Greenwich Borough 2-2 Tonbridge Angels (3-2 pens) - Everyone put in a terrific performance, says Greenwich Borough assistant Ricky Bennett

Greenwich Borough 2 – 2 Tonbridge Angels
Location	Princes Park Stadium, Grassbanks, Darenth Road, Dartford, Kent DA1 1RT
Kickoff	08/12/2015 19:30

GREENWICH BOROUGH  2-2  TONBRIDGE ANGELS
(Greenwich Borough win 3-2 on penalties)
Kent Reliance Senior Cup Quarter-Final
Tuesday 8^th December 2015
Stephen McCartney reports from Princes Park Stadium

GREENWICH BOROUGH assistant manager Ricky Bennett says he’s feeling really proud of his players after becoming the first side to book their place in the Kent Reliance Senior Cup Semi-Finals.

Promotion from the Southern Counties East Football League is a must for Greenwich Borough this season and they currently sit in second-place in the table on 39 points from 18 games, three points adrift Hollands & Blair, who claimed back-to-back Kent Invicta League titles before promotion.

Tonbridge Angels arrived in Dartford for this game in second-place in the Ryman Premier League on 41 points from 21 games, but manager Steve McKimm’s decision to make eight changes to the side that lost 3-2 at home to Burgess Hill Town at the weekend backfired as they were knocked out on penalties after the game finished all-square after 90 minutes.

Winger Ellis Brown tapped-in from close range to give Tonbridge Angels the lead, before Gary Alexander converted from the penalty spot within three minutes.

Tommy Whitnell’s sixth goal of the season gave Tonbridge Angels the lead early in the second half, but Greenwich Borough deservedly took the game to penalties with a quality finish from Alexander, scoring his 18^th goal of the season.

Tonbridge Angels were 2-0 up in the penalty shoot-out, but Greenwich Borough fought-back and left-footed left-back Jack Clark converted the tenth penalty to send his side through 3-2.

Greenwich Borough defeated Folkestone Invicta 10-9 on penalties (after the game finished 1-1) in the Second Round.

“Brilliant! Thoroughly deserved I thought on the night. I thought we put in a terrific performance, every one of them,” said Bennett afterwards.

“We’ve had a few players who haven’t been playing recently coming back from injuries or sitting on the bench and they worked their tits off tonight, all of them. I thought we had a really, really good performance.”

Tonbridge Angels’ coach Justin Luchford admitted tonight was a “missed opportunity,” for his club.

“I think they kept the ball a little bit better than us second half, but other than that I don’t think they hurt us at all.

“The penalty is one of them. Everyone else is saying it’s not a penalty but I can’t see from where I am but they’ve got back into the game straight afterwards and then they’ve done us with one ball over the top, indecision between the back four and the keeper.

“We should’ve been out of sight really in the first half when we kept the ball and we moved the ball quickly. They couldn’t live with us.  We knew that before we started hut we didn’t do that enough.

“You’ve got to give credit to the young lads because the young lads were superb.”

Peter Sweeney, who was pulling the strings in midfield for Greenwich Borough, had the first chance when his quickly-taken free-kick from 30-yards from the left hand side was swept across goal and past the far post inside the opening four minutes.

Tonbridge Angels’ defender Sonny Miles pinged a sublime diagonal pass out of defence to find Brown, who cut in from the left flank just inside the box but his left-footed shot screamed past the far post.

Greenwich Borough goalkeeper Craig Holloway played despite dislocating his finger during the warm-up.

Holloway was called into action twice within the space of 42 seconds as Tonbridge Angels enjoyed a good spell.

Brown and Whitnell linked up outside the Greenwich Borough penalty area and played the ball to left-back Steve Panayi, who cut inside and stroked his right-footed shot towards the bottom near corner, which was pushed around the post by Holloway, diving to his right.

Charlie Webster swung in a corner from the right which came back out to right-back James Folkes, who put the ball back into the box.  Miles flicked the ball on and Brown hit a right-footed volley from 16-yards towards the same corner, which forced Holloway into making a similar save.

Bennett said: “He did unfortunately, that’s the goalkeeper coach messing about before the game.

“It’s unfortunate. It’s one of those things. There’s no way he wasn’t going to play. He put it back in himself and saves a penalty at the end.

