Canterbury Academy 6 Hugh Christie 0

Match 104/21/1968 - Wednesday, 9th March 2022 - Kent Schools Academy Premiership

Canterbury Academy (5) 6
Hugh Christie (0) 0
Headcount: 20
Admission: Free
Programme: None
Mileage: 88/5,981

Tonbridge Angels U18 1 Cray Valley PM U18 6

Match 103/21/1967 - Monday, 7th March 2022 - Isthmian Youth League

Tonbridge Angels U18 (1) 1 Wolvey 11 (pen)
Cray Valley PM (3) 6 Kavanagh (og) 11 Abiola 25 Day 37,73,90 Kelsey 74
Attendance: 29
Admission: £4
Programme: None
Mileage: 38/5,893

Tonbridge Angels Under-18’s were given a harsh lesson in clinical finishing as the league leaders, Cray Valley PM, cruised to a comfortable victory.

There were periods in the game where the Angels were competitive but defensive errors allowed a very good Cray Valley side to dominate for the most part.

Tonbridge started brightly enough with a third minute free kick from Harry London that was only narrowly wide and an effort from George Theis that tested the Cray Valley goalkeeper.

But the writing was on the wall for the difficult evening to come when the visitors took an 11th minute lead when a low cross from Harry Day was turned into his own net by Rory Kavanagh.

The deficit was only to last two minutes when the Angels were awarded a penalty after Sinmoni Abiola handled. Fin Wolvey confidently struck the spot kick into the bottom corner to level the score.

Tonbridge had a decent 10 minutes following the goal with Wolvey and Theis forcing saves from Aiden Wicks in the Valley goal and London firing over but after 25 minutes, Abiola redeemed himself with a wonderful finish from a tight angle.

With Cray Valley now showing the confidence and quality that has taken them to the top of the league, Tonbridge could ill afford mistakes and when the ball slipped from the grasp of Matt Larkin after the goalkeeper had saved at the feet of a Cray forward, the ball was put on a plate for Day to finish.

Larkin was quick to make amends when he made a fine penalty save that had been awarded after a Cray forward had been brought down.

For 25 minutes of the second half Tonbridge had their chances to get themselves back into the game but when they didn’t take them they were dealt a lesson in clinical finishing with two goals in a minute. After 73 minutes a well struck shot from 20 yards from the impressive Harry Day found the bottom corner and within a minute, Josh Kelsey was able to tuck home a close range goal after good work along the right bye-line.

An added time header from Day, for his hat-trick, gave the scoreline the harsh look of a hiding that in terms of the game the Angels didn’t deserve but also served as a lesson at both ends of the pitch.

Dom Welsh commented after the game that this was a “copy and paste” performance from last week at K Sports, conceding poor goals through too many mistakes.

Oxford City 5 Tonbridge Angels 0

Match 102/21/1966 - Saturday, 5th March 2022 - National League South

Oxford City (2) 5 Ashby 13,20 O'Donker 60 Iaciofano 82 Clark 90+1
Tonbridge Angels (0) 0
Attendance: 402
Admission: £8 Senior
Programme: £3
Mileage: 222/5,855

I should possibly have guessed that when stepping through my front gate to walk the dog and getting immediately drowned by a car splashing through a big puddle that it was not going to be my day. Perhaps I should have heeded the omen and gone back to bed!

If all the ducks were perfectly aligned, Tonbridge Angels trip to third placed Oxford City was always going to be a big ask but when your goalkeeper is sent off after just 10 minutes, and there is no substitute keeper on the bench, the task becomes virtually impossible.

A punt forward saw Jonny Henly advance beyond his box, one would presume to head the ball clear as an Oxford attacker closed him down. Unfortunately for Henly, the ball failed to bounce high enough off the artificial surface and, instinctively, he leaned his shoulder in towards the ball. From a distance, it was difficult for me to know exactly where the ball struck his body, but in fairness, there was little dispute with the decision to show him a red card.

Jamie Fielding bravely stepped forward to take the jersey, commenting after the game that being a good fielder at cricket in his youth was his only qualification for taking on role between the sticks. His first act as custodian was to pick the ball out of the net as the resultant free kick from Josh Ashby was despatched into the bottom corner beyond his despairing dive.

Fielding’s next touch of the ball was a carbon copy of the first. A free kick conceded in a similar position after 19 minutes was curled over the wall by Ashby giving him very little chance. At this stage, two words featured heavily in conversation among the Angels’ support, damage limitation.

And in fairness, they largely achieved this objective in the run-up to the break. Fielding rose in confidence as he successfully collected a cross and just past the half-hour the home goalkeeper was pressed into action emerging with the ball following a scramble within the six yard box.

Fielding used his feet to good effect, five minutes before the break, blocking twice before the ball was blazed over.

There was little that could be said or done by Steve McKimm that would change the course of events in the second period. Fielding continued with his heroics when saving, before seeing the return shot hit a post and a third effort only finding the side netting. But the respite was short and Oxford added a third after Fielding had done well to parry a shot low to this left, but Gatlin O’Donker was on hand to tuck home the rebound.

