Carshalton Athletic 2-0 Tonbridge Angels - I've let down my mate Cugley, admits Warrilow - EXCLUSIVE

Matt York netted his first goal of the season through a sixteen minute penalty and a late second from substitute Dean Carpenter made it a day to forget for the Kent outfit.

Angels went into this game needed a win and hoping that both Hendon, in fifth place, and Ramsgate failed to beat Wealdstone and Boreham Wood respectively.

Club captain Ray Powell, meanwhile, pulled out on the morning of the game due to a family issue and Kirk Watts and Akwasi Edusei, two key players, were relegated to the substitutes bench through injury.

Carshalton Athletic appeared that they wanted to win the game more than their play-off chasing visitors.

The Surrey side created the game’s first chance inside the opening five minutes when 16-goal striker Phil Ruggles turned defender James Donovan before sending his right-footed shot from ten-yards over the top of the near post.

The impressive Liam Collins found space inside the right-hand side of the penalty area and drilled an angled right-footed shot, which flashed past the far post.

But Carshalton broke the deadlock, with 15 minutes and 13 seconds on the clock.

Tonbridge midfielder Tommy Tyne charged down the ball with his hand down by the right by-line - and was booked by Chesham referee Mr Alfonzo Field - and York stepped up to blast the penalty into the roof of the net.

Another Carshalton chance followed when James Evans played Ishmeal Ehui in behind the Tonbridge back-four, but the pacy striker lashed his right-footed shot over Matt Reed’s crossbar.

Tonbridge, well supported by their vocal army, took just over 24 minutes to create their first opportunity.

John Westcott’s first corner of the game found it’s way to Tyne outside the penalty area and the midfielder sent his right-footed half-volley high over the crossbar.

Much-travelled striker Ruggles was just about to double Carshalton’s lead following Collins’ drilled in cross from the right, but full-back Phil Starkey - in for Powell - made a last ditch tackle.

Carshalton’s left-back Lewis Gonsalves thumped his shot into the net but the goal was ruled-out for offside before the Angels finally had a worth-while shot on goal.

Striker Micky Collins, who fears that he was playing his last game for the club, struck a left-footed angled drive agonisingly against the far-post from sixteen-yards on the left-hand side of the penalty area, after his strike partner Carl Rook, who was played in behind the defence by Fraser Logan, allowed the ball roll to the 37-year-old striker.

Evans’ right-footed volley brought a comfortable near-post save from Angels goalkeeper Reed as the home side played the first half on the front foot.

Surely Tonbridge Angels couldn’t play that poorly during the second half?

Despite the loadspeakers broadcasting that Ramsgate were 1-0 up against Boreham Wood at half-time - in fact Jim Ward’s side scored three of their five goals during the first half - there was the realisation that the Angels would still be playing Ryman Premier League football next season.

Ehui cut the ball back to Ruggles, whose right-footed drive from the edge of the penalty area, brought a comfortable low save by Reed, diving to his left, early in the second half.

Angels’ left-sided midfielder Fraser Logan, who was later replaced with a foot problem, finally called Aaron Howe into action after 50 minutes.

Westcott was fouled by former Margate midfielder Dean Standen and Logan’s left-footed free-kick from 22-yards was tipped over his crossbar by the agile goalkeeper.

And from Westcott’s resulting corner, the quiet Rook powered his header off target.

Starkey made two mistakes that almost proved costly but Ebhi was denied by Reed, who beat out his left-footed angled shot from eight-yards and then Reed made a comfortable save from Evans’ left-footed chip.

By the time that Rook’s header from Logan’s corner was headed off the line on the left-hand post after the hour mark, news had filtered through that Ramsgate were now 5-0 up.

Angels promotion dream was now and truly over and will rue their two recent draws against Billericay Town and AFC Hornchurch.

Westcott and Logan combined down the right and Westcott’s left-footed cross was brought under control by Rook and the ball dropped nicely for Logan, who had continued his run forward, but his left-footed volley, from the edge of the box, ballooned over.

And they were reduced to ten-men inside stoppage time, following an incident that sparked an eighteen-man melee.