“Against them you’re going to have to (make saves). They’re a good side, they’re a Ryman Premier side. We knew we were going to be in a game tonight and so it proved but I thought he pulled off some good saves and we also made their keeper work as well.”

Luchford added: “Ellis’ one especially, it was a good save and Steve done well to cut in on his right foot twice, get two shots off.

“They’ve got a band of experience in their side and that’s why I think the youngsters did well. They didn’t get over-rawed by it all. They kept the ball when they needed to keep the ball and they were the shining light when we did move the ball quickly. We looked a force every time we got the ball but we didn’t do enough.

“Craig’s made two good saves first half but that’s all he’s had to do!”

Greenwich Borough went close after 15 minutes, courtesy of a poor clearance out of defence by central midfielder Connor Pring.

Clark delivered the ball in from the left which was cleared only as far to Kinch, who stroked his left-footed shot past the post from 16-yards.

Tonbridge Angels created another good chance when Brown whipped in a low cross from the left for Webster to poke his shot past the left-hand post from 12-yards.

Panayi then played the ball inside to Pring, who sliced his right-footed 30-yard attempt wide of the right-hand post.

Clark curled a free-kick towards the near post, which Gary Borrowdale flicked his shot straight at Angels keeper Aaron McGuigan.

Jake Britnell then played a one-two with Kinch down the right but McGuigan made a near post save as Britnell attempted to find the bottom near corner from eight-yards.

Tonbridge Angels’ youngsters Pring and Panayi linked up well again in the 28^th minute, Panayi’s angled drive from the left deflecting past the near post and behind for a corner.

Tonbridge Angels deservedly opened the scoring with 33 minutes on the clock.

Pring showed good vision to sweep a quickly taken free-kick out to an unmarked Webster down the left.  He beat his man to reach the final third before cutting the ball back across goal for Brown to tap the ball into the net from inside the six-yard box.

“Ellis made a great run from the right hand side of the pitch to come in off the line which is what we want him to do in the wide area,” explained Luchford.

“Connor’s been bright, looked up, played the free-kick quickly. Webbo’s got down the line, done well, got it onto his left foot to get past the player and squared it and good goal.”

Bennett added: “From where I was, there was a question mark whether it was offside but I couldn’t really see from where I was.

“They worked it well down the left hand side I believe and a good ball in - he’s not going to miss from there is he?”

But Tonbridge Angels’ lead was short-lived as Greenwich Borough equalised from the penalty spot within three minutes.

Britnell powered a right-footed drive towards goal from 20-yards and referee Michael Marsh adjudged Miles had used his hand as he put his body on the line to make the block.

Alexander stepped up and he sent the keeper the wrong way, his right-footed penalty clipping the foot of the right-hand post before caressing the back of the net.

Bennett said: “Just before they scored actually Brits had an opportunity where he should’ve shot and probably maybe put us 1-0 up and they went 1-0 up and we had a bit of a moan at him from the side and said they aren’t you hitting it?

“The next chance he gets, he takes that on board, cuts in and has a good strike. Whether it was blatant handball, I couldn’t tell you, but there you go.”

On Alexander’s penalty strike, Bennett added: “A good pen, better than his one in the shoot-out!”

Luchford though wasn’t so sure it was a penalty decision.

He said: “The lads were saying it was not a pen but the referee has given it so it is a pen! You can’t do nothing about it.

“Sonny does what Sonny does, he puts his body on the line, maybe a little of them before that could put their bodies on the line so it didn’t get through but it’s one of those, they’re back in it. Where we should have seen it thorough to half-time.”

Tonbridge Angels created the final chance of the first half when Pring clipped the ball into the Greenwich Borough box but Anthony Riviere ran in and poked his shot past the right-hand post from eight-yards.

Both camps were asked what was said during the half-time interval.

Bennett added: “Basically just to keep doing what we were doing. We played some decent balls up to our front men. We were looking after it well. We were getting runners off our front men. Just to keep doing it.

“It’s really pleasing when you see the players who haven’t really been playing because of fitness or injuries or they’re just not in the team respond to what you want.

“They worked themselves into the ground but also played the right way, did the right things. Good habits like we keep saying, never let you down so that proved.”

Luchford added: “Move the ball quicker! The one thing they’re not probably by their own admission, they’re not blessed with pace at the back so we said we’ve got Ellis Brown, Charlie Webster, Luke Blewden, put it behind them, let’s see what they’ve got.

