kwayie forcing Shane Gore into a save and then blazing wastefully over the bar from six yards having been set-up by Joe Turner.

Another chance fell the Angels’ way after 26 minutes with Alex Akrofi firing over before Henly was brought into the action saving from Marc Charles-Smith.

Wingate extended lead before the break when Ifil was allowed to travel fully 30 yards with the ball before firing in a shot that found the bottom corner.

Without a further save from Henly, denying Beckles-Richards, the game would have been out of sight.

Nathan Elder came on for Tommy Whitnell from the start of the second half and Tonbridge put their hosts under pressure with Turner forcing a save from Gore and seeing the resultant corner cleared from the line.

Successive corners brought a goal for Tonbridge just past the hour. The first corner was headed on by Sonny Miles for Akrofi’s header to be saved by Gore but the second was this time headed on by Elder with Miles touching in at the far post from close range.

Tonbridge continued to battle away for an equaliser including sending goalkeeper Henly forward for a corner which he met with a header but straight at a grateful Gore.

As is well-known to Isthmian League visitors, Wingate and Finchley are the proud owners of an iconic stand that doubtless has some sort of preservation order on it. Sadly, every time I go there, I make the same comment, “it just needs a coat of paint”. A few tins of emulsion shouldn’t break the bank surely.

Picture: Kathryn Bell

Tonbridge Angels 2 Billericay Town 1

Match 105/17/1555 - Thursday, 22nd March 2018 - Bostik Premier

Tonbridge Angels (0) 2 Turner 75 Elder 85
Billericay Town (1) 1 Bricknell 37
Attendance: 526

Entrance: £6 Senior
Programme: £1
Mileage: 38/7,153

Evidently this was the day that I threw a wibble. If you don’t know what that is, neither did I! It is to celebrate like a lunatic, in which case I almost certainly wibbled.

105 games in and I have my season’s highlight, albeit for the wrong reasons, the goal of the season and comical retribution.

After two postponements the Circus finally came to town on a poor run of form with whispers that all was not right under the Tamplin Big Top. That they left with a fifth defeat in six games and with the World’s Greatest ringing around their ears was retribution for not only the heavy Cup Final defeat but the distasteful antics that followed.

In fairness, in the first 45 minutes, Billericay looked like a side that had been built with an eye-watering budget. The stroked the ball about nicely looking to get Nick Wheeler involved on his return to Longmead who early doors looked to be a danger to Liam Smith but the youngster grew into the task and largely negated the threat although the Billericay man will be claiming an assist for Billy Bricknell’s 37th minute goal.

After 22 minutes, 25 goal striker Jake Robinson brought a good save from Jonny Henly and, a minute later,Robinson planted a header against the woodwork as the visitors began to turn the screw. A fantastic challenge from Jack Parter denied Robinson went sent through but finally Billericay made their breakthrough. Wheeler’s crossed into the box was only cleared to Danny Waldren but his hopeless mishit shot fell at the feet of Bricknell who, with back to goal flicked the ball over his head to turn a volley past Henly with the aid of a heavy deflection.

Henly was forced to make a good save, low to his left, from Bricknell in added time as the visitors went into the break deserving of their lead.

Tonbridge emerged from the dressing rooms with an attitude that almost shouted “what have we got to lose” and an early strike from Tommy Whitnell was saved by Alan Julian.

On the hour the dangerous Robinson was replaced by the mountainous Adam Cunnington whilst Wheeler had departed the scene during the half-time break,

Tonbridge were now in the ascendancy and it took a brilliant save from Julian to turn a shot from Joe Turner away for a corner after it had been heavily deflected. From the resultant corner, Alex Akrofi’s header rebounded off the top of the bar.

The goal the majority of the 526 attendance craved came after 73 minutes and what a goal. A long kick from Henly was superbly won and headed on by Akrofi into the path of Turner who, from 30 yards, volleyed over the head of the advanced Julian to the biggest roar from Longmead this season.

There were seven minutes remaining when I said to my group of friends that I could gladly forego those next minutes of my life to walk away with the point we had in the hand. Thankfully, nobody upstairs heard me because three minutes later, Tonbridge were in front. A long free kick from Smith saw Julian misjudge the flight of the ball and there, beyond the far post, was substitute Nathan Elder to squeeze a header into the net.

As the time agonisingly ebbed away, a forlorn Glenn Tamplin stared continuously at the ground until the final whistle put him out of his misery and allowed the PA man his moment of revenge with R Kelly booming out to the amusement of everyone bar one.

As was said after, to full agreement, whatever happens for the rest of the season, this Thursday evening will happily see us through to the end.

Picture: Dave Couldridge

Picture courtesy of www.klmphoto.co.uk

Tonbridge Angels 3 Kingstonian 1

Match 102/17/1552 - Saturday, 17th March 2018 - Bostik Premier

Tonbridge Angels (1) 3 Akrofi 9 Francis (o.g.) 52 Turner 72
Kingstonian (1) 1 Hunte 4
Attendance: 308

Entrance: £6 Senior
Programme: £2.50
Mileage: 38/7,043

The Mini Beast from the East brought an icy blast and a little more than a dusting of snow but still wreaked havoc with football fixtures in the south-east. Gillingham’s home game against Blackburn Rovers with the much-anticipated return to Priestfield of Bradley Dack fell victim to Health and Safety. Had Gillingham been playing, with no offence to, Rochdale the game would probably have gone ahead as the covers had done their job on the pitch and the 100 or so visiting supporters could have been moved to the Gordon Road Stand but with Blackburn bringing a much larger following that would not have been possible and so the Brian Moore Stand was deemed unsafe for them to occupy. The temporary structure (15 years is temporary!) has long been an embarrassment with Gillingham often voted least desirable away ground because of its open-to-the-elements nature and was the butt of much disgruntlement as Rovers supporters were already in the town when the postponement was declared.