Two goals in the last 10 minutes made the scoreline a hard one to take and a clear penalty appeal for handball that was turned away by the referee just about summed up the afternoon.

One of those that you just have to hold up your hands and move on, bit like myself and the dog after the puddle!

Tonbridge Angels Academy 3 Dover Athletic Academy 1

Match 101/21/1965 - Wednesday, 2nd March 2022 - National Under-19 Alliance

Tonbridge Angels (2) 3 Hartley 22 McArthur 38 Barden 66
Dover Athletic (0) 1
Headcount: 20
Admission: Free
Programme: None
Mileage: 32/5,633

Despite what Academy manager Tommy Parkinson described as a “a poor performance that lacked energy and quality”, the Academy cruised to a relatively comfortable victory that returned them to the top of the National League Alliance.

Early opportunities on a damp, miserable lunchtime at King’s Hill fell to Fin Hartley, who linked well with Ben Hermitage and a shot from Luca Woodhouse that stretched the visiting Dover Athletic goalkeeper.

Dover were being forced to defend for long periods and, on 21 minutes a Hartley header was cleared from the line but Dover’s relief was only to last a minute when the striker glanced a header from a Woodhouse free kick into the bottom corner.

With Hermitage and Hartley combining well, chances fell for Hartley who narrowly missed with a touch at the near post and forcing the goalkeeper into a decent save on the half hour.

Tonbridge doubled their lead after 38 minutes when a superb through ball from Hermitage sent Josh McArthur clear to produce a composed finish past the advancing keeper.

Dover asked a question of Tonbridge goalkeeper, Nat Gibb, for the first time just prior to the break but the home side were good value for their two goal lead at half-time.

The Academy had chances to put the game to bed in the opening quarter hour before Gibb allowed a free kick to evade his grasp and drop into the net at this right hand post.

But no sooner had the visitors found their way back into the game, they gifted Tonbridge a goal to restore their two goal advantage. A poor clearance landed straight at Hartley’s feet and he sent substitute Isaac Barden clear to finish well.

Eight minutes remained when central defender Tom Green strode forward to crack in a 30 yard pile driver that crashed down from the underside of the crossbar before being cleared to safety.

Tom Parkinson commented after the game: “A poor performance from the squad today that lacked energy and quality. Credit to Dover who played well in the game. We need to be a lot better as a team in future games.”

Punjab United 1 Tunbridge Wells 0

Match 100/21/1964 - Tuesday, 1st March 2022 - SCEFL Premier

Punjab United (0) 1 Vines 74
Tunbridge Wells (0) 0
Attendance: 86
Admission: £5 Senior
Programme: £2
Mileage: 48/5,601

Football is often not fair and sometimes defies logic and on a cold, wet and thoroughly miserable evening at the Elite Venue, home to Punjab United, this was apparent to all Tunbridge Wells supporters in a small attendance of 86.

In making notes for this blog post, after five minutes I recorded a header from Warren Beattie that was saved by Frankie Leonard and the next record of attacking intention from Punjab came on 67 minutes when a Paul Vines effort cleared the bar by some distance. By that fifth minute effort, Tunbridge Wells had already had the ball in the net following a corner but that was chalked off, seemingly for a handball.

A cocktail of profligate finishing and brilliant, sometimes almost eccentric, goalkeeping from Max Ovenden saw 11 first half efforts go into the notebook without recording an actual goal.

The muscular strike force of Matt Gethin and Fjord Rogers, aided by the creative industry of Connor Pring, at times opened up the home defence at will but the chances came and went with regular abandon.

After 14 minutes Gethin brought a good save out of Ovenden, low to his right and, on 25 minutes, Fjord Rogers had the ball in the net for a second time but this was also disallowed for hand ball. It was the correct decision but Rogers was unfortunate as the ball reared up off the sodden surface and struck his hand.

And so it continued … Gethin saw a shot deflected safely into the hands of Ovenden and when, just past the half-hour mark, Ovenden was finally beaten by a header from Freeman Rogers there was a player stationed on the post to head clear.

Before the half-time break, Fjord saw half-chances dragged wide and good combination work ended with James Nurden firing over leaving the Wells supporters scratching their heads in bemusement.

The second half began in much the same vein but as the hour mark was reached there was a sense of desperation that was beginning to stretch the game and, in quick succession, Punjab broke away but only for their efforts to be as wasteful as those of their visitors.

Then, what seemed almost unthinkable given the one-sided nature of the game, Punjab produced a goal when a cross into the box failed to find a clearance and, in the scramble that followed, the veteran Vines stabbed the ball into the bottom corner.

If they had not laid siege on the Punjab goal previously now it was caution to the wind time, with even the diminutive, in terms of a goalkeeper, Leonard going forward for a corner but with the same outcome, chances going begging until the clock finally ran down.

