Billericay Town 3-0 Tonbridge Angels. Aris: We must turn the corner - EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWS

BILLERICAY TOWN 3-0 TONBRIDGE ANGELS
Ryman Premier League
Tuesday 12^th December 2006
Stephen McCartney reports from New Lodge

A poor second half showing helped Tonbridge Angels lose their third successive game in windy conditions at Billericay Town tonight.

Strikers Nathan Elder, who scored two goals within 59 seconds of each other early in the second half, and Joe Flack caused the damage as the Essex side maintained their unbeaten home record, which has seen them concede only three league goals on home soil.

With influential midfielder Scott Kinch watching from the main stand, Tonbridge Angels manager Tony Dolby handed Anthony Storey his debut.

The 22-year-old, who lives in Eastbourne, has joined the club on a one-month loan period from Nationwide Conference South outfit Lewes.

The Bishop Auckland born central midfielder spent three and a half years at Middlesbrough before moving to Scotland to play for top flight side Dumfermline where he spent a season and a half.

He then moved down to Sussex to play for Nationwide Conference South sides Eastbourne Borough and Lewes.

Tonbridge, with fewer travelling fans than normal, should have opened the scoring inside the first six minutes, one of many missed first half chances which they were made to pay for later.

Leading scorer Jon Main drilled a left-footed shot from twelve yards agonisingly past the foot of the far post after cutting inside two defenders after latching onto a pass from Welshman Andy Martin.

Billericay Town, who disposed of AFC Wimbledon 3-0 on Saturday, were thwarted by a fine block from Angels’ Irish goalkeeper Aaron Kerr four minutes later, blocking Flack’s shot after he got in behind the visiting defence.

The impressive Storey twice tried his luck from distance during the first half but on both occasions Billericay goalkeeper Billy McMahon tipped both efforts around the post.

Flack stabbed the ball just over the top of the left upright from twenty yards and following Lee Hodges’ free-kick close to the corner flag on the right hand side, Elder planted his firm header just over.

Tonbridge fully deserved to go in at the half time interval on level terms, although they created some good first half chances.

But the loyal fans that made the 82-mile round trip were left stunned as Elder netted two goals inside the opening 278 seconds of the second half.

Angels’ left-back Mark Green’s diving header off the goal-line went only as far as Elder who side footed the ball inside the right corner.

Billericay doubled their lead as former Aveley striker Elder netted his eleventh goal of the season.

Flack floated a perfect free-kick to his strike partner at the far post, who headed down and past a diving Kerr inside his near post.

Helping his side to an undeserved two goal lead, Elder twice went close with headers that both went past the near post on both occasions.

The two quick-fire goals left Tonbridge shell-shocked and they had to wait until the 63^rd minute for their next chance.

Main picked up the ball on the left flank some fifteen yards from the half-way line.

The 25-year-old striker choose not to cut the ball back to Green and used his trademark pace to leave full-back Dave McSweeney in his wake. He then cut into the penalty area but from a difficult angle his shot rolled to the goalkeeper.

Flack was desperately unlucky not to score in the 69^th minute when he lobbed Kerr but the ball bounced off his crossbar and out for a goal kick.

But it took only four minutes for the former Stevenage Borough striker to score his seventh goal of the season, finishing off a fine move and rifling the ball past Kerr for a flattering third goal.

Hardworking Main was denied by a fine save from McMahon late on after getting in behind the Essex side’s backline and Flack almost scored his second goal with the last kick of the game, which would have rubbed more salt into Tonbridge’s wounds.

With Angels’ management team of Tony Dolby and Mike Rutherford discussing their sixth league defeat with chairman Nick Sullivan, skipper Steve Aris admitted a “sluggish” start to the second half cost them dear.

“The first half we thought we contained them and done quite well,” a disappointed Aris said EXCLUSIVELY to www.kentishfootball.co.uk.

“Second half we started sluggish again, like we did last Saturday (losing 3-2 at home to Heybridge Swifts). We conceded three sloppy goals to give it away.

“We felt at half-time we could have come in at least one up. We had a few chances. It just seems that way at the moment (that) we just can’t take our chances at the moment.

“It would be nice to have a one or two goal lead at half-time and try to hold on but we just have to dig in and get back to playing good stuff, battle hard and win.”

Following their three game losing streak, Aris knows the side must bounce back when Horsham visit the Betterview Longmead Stadium on Saturday.

The former Fisher Athletic defender said: “We knew it could happen sometime. We started the season so good. We knew we would go on a bad patch in the season, we’re hopefully at the end of one now.

“We hope we have turned the corner and start again against Horsham on Saturday and hopefully get three points.”

The west Sussex side lost top spot on Saturday, losing 4-0 at home to Kent side Margate.

Aris, however, is looking forward to the game.

“Like us they’ve had a great start to the season,” he said. “They’ve come up with us last year. It’s not a must-win game but we need to turn the corner as soon as possible and Saturday would be a nice time to do it.”

Aris heaped praise on debutant Storey, adding: “He came in and played centre midfield and he done very well.

“I think he’s the one person whose come away today and hold his hands up and said he’s had a good game.

“He’s the only person out there who can actually do that.”

Storey, meanwhile, was disappointed that his Tonbridge Angels debut ended in a defeat - especially after the sides good first half performance.

“I enjoyed it. It’s just nice to get back playing again,” he said EXCLUSIVELY to www.kentishfootball.co.uk afterwards.

“I thought it was a game of two halves. If we took our chances earlier on it would have been a totally different game but obviously they took their chances in the second half and went on to win the game.”

Storey explained why he has left Lewes for a one-month period.

LOAN SIGNING:  Midfielder Anthony Storey, whose on a one-month loan from Lewes, impressed during his Tonbridge Angels debut tonight.
Photograph:  www.lewesfc.com


“Picked up a bad injury on my ankle at the beginning of the season and I’m finding it hard to get back into the (Lewes) side,” he said.

“I was out for about six to eight weeks with my ankle so it’s hard to get your match fitness once you’ve been out for a lengthy period of time.”

But he’s impressed with his new side after signing for the Angels on Monday.

“I think it’s a real good club to join,” he said. “Everyone seems really friendly and it seems like a good professional club.”

Storey is relishing his home debut so he can show the Tonbridge faithful what he can do.

He said: “It’s a good time to get back onto winning ways. Hopefully we can pick three points up and climb the table. Hopefully it will be a good game. I’m looking forward to it.”