The dusting was even lighter in Tonbridge and their match against Kingstonian was able to go ahead albeit that it was another toe-numbing encounter to go with several others this winter. Perhaps it is an age thing, but this winter has felt pretty severe, especially on the feet.

The Tonbridge team sheet read like a side that had to be cobbled together. Luke Blewden and Tommy Whitnell returning from long-term injury that would almost certainly mean that they had no more than an hour in their legs with very little experience on the bench to replaced them. In that respect, Stephen Ibizugsbe was a mystery man. I don’t think he has come from the Reserves as the Full-Time website doesn’t show any appearances. A quick Google says he was a Brentford youngster and played for Horsham.

Kingstonian got off to the best possible starts with a goal after four minutes through Connor Hunte adding to the fears for the Angels’ makeshift team.

But those fears disappeared five minutes later when Alex Akrofi capitalised on dithering between goalkeeper and defender to pounce on a long ball forward and shoot into an unguarded net.

George Beavan picked up a rather harsh yellow card that would prove significant later and after 35 minutes had a defender’s shot on goal that sailed over.

Kingstonian had the momentum going into the break and Jonny Henly produced good saves to deny Greg Cundle twice and ex-Angel Tom Beere. Cundle, on loan from Gillingham, put in a very decent shift.

Tonbridge went ahead seven minutes into the second half when a long cross into the box from Liam Smith was turned into his own net by Sean Francis.

Blewden and Whitnell had served their hour when Turner was sent clear by Akrofi to convert after 72 minutes, the time on my Golden Goal ticket that was worth £25! All of a sudden I wanted no more goals!

A fantastic defensive effort from Kingstonian denied Turner and Akrofi to preserve my hold on the money and Henly did his bit saving from Cundle and Jason Williams.

Two minutes remained when Beavan dragged back Cundle and saw red for his trouble. On the day with little time remaining it did not prove costly but his suspension will be another absence with so few bodies from which Steve McKimm can choose.

Three points and a nice little cash prize from a game I wasn’t meant to be at, all thanks to the Beast from the East's little brother.

Picture courtesy of www.klmphoto.co.uk

Tonbridge Angels 1 Worthing 2

Match 99/17/1549 - Saturday, 10th March 2018 - Bostik Premier

Tonbridge Angels (0) 1 Turner 61
Worthing (0) 2 Newton 90+1, Pope 90+2
Attendance: 382

Entrance: £6 Senior
Programme: £2.50
Mileage: 38/6,935

There is no worse place to be than mid-table in early March. Three successive wins failed to lift Tonbridge a single place and this defeat had a similar outcome. There were a few grumbles as the Angels conceded twice in time added, but mostly there was an acceptance that, over the 90 minutes, Worthing deserved the points. I sense there was no real anger at the result because it barely mattered.

Worthing, for a period before Christmas, looked certs for relegation but a change of manager has seen a splendid run of form that has lifted the Rebels to safety. One wonders if their early season form was due to their enforced exile at Bognor Regis following problems with the 3G surface at their Woodside Road home.

Tonbridge needed to reshuffle their back line with Craig Stone’s absence and when Callum Adonis-Taylor was injured after 20 minutes another shuffle left them looking like a puzzle with three pieces missing.

Worthing started brightly with their forwards looking lively. Kieron Pamment fired over and successive corners from ex-Angel Sam Rents caused concern with a Jesse Starkey shot deflected narrowly wide and Joe Clarke’s header going over.

After 20 minutes Jonny Henly did well to save at the feet of Zack Newton with the rebound falling to Starkey whose shot sailed over the bar.

The chances continued to fall to the visitors. A lovely move set-up Jazz Rance but he fired wide before Xavier Vidal stretched Worthing’s goalkeeper, Lucas Cavagnari for the first, and only time of the half.

Henly did well to touch a Newton shot onto the post as the hosts went into the break on level terms thanks only to the profligacy of their visitors.

Steve McKimm, forced to watch from the media tower by virtue of a touchlne ban, saw his side open the second half in a more positive manner with Vidal twice bringing good saves out of Cavagnari with shots from distance.

Joe Turner’s corner found the head of Nathan Elder but the effort went over but, after 61 minutes, Tonbridge took the lead with a cleverly worked free kick that saw Sam Bantick send Turner clear into the box to fire past Cavagnari.

Cavagnari saved from Bantick that might have given the Angels some breathing space before Worthing regained their first half momentum.

Rance fired across the face of goal; Newton set-up Pamment to fire wastefully over as did Starkey moments later.

There was a sense of inevitability, as the game entered three minutes of time added, when Rance crossed for Newton to score from close range.

Not content with their point, Worthing went in search of a win and within a minute, Rance again the perpetrator drawing a save from Henly with the rebound fired in by substitute Ben Pope.

There was still time for Tonbridge to earn a share of the honours when Elder managed to get the ball stuck under his feet from six yards with the goal yawning in front of him.

Elder’s mishap seemed to foster more discontent than the actual result as the supporters filed away with nothing more than a shrug of the shoulders. There is nothing like mid-table obscurity to nurture apathy.