“I didn’t think we did it once in the first half-an-hour. We got a bit of an issue at the moment of following instructions and it needs to change because it’s starting to get frustrating.”

Tonbridge Angels regained the lead after only 199 seconds into the half.

Webster played a short corner to Luke Blewden before Webster whipped in a deep cross towards the far post, sailing over the keeper’s head and Whitnell stabbed his volley into the bottom near corner from two-yards out.

Luchford said: “It’s sounding like a parrot.  Get the ball wide, get it quickly, put the ball in the box, get the runner on the back post.

“It’s not rocket science, football. When we do it, we’re effective and we score goals. We don’t do it enough, simple as that. If he had done it more in the first half and more in the second half.”

“Poor goal from our point of view,” admitted Bennett.

“I don’t remember if we had a man on the post? But even so, it was a poor goal to give away.”

Pring certainly impressed on his big night, going close with a 30-yard curler which only just missed the far post after he received a square pass from Riviere.

Luchford was full of praise for the Angels’ number 4.

“It was Connor Pring’s first game for us and after the first 10 minutes when he found his feet, I thought he was excellent. He kept the all, he move the ball.

“He was let down a little bit by some of the others.”

Kinch, who was a fans’ favourite at Longmead Stadium, squandered a couple of excellent chances to equalise for Greenwich Borough,

He was played in and only had keeper McGuigan to beat in the 54^th minute, but lost all composure by lashing his shot past the left-hand post from 15-yards.

“To be honest Kinchy knows he should’ve done better with both of them,” said Bennett.

“You know Kinchy from old, he’s played numerous positions. He’s played centre half, centre midfield, centre forward. He can play in all positions.

“It’s just unfortunate he didn’t have his scoring boots on tonight but there you go, two good ones. He’s done a good job up there.”

Sweeney fed Danny Phillips down the right and the Greenwich Borough skipper cut the ball onto his left foot before curling shot just past the far post.

Wheeler then raced down the left flank for Tonbridge before playing a low centre towards the near post which was volleyed wide by Blewden from eight-yards out.

Kinch should have equalised following the home side’s second corner after 69 minutes.

Alexander swung the ball in from the right and Kinch planted his powerful diving header over the crossbar from 12-yards.

Brown fashioned himself a chance when he stole the ball from Rob Gilman, cut inside but stroked his shot straight at Holloway.

Luchford said: “I don’t remember Craig making too many point blank saves tonight. There was certainly no clear cut chances on their side. I don’t think they had an effort on goal apart from the two goals.  When we worked the ball wide, we got some good openings and some changes but they weren’t on it.”

But Greenwich Borough were the better side as the game edged towards its conclusion and deserved their equaliser with 12 minutes left.

“I thought we kept the ball well, even at 2-1 down,” said Bennett.

“We weren’t panicking, we kept possession of the ball.  We were keeping it across the back, working it up all thirds of the pitch.”

The goal was sublime from start to finish.

Sweeney played a sublime ball over the top from midfield and the ball dropped down onto Alexander’s right-foot some 15-yards from goal. He brilliantly swept his chip over the advancing keeper, the ball dropping down and going in just underneath the crossbar.

“That’s what you expect from ex-pros, vision and the finish,” said Bennett.

“You’re spot on there. It was a great ball, a great bit of video.  He didn’t have a lot to do really because of the perfect pass but it did bounce up on him and it was quite difficult to deal with but it was a controlled finish.”

Alexander is now only three goals behind Eisa in the club’s goalscoring charts.

“That’s good, still a long way to go, going the right way to possibly becoming the top goalscorer,” said Bennett.

“We’ve got good competition in our squad for the golden boot within the league, which is good. We want all our forwards to be scoring and we want all our forwards to be close.”

Luchford gave his thoughts on the equaliser, by saying, “We seem to give teams goals!

“The gaffer (McKimm) said himself they put a ball over the top, which is what we wanted to do second half.

“One ball over the top, the bloke’s got in and indecision and the balls gone in the back of the net.  If we put the ball over their back four, four, five six times in the second half, do we get chances? Probably.

“Did we do it? No! We’ve got to take a leaf out of their book.

“Gary Alexander is a good player, you could see he’s played at the top level but he shouldn’t be getting behind or back four and scoring but to be fair to him, great finish.”