Standen’s alleged elbow on Tonbridge midfielder Michael Phillips, which resulted in one loose front tooth and a swollen lip for the latter, sparked the melee and Phillips was shown a straight red card, although Standen, the perpetrator was only booked, despite the three match officials conversing in the middle of the park.

Carpenter ensured Carshalton’s safety when he scored a second with 53:47 on the clock - 116 seconds before the final whistle blew.

Carpenter was played in by Evans and from an acute angle his shot bounced over the line despite taking a ricochet off Reed.

Warrilow, speaking to www.kentishfootball.co.uk afterwards, was quick to express how he was feeling following a poor showing from his side.

“I’d be honest, I’m not very happy at the moment! I’ve let the lads know,” the former Horsham assistant manager fumed.

“We’ve had a few injuries today but there was a lot riding on the game, not just for us, but for some other clubs in Kent as well.

“But we were still fighting for the fifth spot and to put in a performance like that wasn’t enough and I’ve told them after.

“I don’t care if it was the last game off the season or whatever we’ve done before.

“The standards that we’ve set down here, they’ve dropped them, and really I don’t mind things weren’t going right, what we expect is 100% effort from the whole side and today I thought quite a few of the players went missing, on what has got to be classed as the biggest day of the season.

“We didn’t know what was going to happen at Ramsgate or Hendon and to put in a performance like that has left me disappointed.

“We had five players out, a few dropping like flies this morning but they were still good enough to go out and compete and get a result today.

“The squad’s good enough but on today’s performance, it looks like it isn’t!”

The Angels will be clashing with local rivals Maidstone United next season after the Stones won the winner-takes-all relegation showdown at Folkestone Invicta, courtesy of Mo Takloo’s 26^th minute clincher.

But Folkestone Invicta finished their campaign second-from-bottom on 49 points as Carshalton and East Thurrock United, who stared today’s games below them in the table, both won.

And Warrilow felt that the Angels had let down Neil Cugley and his Folkestone side, who dropped through the trap door with Boreham Wood, East Thurrock - and Leyton.

“I’m really upset at the moment because I like to win everything,” said Warrilow.

“But I’ve got a couple of mates at other clubs that were fighting for their lives and I’ve let them down as well.

“I do think about other clubs as well and at least when I speak to Neil I can look at him in the eye and say “we gave it a go for you!” - and we didn’t today.

“And (Maidstone United management duo) Lloyd (Hume) and Walks (Alan Walker) if it was that way round.

“But my main concern was we were playing for a play-off spot today and put a performance in like that just doesn’t ring true.

“My main concern was us trying to finish on a positive note and a win here and we didn’t but the way we lost was disappointing.”

At least a Kent club - Ramsgate - finished in the promotion play-off’s and Jim Ward’s men travel to Staines Town - who finished second - in the semi-finals on Tuesday night.

“I’ve text Jim and wish him all the best and I hope he goes all the way, good luck to him!” said friend Warrilow.

“The league doesn’t lie to be fair. They’ve been up there with Hendon for the majority of it.

“We’ve just had a late gallop on to get up there.”

Warrilow added: “I’m not having today’s result or a performance like that!”

Carshalton Athletic: Aaron Howe, Simon Cooper, Lewis Gonsalves, Liam Harwood, Matt York, Dean Standen, Liam Collins, James Evans, Phil Ruggles, Ishmeal Ehui (Stuart Harte 82), Michael Johnson (Dean Carpenter 39).
Subs: Robert Ursell, Ryan Watts, Richard Barnard

Goals: Matt York 16 (pen), Dean Carpenter 90

Booked: James Evans 87, Dean Standen 90

Tonbridge Angels: Matt Reed, Phil Starkey (Scott Kinch 79), Matt Lovell, Tommy Tyne, Simon Glover, James Donovan, John Westcott, Michael Phillips, Micky Collins (John Wilfort 63), Carl Rook, Fraser Logan (Charlie Sharman 90).

Booked: Tommy Tyne 15, Micky Collins 34, John Westcott 82

Sent off: Michael Phillips 90

Attendance: 510
Referee: Mr Alfonzo Field (Chesham, Buckinghamshire)
Assistants: Mr Wayne Ingram (New Malden, Surrey) & Mr Scott Lovell (Surbiton, Surrey)