Picture: Dave Couldridge

Tonbridge Angels 2 Metropolitan Police 0

Match 96/17/1546 - Thursday, 24th February 2018 - Bostik Premier

Tonbridge Angels (1) 2 Turner 27 Smith 51
Metropolitan Police (0) 0
Attendance: 380

Entrance: £6 Senior
Programme: £2.50
Mileage: 38/6,789

The last week has been disturbing as a Tonbridge Angels supporter. The first team budget was cut following the away win at Merstham with Tom Jelley, Ryan Worrall and Dan Thompson leaving the club. We will all speculate on the whys and wherefores of the decision but with the club marooned in mid-table, it is surely prudent to write this season off and set aside those saved wages for another day.

But, out of the darkness, came encouragement. A month ago Tonbridge produced a truly awful performance at Metropolitan Police that brought condemnation and no shortage of calls for heads to roll. Today, it was the turn their visitors to look as equally ineffective.

For the first time this season three wins have been recorded on the spin; Liam Smith scored his first senior goal and the game was finished with five 18-year-olds on the pitch. The sun was shining once more (but it was bloody cold!)

The opening 10 minutes did not reflect the brightness of the sun. The Met spurned a couple of chances and Craig Stone was forced from the pitch after just six minutes to be replaced by Callum Adonis-Taylor.

Livewire Alex Akrofi, who ran the Plod ragged all afternoon had a chance on the quarter-hour before a wonderful turn and delivery sent Joe Turner clear to slide the ball past Alex Kozakis.

The loss of Stone brought about an extensive shuffle of positions in the Angels’ back line but they restricted Jonny Henly to little more than fielding practice.

Tonbridge went two-up after six second half minutes when a Turner corner found Smith at the back post to direct a header into the net. Cue, the celebrations, none more so than from his Mum, Sandra, stood next me! Photo: David Couldridge.

As play-off contenders, the Police were quite woeful and just a couple of routine saves in the final moments warmed Henly’s hands. It does make you wonder, what might have been, but we are where we are for a reason. Inconsistency.

The season is safe, it would be nice to think that with that relaxation, Tonbridge can entertain through the back end of season and win back the hearts of a few disenchanted supporters. This was a good start.

Picture courtesy of www.klmphoto.co.uk

Tonbridge Angels 2 Lowestoft Town 2

Match 78/17/1528 - Saturday, 6th January 2018 - Bostik Premier

Tonbridge Angels (2) 2 Vidal (pen) 3 Turner 12
Lowestoft Town (1) 2 Hodd 45 Cotton 73
Attendance: 438

Entrance: £6 Senior
Programme: £2.50
Mileage: 38/5,191

Give it Away, a monotonous rap rock song from the Red Hot Chilli Peppers (Google sourced) blasted out from the media tower as people, some disgruntled, filed away from Longmead Stadium. This was not a song that I was familiar with, or would want to be, but I realised that this was Dave Brown (the stadium announcer) indulging in a little irony. When I later pressed him on social media, he said “it went over most people’s head”, which I take as a complement that it didn’t go over mine.

Giving it away was the immediate cause for disgruntlement as Tonbridge surrendered a two goal lead they had built within the opening 12 minutes. But the threat, if not the reality, is that this season is in danger of petering out to mid-table mediocrity as early as January is the source of much greater consternation to those supporters.

The Angels could not have wished for a better start. The Suffolk-based visitors had barely got the long journey out of their legs when a Jack Parter throw-in was headed on by Dan Thompson into the path of Alex Akrofi who easily got clear of a sleeping Harry Barker to round the Lowestoft goalkeeper, Ben Dudzinski, who brought him down. Xavier Vidal stepped up to successfully convert the spot kick low to his left, with the keeper guessing wrong.

With the confidence of the early goal, Tonbridge played as well as at any time this season, slick passing movements cutting through the Trawlerboys with Akrofi just failing to double the advantage after being sent clear by Joe Turner.

The lead was doubled after 12 minutes when a long punt forward from Dan Bennett left Turner in a one-on-one chase with Daniel Humphries. Turner was too strong for the youngster, took the ball on a couple of paces and slotted past Dudzinski.

After 34 minutes a sickening clash of heads saw Humphries and Parter needing urgent attention with the Lowestoft player looking in serious trouble. Thankfully, after a long delay, Humphries was able to leave the field on his feet but was immediately despatched to hospital; Parter was able to continue with his head heavily bandaged.

The delay seemed to drain the momentum out of Tonbridge and it was no surprise when in the extended period of time-added, a challenge won in midfield saw the ball sent forward to Harvey Hodd who confidently steered the ball into the bottom corner past the advancing Jonny Henly.

Lowestoft could have been level a minute later when a superb move ended with Jake Reed acrobatically firing just over the crossbar.

Lowestoft continued to hold the upper hand into the second half despite chances falling to Akrofi who wildly shot high and wide and another chance headed over.

The Suffolk side’s equaliser after 73 minutes was richly deserved when Reed cushioned a header into the path of Nico Cotton to beat Henly from 12 yards.

The introduction of Nathan Elder stemmed the tide somewhat and the game could have gone either way in the final quarter-hour.

The game marked the debut as new club Chairman for Roger Maddams. Roger is a bit of a musical aficionado, so he will be hoping that the departure music in future games is a bit more uplifting than the Red Hot Chilli Peppers.