How, and why, must have been the questions in every car heading back to Tunbridge Wells, doubtless nobody would have had a logical answer.

K Sports U18 6 Tonbridge Angels U18 2

Match 99/21/1963 - Monday, 28th February 2022 - Isthmian Youth League

K Sports Under-18 (2) 6 Munn 7 Brooker 32,46,90 Thomas 74 (pen) Hillier 90
Tonbridge Angels Under-18 (1) 2 Wolvey 3 Burke 59
Attendance: 76
Admission: £3
Programme: None
Mileage: 236/5,553

Two goals in the final minute perhaps gave an unfair reflection of the game but, there can be no doubt that K Sports were good value for their win.

A superb hat trick from K Sports’ Harry Brooker was the highlight of a match in which the Tonbridge Angels back line struggled to contain a vibrant K Sports attack.

The Angels Under-18’s got off to a great start and were ahead after just three minutes when a free kick lofted into the box saw the K Sports goalkeeper make a good save from a header but Fin Wolvey capitalised on the loose ball to score at the far post.

The joy was, however, short lived as the home side were level after seven minutes. A long punt forward saw the visiting defence allow the ball to bounce and K Sports’ Richard Munn was allowed to hook the ball into the net.

An all-action opening 15 minutes saw the Angels goalkeeper, Matt Larkin make a fine save at his near post with his feet and then save a penalty from Brooker low to his left.

Although K Sports were dominating, Tonbridge were not without their own chances with Rockie Burke heading over and firing wide.

K Sports took the lead after 32 minutes with an exquisite lob by Brooker from 20 yards that went in off the far post.

Tonbridge’s defensive frailty was exposed within a minute of the second half restart when a long cross found Brooker at the far post for an easy header.

The Angels responded well with a surging run from Harry London that ended with the goalkeeper saving at his feet and following the introduction from the bench of George Theis, good work between Theis, London and David Howie set Burke up to reduce the deficit to 3-2.

Haydn Velvick came off the bench and his pace immediately created a chance for himself but the goalkeeper smothered at his feet.

But after 75 minutes, K Sports were handed their second chance from the spot after Joe McCusker was deemed to have pulled back a K’s forward and this time the penalty was converted by Joe Thomas into the bottom corner.

Two remarkable goals in the final minute added gloss the the home side’s win when a 25 yard strike into the top corner gave the impressive Brooker his hat trick which was quickly followed by sixth when the ball was dribbled into the box by Johnnie Hillier before his shot was buried into the bottom corner.

Dom Welsh agreed that his side deserved nothing out of the match but it was not a 6-2 game. “We played well at times but conceded some pretty poor goals.”

Hampton & Richmond Borough P-P Tonbridge Angels

Saturday, 19th February 2022 - National League South

Hampton & Richmond Borough P
Tonbridge Angels P
Wasted Mileage: 120/5,285

Storm Eunice battered the United Kingdom on Friday, leaving the rail network in disarray. I had chosen to travel to Hampton by train because of the lack of parking at the Beveree and the surrounding residential area. The train from Staplehurst to Waterloo suffered a 20 minute delay which, as it turned out, was a minor irritation. Once arrived in London, we were met with fellow Angels supporters who informed us of no service to Hampton and were going to make their way to Charlton instead. Luckily, my travelling companion is a public transport guru and he quickly established that via an open line down to Kingston, we could catch the bus to Hampton, which we did and the plan worked perfectly arriving at the ground at 1:45 pm. The very first voices we heard on entrance were those of excited Hampton management pronouncing to their players that the referee had deemed the pitch playable and that it was game on!

Whilst queueing for a cup of tea, rain started to fall and with cuppa in hand we sought sanctuary in the bar, more for warmth than for reasons of the rain. As we looked out of the window, the players were going through their warm-up routines, so presumably all was well. Then, at 2:35, message came to the bar, that on further inspection, the referee had decided that the pitch had deteriorated and that the game should be postponed as blues skies took their place overhead.

In fairness, my pictures evidently don’t give a fair reflection and an area in the centre circle was underwater. Writing this whilst watching Leeds v Manchester United where the Premier League show ponies were splashing their way across an Elland Road pitch, I couldn’t help but think back 24 hours and question whether the Hampton pitch was any worse.

My problems for the day had not ended as by now all trains from Kingston back into Waterloo were now cancelled. Thankfully, my day took a turn for the better as the Club Secretary offered me a lift back to Tonbridge.

My issue is not with Hampton & Richmond Borough as such, this isn’t the first time I’ve travelled to a match that has been postponed and it won’t be the last. But I fail to understand the referee’s point of view that the pitch deteriorated that much in the space of probably less than half-hour. I find it hard to believe that it was playable at the time of the first inspection. Gary McCann, the Hampton manager, also said in his after match interview, that the game should have been called off earlier which probably would not have stopped me getting as far as Waterloo but would have saved the onward journey.

To round off my day, by the time I got home I had developed a cold! Update: the cold turned into Covid!