Banbury United 1-2 Tonbridge Angels - Dolby hails "valuable" win - EXCLUSIVE

BANBURY UNITED 1-2 TONBRIDGE ANGELS
Tuesday 3^rd September 2006
FA Cup (Sponsored by E.ON) Second Qualifying Round Replay
Stephen McCartney reports from the Spencer Stadium

Jon Main proved why he’s the most prolific striker in Kent football at the moment by scoring the winning goal to seal resilient Tonbridge Angels’ passage into the third qualifying round of the FA Cup tonight.

The 25-year-old former VCD Athletic and Cray Wanderers’ striker scored a trademark goal, using his pace, with just nine minutes remaining to net his eleventh goal in as many games.

Tonbridge midfielder Scott Kinch had earlier accepted a gift from Banbury goalkeeper Milan Barisic to score his third goal of the season, but the North Oxfordshire side deservedly drew level with fourteen minutes remaining when substitute Daniel Szczukiewicz scored with his first touch to open his account for the season.

But the Kent side had goalkeeper Aaron Kerr to thank for preventing the hosts taking the lead after just six minutes.

The unemployed Gravesend based goalkeeper, 23, dived to his left to claw out Andy Baird’s glancing header following a cross from Jermaine McSporran, who was making his home debut.

But Basiric’s 12^th minute howler gifted Tonbridge the lead, albeit against the run of play.

The third choice goalkeeper dropped Fraser Logan’s far post corner and Kinch was on hand to stab the ball home from three yards out to the delight of the vocal, 100 strong, Tonbridge faithful.

The impressive McSporran brought a second fine save from the Northern Irish goalkeeper, following a flick on from Andy Baird.

Banbury were now dominating play, and McSporran twice went close from identical lobs, both dropping over Kerr’s crossbar.

Tonbridge, however, created three excellent chances later in the first half.

Main burst down the left hand side, and his cross was met by a diving header from Scottish winger Logan, which flew just over.

Alex O’Brien, who works tirelessly in the middle of the park, hit a long ball for Main to latch onto down the channel, and his low square pass found Andy Martin.

But the Welshman’s 20-yard shot looped over the less than impressive young goalkeeper, who managed to tip the ball onto the crossbar.

Tonbridge’s best chance to double their lead came on the stroke of half-time, an exact replica of their first goal.

Logan’s corner found Kinch unmarked at the far post, but this time Barisic made amends for his earlier howler, and managed to block the close range header.

Logan was denied by Basiric early in the second half, as the Banbury goalkeeper had to endure barracking from both sets of supporters.

Tonbridge were desperately unlucky not to score in the 58^th minute when Martin’s right-footed 40-yard lob dropped agonisingly over the bar, crashing against the advertising hoardings behind an open goal.

This miss, however, sparked Banbury into life and a whipped in cross from their skipper, Ady Fuller, was met by a glancing header from Baird, which sailed wide.

At the other end, Michael Power’s low drive flashed agonisingly past the far post, after the ball found it’s way to him after Logan’s free-kick from the middle of the park.

After cutting in from the left, Jon Gardner’s right-footed shot from 25-yards harmlessly sailed over Kerr’s crossbar.

But an inspired substitution from Banbury United’s manager Kevin Brock - playing three at the back - had the desired effect as substitute Szczukiewich scored with his first touch.

Fellow substitute Stuart Bridges’ cross zipped of the wet playing surface and the 24-year-old Polish defender rifled his shot into the top right hand corner from six yards.

But Banbury’s FA Cup run, which saw them thrash Beaconsfield SYCOB 5-1 in the last round at the Spencer Stadium, came to an end thanks to another clinical finish from Main.

The prolific striker latched onto Logan’s through ball and slotted the ball past Basiric, who on tonight’s performance won’t be a crowd pleaser in these parts, and into the bottom far corner.

Banbury almost snatched a late equaliser but Gardner drove a 14-yard shot agonisingly past the far post.

With Cheshunt defeating Worthing by a solitary goal in their replay tonight, there is a sense that Tonbridge Angels will reach the fourth and final qualifying round for the first time in 15 years.

“To remain in the cup competition for as long as possible is what we aim to do,” Angels’ boss Tony Dolby said EXCLUSIVELY to www.kentishfootball.co.uk afterwards.

“We’ve come here tonight, worked extremely hard, created numerous chances and come away with a valuable win.

“I thought all the whole it was one-nil and we was missing chances, I just thought the inevitable was going to happen and when it did we showed resilience and we turned it round straight away.”

With Steve Aris (‘flu) and Robert Kember (broken wrist and thigh) missing, Scott Gooding came in at the heart of defence and Alex O’Brien marshalled the middle of the park.



Tonbridge Angels' defender Scott Gooding was excellent in the heart of
their defence during their 2-1 win at Banbury United tonight.
Photo: David Couldridge - www.tonbridgeafc.co.uk


“Scott’s a fantastic player,” Dolby said. “He can play anywhere along the backline and wide right etc, and we utilised that today by playing him in the centre of defence with John Beales.

“It worked well and in hindsight these are great things when they come off.”

But Dolby feels there is still a lot more to come from star striker Main.

“Jon’s scoring a lot of goals,” he said. “His all round game is no-where near ready yet in my personal opinion. He’s got a lot to work on.

“He works very hard, he listens and he wants to improve.”

Is Dolby scared that he could lose the player if another club makes an approach?

He replied: “No. I’m not scared at all. Jon loves it here as do all the players. It’s good club to be at, we’re going places and all the players are embracing that.”

Dolby thanked the 100 strong Tonbridge faithful for making the 230 mile round trip, and not only they were there, they were louder than the locals.

Praising his fans that helped Banbury United attract their highest crowd of the season, Dolby added: “That’s just fantastic. To come all the way to Oxfordshire, 100 people from Tonbridge is great as they always are. I’m glad we could get a win for them.”

* The Westview Cup third round tie between Tonbridge Angels and Dartford has been re-arranged for next Tuesday 10^th October. The game at the Betterview Longmead Stadium kick’s off at 7:45pm.

Player interviews follow later.