Tonbridge Angels 2 Harrow Borough 1

Match 74/17/1524 - Saturday, 23rd December 2017 - Bostik Premier

Tonbridge Angels (0) 2 Akrofi 51 Elder 75
Harrow Borough (0) 1 Cumberbatch 72 (pen)
Attendance: 377

Entrance: £6 Senior
Programme: £2.50
Mileage: 38/4,811

To get back into the play-off mix, it is felt that this Christmas period needs to yield a substantial haul of available points albeit that the Billericay circus comes to town on New Year’s Day.

So, following a first half as dull as any I’ve seen this season, the three points hard-earned in the second period were a welcome start to the festive season.

It took 28 minutes for me to make the first entry into my notebook, a tame header from Ryan Moss comfortably saved by Jonny Henly, an effort that I wouldn’t normally bother to record. Six minutes later following a Dan Bennett corner, Nathan Elder’s header was also comfortably dealt with by Melvin Minter and that was it for the first half “entertainment”.

The second period started brighter and Tonbridge went ahead six minutes into the half. Alex Akrofi was sent clear by Xavier Vidal, as he rounded the goalkeeper, he stumbled to the ground but bounced back up to roll the ball into the empty net.

The home side with their tails up created further chances with Tom Jelley flashing a cross across the face of goal; Akrofi brought a low save out of Minter before they were awarded a penalty after 63 minutes when substitute Sam Bantick was felled in the area. Joe Turner’s spot kick was well struck but too close to Minter who pushed the ball up onto the underside of the bar completing the save as the ball rebounded into his hands.

Ten minutes later the price was paid for the miss as Harrow were awarded a penalty of their own when Sahr Kabba was brought down. Kurtis Cumberbatch despatched his spot kick sending Henly the wrong way.

The visitor’s parity lasted just three minutes when Akrofi latched onto a woeful back pass and although forced wide rounding the keeper he had the presence of mind to stand up a cross for Elder to head home.

Lady Luck smiled on the Angels with five minutes remaining when a Harrow corner was headed against the right hand post with the rebound dropping into Henly’s welcoming hands.

Dan Thompson brought a low save out of Minter as Tonbridge saw out an extended period of time added to send their supporters home to their Christmas preparations in good spirits.

Tonbridge Angels 1 Dulwich Hamlet 1

Match 72/17/1522 - Saturday, 16th December 2017 - Bostik Premier

Tonbridge Angels (0) 1 Turner 65
Dulwich Hamlet (0) 1 Clunis 48
|Attendance: 539

Entrance: £6 Senior
Programme: £2.50
Mileage: 38/4,711

The visit of Dulwich Hamlet is one to look forward to. Despite the light-hearted piss-take about hipster fans, craft beers and high-end burgers, they are almost always good value. They usually arrive in numbers, although the proximity of Christmas probably reduced their support this year and, with the exception a forum rant that was unnecessary and shouted down from fellow users, they are a friendly bunch. On the field, they are pleasing on the eye and play with a style that can bring out the best in the opposition and that was the certainly the case with Tonbridge.

Tonbridge paraded their new signings, Dan Bennett from Merstham and, on the bench, Sam Bantick from Heybridge Swifts. There was a reorganisation at the back with George Beaven missing through illness.

Steve McKimm deployed a system that allowed Dulwich a lot of space for their back four to play the ball out but found it a lot more restricted as they moved into the next two-thirds of the pitch. This gave the impression that the visitors were enjoying a lot of possession, which they were, but not in a manner that was hurtful to the hosts.

That said, they made a couple of chances and Tonbridge were indebted to Jonny Henly to retain parity at the end of the first period.

Henly was first pressed into action after seven minutes when Sanchez Ming sent Nana Boakye-Yiadom clear but the Tonbridge goalkeeper was alert and off his line to plunge at the feet of the Hamlet striker.

A dreadful clearance from Preston Edwards in the Dulwich goal fell at the feet of Joe Turner and it took a stupendous block from Ricky Hayles to deny the Angels the opener.

After 18 minutes, the visitors had an appeal for a penalty turned down as the ball struck the arm of Craig Stone and it took a fine save, low to his left, from Henly to thwart Boakye-Yiadom a second time.

Henly once more earned his corn with another fine save, this time to deny Nyren Clunis after 33 minutes.

After an entertaining, but goalless, first half, the second period was only three minutes old when the visitors went ahead. Clunis received a ball over the top, but still some way from goal, cut in from the left and fired a shot into the top corner that gave Henly no chance.

Dulwich had a period when they looked as if they had their hosts measure with the impressive Kenny Beaney at the heart of everything.

But Tonbridge were far from a spent force and, after 68 minutes, a 40-yard crossfield pass from Stone, right to left, saw Edwards racing from his goal but beaten to the ball at the angle of the 18 yard box from where a deft touch from Turner lifted the ball over his head and into the unguarded goal.

The game was an end-to-end affair in the last 20 minutes as both sides searched for a winner. Turner crossed for Alex Akrofi to head over whilst Boakye-Yiadom stretched Henly; substitute Bantick asked questions of Edwards before, into the final breathless minute, Henly brilliantly saved from Yiadom and Dulwich substitute Omar Korona steered a header wide when it seemed easier to score.

A hugely entertaining game with a result that probably satisfied neither manager, but was a fair reflection of the action.

