AFC Hornchurch 2-1 Tonbridge Angels - Angels job will generate plenty of interest - EXCLUSIVE

AFC HORNCHURCH 2-1 TONBRIDGE ANGELS
Ryman Premier League
Tuesday 30^th October 2007
Stephen McCartney reports from Bridge Avenue

Caretaker manager Julian Leigh took the positives out of Tonbridge Angels’ seventh league defeat of the season, that leaves the club second from bottom in the Ryman Premier League table after 12 games.

Reserve team manager Leigh, 51, and his assistant, Simon Balsdon took the reigns at Bridge Avenue tonight, following the dismissal of Tony Dolby, 33, and his assistant manager Mike Rutherford, last night.

Star striker Jon Main netted his 18^th goal of the season to bring Tonbridge Angels back on level terms, just 110 seconds after Urchins’ striker Kris Lee scored the first of his two goals, after just five and a half minutes.

The Kent side finished the game with ten players as Robbie Kember was shown cards after crunching tackles on Andy Tomlinson (51^st minute) and ex-Angel, full-back, Danny Glozier, with fourteen minutes remaining.

Tonbridge Angels chairman Mr Nick Sullivan, however, remained tight-lipped as to why he ended Dolby’s three and a half year reign at Longmead Stadium, stating he will reveal all on Thursday night.

Tonbridge’s caretaker management team made three changes to the side that played in Dolby’s last game in charge - Saturday’s fateful 3-1 defeat at Ware in the fourth and final qualifying round of the FA Cup.

Ray Powell (groin/thigh) and John Beales (thigh) were both ruled out, whilst Matt Lovell slotted in at left-back instead of Kirk Husnu, against an Essex club that also tasted FA Cup defeat themselves, losing to full-time outfit Team Bath.

And the Essex side were quick out of the blocks to put that defeat to bed as Tonbridge had former Urchin, Scott Gooding to thank for being in the right place at the right time to head Elliot Styles’ header off the line on the left-post, following Andy Tomlinson’s corner.

But AFC Hornchurch broke the deadlock with exactly five and a half minutes on the clock.

You can’t leave a quality striker in Lee time and space inside your penalty area, as the Angels did.

The striker brought Harry Elmes’ cross from the right under control before cracking a shot to Matt Reed’s right.

But Tonbridge Angels’ response was immediate and it was their star striker Main, who clinched, and scored their penalty.

Tomlinson was the man that brought down the lethal striker, although goalkeeper Dale Brightly was favourite to smother the ball at his feet.

And the former Dartford stopper was inches away from keeping out the right-footed spot-kick, but the ball crept inside the bottom right-hand corner.

AFC Hornchurch were thwarted by another goal-line headed clearance after sixteen minutes, this time it was Glaswegian Fraser Logan, on the right-hand post, that was on hand to nod Lee’s header off the line following Joe Keith’s flag-kick.

Logan showed off his talents at the other end, exchanging passes with striker Hamid Barr, before drilling a left-footed shot wide of the near-post and onto the six-lane athletics’ track at this smart ground.

And just 32 seconds later another chance fell the hosts’ way, but Elmes’ right-footed lob dropped agonisingly onto the roof of the net.

Barr was denied by a double save from Brightly after 37 minutes, tipping the ball up into the air before grasping hold of the ball.

Home fans thought their side should have been awarded three penalties during the first half - but Tonbridge Angels went into the break on level terms.

But it took a stunning left-footed volley to wrap up the points for AFC Hornchurch, a win that sees them climb the table into ninth place, immediately above Kent sides Margate and Folkestone Invicta.

Lee cracked a stunning left-footed volley, which left Reed rooted to the spot, as it flew into the top far-corner of the net.

It was hard luck on the Kent side, who had enjoyed their best spell of the game up until that point.

But slick passing four-man move resulted in Anthony Storey carving open the home side’s defence but Logan rolled his shot into the side netting when well placed.

Reed, the only Tonbridge player that showed up at Wodson Park on Saturday, pulled off a stunning save to prevent Donny Barnard scoring with a thirty-yard drive - moments before Kember was given his marching orders.

The last chance that Tonbridge had to salvage a point came in the last couple of minutes, but Storey squandered the opportunity and sent his right-footed free-kick over Brightly’s bar.

But Leigh admitted afterwards that he was pleased with the professionalism shown by the Angels following last night’s announcement that Dolby and Rutherford had parted company with the west Kent club.

“I’d be honest, obviously the result, we’re disappointed how the result went,” he said EXCLUSIVELY to www.kentishfootball.co.uk.

“In fairness, I’m quite pleased with how the guys reacted particularly in the changing rooms, especially what’s gone on over the last 24 hours or so.

“I asked them for the commitment and I think a lot of them did give that too me.

“Yes, I’m disappointed about the result, we’ve got training Thursday, we’ll see what we can do and see what happens Saturday (a home FA Trophy tie against East Thurrock United) now.”

The former Sevenoaks Town manager explained: “We had a brief chat with them (with what) obviously happened the night before and they were very responsive towards me and it was pretty good actually.

“It was a good atmosphere in there, in fairness, yes. They were in a good frame of mine for the game and it was a lot of positives.”

Leigh, who only knew about his caretaker position with Balsdon at 7:15 last night, admitted a stunning goal lost them the game.

He said: “End of the day I think the goal was a hell of a strike for the second goal.

“We were asleep for the first goal, we showed a lot of character to get back into it.

“It was a penalty but we got back in the game and I have to say I thought at half-time there would be one winner, which would be us, but it wasn’t too be. So we’ll live to fight another day.”

Leigh will sit down with chairman Mr Sullivan this week to see how long his and Balsdon’s caretaker role will be, before returning to the quieter Suburban League.

“We’re going to have a chat Thursday, obviously I’m not silly,” he said. “I think the Post Office will have to put on special mail delivery to the club for people who want the job and in all fairness, rightly so.

“At the end of the day it’s up to the chairman. If we can get the support of the boys, which is what we want, and if we can get the right results and show the right commitment, which we will, then really that’s up to Nick then to make a decision.

“Obviously it will be a difficult decision because there will be a lot of experienced people that will put their names forward but one thing I will say, you don’t get experience unless you get the opportunity and if we’re given the opportunity we will gain the experience.”

When asked if he’s going to apply for the vacancy, Leigh added: “Haven’t done as yet but I’ll probably have a little word in the chairman’s ear and see what happens.”

AFC Hornchurch: Dale Brightly, Jordan Bostock, Danny Glozier, John Purdie, Elliot Styles, Donny Barnard, Garry Cross (Amos Foyewa 85), Joe Keith, Kris Lee (Shane Oakley 80), Harry Elmes, Andy Tomlinson (Richard Halle 61).
Subs: Richard McKinney.

Goals: Kris Lee 6, 61

Booked: Danny Glozier 60

Tonbridge Angels: Matt Reed, Robbie Kember, Matt Lovell, Scott Kinch, Scott Gooding, Richard Harris, Tommy Tyne, Anthony Storey, Hamid Barr (Ryan Martin 72), Jon Main, Fraser Logan (Ashley Dann 85).
Subs: James Donovan, Kirk Husnu, John Beales.

Goals: Jon Main 8 (pen)

Booked: Robbie Kember 51, Scott Kinch 65

Sent off: Robbie Kember 76

Attendance: 348
Referee: Mr Gary Jerden (Grays, Essex)
Assistants: Mr K English (Romford, Essex) & Mr K Stone (South Ockenden, Essex)