Tonbridge Angels 2 Thurrock 1

Match 62/17/1512 - Tuesday, 21st November 2017 - Bostik Premier

Tonbridge Angels (1) 2 Elder 42 Akrofi 51
Thurrock (0) 1 Spence 90+1
Attendance: 251

Entrance: £6 Senior
Programme: £2.50
Mileage: 38/4,006

After the thrills and spills of Saturday's encounter with Needham Market, this may have seemed routine, perhaps even drab, but achieving back-to-back wins for only the second time this season might prove to be significant as Steve McKimm endeavours to put this season back on track.

Whatever the reason, Champions League on television, leaving aside Saturday recent poor form, the turn out of just 251 was desperately disappointing.

After just 20 seconds Ryan Worrall struck a shot at Thurrock goalkeeper, Jake Jessie and after three minutes, Reece Morgan went into the referee’s notebook in a portent of what was too come in a first half in which the visitors can only be politely described as robust.

Nathan Elder saw his seventh minute header hit the top of the bar followed quickly by Alex Akrofi rounding Jessup, who had strayed a long way from home, but firing his shot across the face of goal.

Every now and then Thurrock put together a few passes that belied their away form of not a single point and when Dennis Oli was through on goal it took a fine save at the ex-Gillingham striker’s feet to stop the Essex side taking the lead.

Akrofi’s livewire performance was undoing Thurrock time and again and their yellow card count rose to four as they struggled to contain him.

Despite their dominance, it took until three minutes before the break for Tonbridge to break the deadlock. A free kick was delivered into the box by Joe Turner that was flapped away by Jessup on to the unwitting head of a defender with the rebound falling kindly for Elder to hook the ball home.

Just six minutes into the second half, the Angels doubled their advantage when a low, driven cross from Jack Parter was met by Akrofi who got in front of his marker to touch the ball home.

Tonbridge were in cruise control and chances to put the game to bed came and went and then, into added time, a cross to the far post found Lewwis Spence free to head home and set up a twitchy few minutes that really should not have happened.

Tonbridge Angels 5 Needham Market 4

Match 61/17/1511 - Saturday, 18th November 2017 - Bostik Premier

Tonbridge Angels (2) 5 Turner 9 (pen) Elder 41,60 Akrofi 48 Kwayie 90+2
Needham Market (2) 4 Wright 17 Harrison 32 Morphew 71 (pen) Griffiths 85
Attendance: 383

Entrance: £6 Senior
Programme: £2.50
Mileage: 38/3,968

Match Report

If you like your football with thud and blunder and plenty of goals, then this is the fixture to pencil into the diary for next season; on the other hand, if you are of a nervous disposition, better leave it.

In the last three seasons this fixture has yielded 22 goals, produced some remarkable comebacks, woeful defending and with a win for both sides plus a draw, a share of the spoils. In August 2015, the sides shared six goals with some controversial refereeing decisions at the heart of result. Last season saw Tonbridge leading 2-0 and 3-1 but an injury to goalkeeper Anthony Di Bernardo saw coach Stewart Copeland take over between the sticks with a disastrous outcome that saw Ugo Udoji sent off and the Suffolk side recovering to win 4-3.

And so to today; once more the game switched back and forth to be finally decided with an own goal by any other name than the one that will enter into the record books.

Suspensions to Sonny Miles and George Beaven resulted in a makeshift central defensive pairing of Craig Stone and Tom Jelley, who was making his home debut following his arrival from Tooting and Mitcham.

The game started with two early efforts from Joe Turner that did not unduly trouble the Needham Market goalkeeper, Danny Gay, but it signalled an intensity in Turner’s game that was to continue throughout the 90 minutes.

It was, though, a darting run from Alex Akrofi that brought a challenge that saw him tumble in the penalty area which the referee saw as a foul. Turner struck the spot kick straight down the middle to give the Angels a ninth minute lead.

The Suffolk side were to respond with immediate effect with a Gareth Heath corner being met at the near post by Luke Ingram but narrowly wide.

It was a warning shot across the bows for the home side though as a free kick from Heath found the head of Callum Harrison, who might have meant to direct it goalwards but it went across the face to Diaz Wright who volleyed home.

The game continued to be end-to-end with Akrofi being denied by the feet of Gay, quickly followed by the left hand post.

But it was the visitors who went in front just past the half-hour when a shot from Harrison towards the far post took a wicked deflection off Jelley to give Jonny Henly no chance.

Four minutes before the break, Tonbridge gained parity with a well struck, and well directed, shot from Nathan Elder creeping in at the far post.

The second half was barely three minutes old when good work between Jack Parter and Turner ended with the latter producing an inch perfect cross for the diminutive Akrofi to finish with a close range header.

On the hour it was game over, or so we thought, when a corner from Ryan Worrall, also making his home debut following his loan arrival from Eastbourne Borough, was met with a powerful header from Elder to make it 4-2.

Memories of last season meant nerves were beginning to jangle when Needham also were given a penalty following a foul by Stone on Jamie Griffiths which was noticed by the linesman allowing Danny Morphew to reduce the deficit from the spot.

A great save low to his left from Henly held up Needham’s charge but with five minutes remaining they got the equaliser that their contribution to this thriller deserved but it was poor defending that gave Heath time and room to fire a cross to the far post for Griffiths to be allowed a virtual tap-in.

It seemed hard to believe that Needham had produced an unlikely comeback for the second year running but on this occasion there was to be one final act. A shot from substitute Tashi-Jay Kwayie deflected off the head of Wright to loop over Gay. It was a lucky break but one which was overdue. Perhaps you make your own luck but Tonbridge were certainly due their rub of the green.

Pictures: David Couldridge

Tonbridge Angels 0 Hythe Town 0

Match 56/17/1506 - Tuesday, 7th November 2017 - Isthmian League Cup 2R

Tonbridge Angels (0) 0
Hythe Town (0) 0
Hythe Town won 5-3 on penalties
Attendance: 173

Entrance: £6 Senior
Programme: £0.50
Mileage: 38/3,751

Match Report

Tonbridge crashed out of another, their last, cup competition to lower league opposition for the third time in the four competitions. This time last year we celebrated our first-ever win from a penalty shoot-out, but normal service was resumed as Alex Akrofi’s effort hit the bar and Hythe Town competently put all five of their penalties away.

On a night as dismal as the weather, the hardy 173 people endured a woeful first half in which the only shining lights were the bright new bulbs in the floodlights.

Two early substitutions, Luke Blewden taking a knock to a knee and requiring a replacement in Joe Turner after just eight minutes and six minutes later Chris Kinnear was replaced by Dominic Welsh.

Nathan Elder headed over and Hythe’s ex-Angels’ goalkeeper, Louis Lawlor saved well low to his left from Jack Parter. For their part, Ryan Palmer shot straight at Jonny Henly and Sid Sollis shot wide after Henly saved from Jerson Dos Santos. But the referee’s half-time whistle brought mostly sighs of relief.

If the weather got worse in the second half, the game improved … marginally.

Hythe created a couple of early chances before Tonbridge took control of the game and produced a grandstand finish from which they should have produced a winner but this was denied by a combination of poor finishing and some very good keeping from Lawlor.

In the final ten minutes, it became a contest between Akrofi and Lawlor with the goalkeeper coming out on top especially with a brilliant close range stop after a cross from Dan Thompson.

The penalty shoot-out, with Tonbridge’s history, was barely surprising. Akrofi’s miss came from the very first spot kick whilst Hythe’s five were faultless.

Tonbridge Angels 3 Heybridge Swifts 3

Match 50/17/1500 - Saturday, 28th October 2017 - FA Trophy 1R

Tonbridge Angels (3) 3 Thompson 11 Turner 18 Vidal 20
Heybridge Swifts (2) 3 Luque 9 Bantick 15 Callender 81
Attendance: 405

Entrance: £6 Senior
Programme: £2.50
Mileage: 38/3,303

Seventeen days ago, at the unlikely surrounds of Rochester United, I witnessed five goals in 13 minutes and found myself in a position to use the Football is stupid quote. I jumped the gun as Tonbridge Angels and Heybridge Swifts indulged in their own version of the Wacky Races and surpassed that feat by two minutes. Football is, indeed, stupid.

Just as they had against Leiston on Tuesday, Tonbridge fell foul of a corner driven to the near post from where Juan Luque perfectly executed a glancing header to give the Essex-based visitors a ninth minute lead.

Tonbridge bounced straight back and were level in three minutes when Dan Thompson turned a struck a low shot across the face of the goalkeeper and into the far corner.

The madness continued unabated with the referee finding time in between goals to book Craig Stone for a cynical tug-back as the dangerous Luque threatened to go clear once more.

It was Luque that opened up the home back line again when he set up an unmarked Sam Bantick for a tap-in. Whether the Angels back line were absent making ready for Halloween, it was certainly a horror show!

Once more though, Heybridge showed that poor defending was not just a one team show as a Xavier Vidal cross found Joe Turner on the edge of the box and his shot found the bottom corner to level up the scores.

Two more minutes and the home side were in front for the first time with the fifth goal in 11 minutes. After a fine run from Andre McCollin that was partially stopped the ball fell to Turner, whose first time shot struck the foot of a post with the rebound falling to Xavier Vidal who made no mistake.

After such a flurry of goals and nightmare defending it seemed unthinkable that the game would eventually go 70 minutes before it saw another one.

Tonbridge continued to live on their nerves at the back, particularly when facing the long throws of Kreshnic Krasniqi into the box.

Into the second period and Chris Kinnear saw a drive from 25 yards tipped over by Danny Sambridge after some good set-up work from Jack Parter.

There were serious nerves mid-way through the half when the Angels’ ‘keeper, Jonny Henley went on an extended walkabout, but somehow the ball was scrambled to safety.

Despite the fact that Heybridge Swifts was a good tick to get in the ground hopping book, nobody really wanted a Tuesday night ride of a couple of hours, give or take with the Dartford Tunnel eccentricities, but with nine minutes remaining a goal from Luke Callander, profiting from a slip by Callum Adonis-Taylor, consigned us to the trip.

We might just have been spared that fate when, in time added, Parter set-up McCollin with a heading opportunity that he steered wide of the post.

Message to Dartford Tunnel: behave yourself on Tuesday!

Tonbridge Angels 2 Leiston 1

Match 44/17/1494 - Tuesday, 17th October 2017 - Bostik Premier

Tonbridge Angels (0) 2 Akrofi 25, Elder 52
Leiston (1) 1 Ainsley 3
Attendance: 279

Entrance: £6 Senior
Programme: £2.50
Mileage: 38/3,034

If the football purist needs a fixture then Tonbridge v Leiston appears to be safe bet. Last year’s best game of the season has been duplicated with another high quality encounter with, on this occasion, Tonbridge bouncing back from an early setback to inflict on the Suffolk side their first defeat of the season.

The disappointment of Hendon was put to bed with a performance of high energy and no shortage of quality to move Tonbridge to the edge of the play-off spots in the Bostik Premier.

It started so badly as Patrick Brothers forced an early corner from which Joe Marsden’s excellent delivery was met at the near post by a glancing header from Joe Ainsley to open the scoring after just three minutes.

For a few minutes, Leiston showed precisely why they headed the league on arrival with some neat football all played on Longmead’s carpet of a pitch.

Tonbridge started to get a foothold in the game with a shot from Alex Akrofi that was deflected wide and a speculative effort from Craig Stone that cleared the bar.

But, after 25 minutes, the Angels were level. Joe Turner sent a free kick to the far post towards the head of Nathan Elder whose well directed effort beat the goalkeeper but was denied by a post only for the rebound to be met by the ever-sharp Akrofi to head home.

Tonbridge largely dominated the first half with Turner seeing a couple of efforts miss the target and Sonny Miles directing a header straight at Marcus Garnham, although Jonny Henly also needed to be at his best to deny Matt Blake.

A great turn from Akrofi deserved better than a shot over but, seven minutes into the second half, sublime link play between Turner and Jack Parter led to the full back standing up a perfect cross for Elder to bullet a header into the bottom corner.

Liam Smith, 17-years-old and growing with confidence with every game, fired in a shot from 20 yards that Garnham saved low to his left whilst Leiston responded with Stone making a desperate clearance and the normally sure-shot Blake firing wide.

The game was captivating with Miles crashing a header against the bar while, at the other end, Blake misfired on two more occasions.

As the game entered into a generous six minutes of added time, Tonbridge might have benefitted from their visitor's desperation to throw bodies forward in search of an equaliser with Andre McCollin failing to make the most of counter attacks when the Suffolk side found themselves very short at the back.

After the game, a conversation with a couple of Leiston supporters who commented that was the worst they had played this season. If that is the case then Billericay may well have a challenger but I also think it does Tonbridge a disservice.

Pictures courtesy of David Couldridge

Tonbridge Angels 1 Wingate & Finchley 0

Match 39/17/1489 - Saturday, 7th October 2017 - Bostik Premier

Tonbridge Angels (0) 1 Akrofi 60
Wingate & Finchley (0) 0
Attendance: 635

Entrance: £5 Senior
Programme: £2.50
Mileage: 38/2,684

Non-League Day, played on the weekend of the international break, is an innovation that with the encouragement of reduced prices might enlighten a few Premier League supporters that they have no need to shell out £50 for their seat at a Premier League stadium but could spend an equally enjoyable afternoon for 20% of the price.

Clubs up and down the land have differing ways of attracting people who are twiddling their thumbs waiting for the England game to start (and then find themselves bored witless within 15 minutes of the national anthems). Several take the line of a season ticket with a league club offers entry; Billericay, surely not requiring a cash injection, offered half price for fancy dress; Redhill were among those who offered free admission whilst many did a pay what you like initiative. My personal favourite was North West Counties club, West Didsbury & Chorlton, who offered a concession for anyone turning up with their dog, who was rewarded with a treat!

Tonbridge offered half-price admission for adults and this attracted a bumper crowd of 635. Hopefully the entertainment was sufficient to entice a few back, we can but hope, perhaps a few disenchanted Crystal Palace supporters might be tempted.

It would be interesting to hear what a few of the non-regulars made of the game with a noisy social media section voicing their disquiet at Steve McKimm’s much-maligned diamond formation. If you had not been blessed to what Nick Wheeler at Longmead in the last two season, I wondered if any would have noticed.

In all honesty, I would not think that this was a game to drag many from their comfy, expensive seats at the Emirates or Stamford Bridge on a regular basis. But in the context of our season at Tonbridge, the three points lifts the club to within three of a play-off spot and extends the clean sheet run to four in five.

In a shot-shy first period the best chance fell to Wingate & Finchley when, following a corner, a header from Shaun Cronin hit a post.

McKimm’s rotation of his strikers continued, this time starting with Nathan Elder and Alex Akrofi, who forced a good save from Wingate’s goalkeeper, Luke Sheldrick.

The stand-out performer of the first period was the visitor’s right winger, Nathan Mavila, who displayed a fierce turn of pace coupled with with odd trick of two. On a couple of occasions he put in crosses low into the box begging for somebody to put a toe on one, but that was not to happen.

The early part of the second half was a cross from Luke Blewden that evaded Elder and a cross from Joe Turner that found the striker’s head but only to direct it into the arms of Sheldrick.

On the hour, the hosts took the lead when they took advantage of schoolboy defending by Wingate. Play to the whistle, was something always told at school, and when Blewden was felled in the area, it seemed that the visiting defence had accepted the penalty appeal. Play continued, the ball at the feet of Akrofi who swept it home.

The Angels took the ascendancy and for the first time dominated the game. Elder made way for Dan Thompson, and on 78 minutes, we thought, in fact prayed, that the barren spell of a league goal had ended when he directed a header from a Jack Parter cross goalwards. The Scheimichael-esque star jump save of Sheldrick, with the ball first hitting his arm and then falling onto his knee, denied the man, whose backside must surely get in the way of a shot going wide, to open his account soon.

Wingate set up a late onslaught with Rob Laney headed over, but in virtually the last touch of the ball, Cronin met a cross, but only to put an unchallenged header wide of the post as Longmead held its breath.

Tonbridge Angels 0 Margate 0

Match 37/17/1487 - Tuesday, 3rd October 2017 - Bostik Premier

Tonbridge Angels (0) 0
Margate (0) 0
Attendance: 367

Entrance: £6 Senior
Programme: £2.50
Mileage: 38/2,586

Match Report

I went to bed a little bit bemused by the game that I had watched this evening and the reaction that followed on the Tonbridge Forum. Awful game between two dismal teams … 180 minutes of pretty much yawn football … 2 poor sides and a poor ref made for one of the worst games I’ve seen in a long time … A dreadful game of football … were the opening lines on the first four posts following the game and they all came from forum users that post intelligently and respectfully.

I can only think that I saw this game through rose-tinted glasses because, whilst I accept that it wasn’t a thriller and might have been a bit turgid for the neutral, from a Tonbridge perspective I was more than happy with both the result and the performance.

The past week has been a rough one for everybody involved at the club. First came the news that Tom Parkinson needs a further operation to reset a bone in his leg; then there was the defeat at Kingstonian, but the announcement that Damian Scannell has been forced in retire due to injury cast a cloud over the club.

A look at the team sheet also showed the absence of Tom Beere, who had ended in his loan spell and had, in fact, signed for Leatherhead. Against a expensively put together Margate side, only a difficult evening could be envisioned.

In truth, chances were few and far between in the first half. Andre McCollin dragged a shot wide bearing down on Lenny Pidgeley’s goal; Joe Turner, whose left-sided partnership with Jack Parter proved a real headache for Margate’s Chris Sessegnon, brought a comfortable save out of Pidgeley with two more efforts from McCollin before Margate threatened with an effort from Orlando Smith that was cleared from the right hand post.

The second half started with Margate showing a little more intent with Jonny Henly called into action making a parrying save from Jordan Chiedozie and Frannie Collin blazing the rebound over.

Probably the evening’s best moment, if you were a Tonbridge supporter, came a minute later when Margate were awarded a free kick in a dangerous area to the left of the penalty box. In his days in an Angels’ shirt, this was Frannie-time. On this occasion, his kick sailed high into the night sky. Reports suggest that in the early hours of the morning, the ball fell back to earth in Hildenborough!

Perhaps those that were criticising later on the forum could justifiably make the point that if this was the highlight, then it says it all, but it was really amusing.

Alex Akrofi and Nathan Elder came on to breathe new life into the Tonbridge attack and both had chances to win the game for the hosts.

Joe Turner saw an effort cleared from the line by Tom Wynter and with a couple of minutes to go, Elder steered a close range header straight at Pidgeley.

So for the second time this season, these two teams have played out a goalless stalemate.

No, it wasn’t a classic, but in the context of a difficult period, positives that can be drawn are a 17-year-old full back in Liam Smith, who was named man-of-the-match and an 18-year-old central defender, Callum Adonis-Taylor, who barely put a foot wrong against a much-feted Margate attack.

Rose-tinted glasses, well perhaps blue-tinted.

Tonbridge Angels 2 Dorking Wanderers 0

Match 34/17/1484 - Tuesday, 26th September 2017 - Bostik Premier

Tonbridge Angels (0) 2 Turner 60, McCollin 90
Dorking Wanderers (0) 0
Attendance: 332

Entrance: £6 Senior
Programme: £2.50
Mileage: 38/1,925

For the first time this season, the Angels recorded back-to-back League wins coupled with clean sheets with a satisfying, hard fought victory over Dorking Wanderers at Longmead.

Steve McKimm named an unchanged side from Saturday’s single goal victory at Burgess Hill.

Dorking came with a decent pass and move game and edged the first half. Jonny Henly made good saves to deny Tom Tolfrey and Rob Sheridan with the Angels also indebted to George Beavan for a superb goal line clearance after Luke Moore had rounded Henly.

Tonbridge opened the game brightly with Alex Akrofi firing over after three minutes and a nice interplay of passes between Joe Turner and Tom Beere saw the ball to the feet of Nathan Elder but the visiting goalkeeper, Josh Pelling, smothered at the striker’s feet.

Tonbridge responded to the half-time team talk and with Turner and Beere seeing much more of the ball, chances began to be created with Dorking carrying far less of a threat going forward.

A good move down the left between Jack Parter and Elder opened up a shooting chance for Beere but he dragged his shot wide and a couple of minutes later, spotting the keeper off his line, Beere tried an audacious lob from 40 yards that was wide but you can’t win a raffle without buying a ticket!

With the Angels midfield now dominating the opposition, Parter was able to get forward and his crosses into the box were ratcheting up the pressure on the visiting defence.

After 58 minutes, Dan Thompson was introduced for Nathan Elder and a couple of minutes later the Angels were in front. A slick interchange between Parter and Turner opened up space for the latter to curl a low shot into the bottom corner.

Pelling saved low to left a free kick from Turner; fielded a shot from Parter and picked up a yellow card for hand ball outside of his area in a five minute spell in which he took centre stage.

The game was now very much one-way traffic in the Angels favour with the pace of Andre McCollin brought on to further stretch a tiring Dorking back line.

McCollin did, however, need to take a yellow card for the team as the visitors threatened a breakaway and in a rare foray, substitute Tom Summerfield had a good opportunity but blasted over.

As Dorking threw bodies forward in search of a late equaliser an attack broke down with a long punt out of defence that found McCollin one-on-one with a defender who was left in his wake for the striker to round the goalkeeper and score. As Barry Moore reflected later, it was the type of goal that McCollin has been scoring 20 times a season for the last ten years.

The win lifts the Angels to ninth place, just three points off the play-off spots as they go in search of three successive wins at Leatherhead on Saturday where they will meet groundsharers Kingstonian.