Greenwich Borough looked the more likely of the two sides to snatch a late win, the closest they came was when substitute striker Mohammed Eisa directed his header straight at McGuigan following Britnell’s turn and cross from the right.

When asked why Eisa was left on the bench until the 76^th minute, Bennett replied: “Basically we wanted to give some players to some minutes and we’ve had a couple of players that weren’t available and that may have altered our thinking in team selection so it’s no problem giving him a blow tonight and he came on and looked threatening.”

So on to penalties and Tonbridge Angels went first and Miles stepped up and sent the goalkeeper the wrong way with his right-footed penalty, which nestled into the bottom right-hand corner.

Sweeney went first for Greenwich Borough, but his left-footed penalty hit the left-hand post.

Whitnell gave Tonbridge Angels a 2-0 lead, drilling his right-footed spot-kick into the bottom right-hand corner.

Eisa converted Greenwich Borough’s first, sending the goalkeeper the wrong way.

The next three spot-kicks failed to hit the target.

Blewden stepped up and his right-footed penalty bounced off the top of the crossbar before going over.

Alexander lashed his right-footed penalty high over the keeper’s left shoulder and high over the bar.

Brown lashed his right-footed penalty against the underside of the crossbar and a shake of the head from the assistant referee confirmed that the ball didn’t cross the line.

Billy Bennett, who came on for Greenwich Borough inside stoppage time, made the score 2-2, sending the keeper the wrong way as his right-footed penalty nestled into the bottom right-hand corner.

Holloway dived to his left to push Webster’s right-footed penalty away, before Greenwich Borough claimed the victory through left-footed Clark, finding the bottom right-hand corner.

“A bit of a ding-dong wasn’t it, the penalty shoot-out,” said Bennett.

“Yes, a bit disappointed with Sweeney’s and Gary’s pens to be honest but these things happen in penalty shoot-outs but we’ve shown great character to keep in the tie basically.

“Hollers has made a great save and then it’s all down to Clarky. He’s quality, we know he’s going to score so it’s brilliant, really pleased, really proud of them all.”

When asked about being in the Semi-Finals, Bennett said: “That will be good. That’s just another little bonus for us and a carrot really. Our priority is the league. We’ve got the bit between our teeth at the minute in our league performances.”

Luchford simply added: “Don’t get me started on penalties! We’ve lost twice this season. We lost to Hastings and now Greenwich Borough.  Let’s leave it there shall we, on penalties, you can ask me anything else, don’t get me shouted on penalties, 12-yards out. Actually, it doesn’t matter, it’s a lottery, what can you say.”

The Tonbridge Angels coach admitted he doesn’t know why his side put in such a flat performance.

He said: “It’s the quarter final of the cup, you would have thought it was the quarter-finals of a cup tonight, it was flat. The whole game was flat!

“Why? I just don’t know! I can’t put my finger on it. 

“You can’t come to Dartford – I know it’s Greenwich – but you can’t come to Dartford on a Tuesday night and it’s a quarter-final in a cup competition.

“When we played in the past a cup quarter-final was a cup quarter-final. You’re got two games away from the final and a trophy.

“I was all about winning trophies and I still am as a coach or whatever.  I need to do for the gaffer and we want to win it. It didn’t seem to be that desire tonight.”

Greenwich Borough: Craig Holloway, Chris Saunders (Billy Bennett 90), Jack Clark, Peter Sweeney, Rob Gilman, Gary Borrowdale, Jake Britnell, Gary Alexander, Scott Kinch, Danny Phillips (Mohammed Eisa 76), Ryan Dolby.
Subs: Nathan Paul, Danny Young, Nico James

Goals: Gary Alexander 36 (penalty), 78

Booked: Jake Britnell 52

Tonbridge Angels: Aaron McGuigan, James Folkes, Steve Panayi, Connor Pring, Charlie Slocombe, Sonny Miles, Charlie Webster, Anthony Riviere (Cameron Milham 67), Luke Blewden, Tommy Whitnell, Ellis Brown.
Subs: Nick Wheeler, Jerrome Sobers, Nathan Elder, Anthony Di Bernardo

Goals: Ellis Brown 33, Tommy Whitnell 49

Booked: Sonny Miles 35, Steve Panayi 87

Attendance: 101
Referee:  Mr Michael Marsh (Herne Bay)
Assistants: Mr Kane Dempster (Hythe) & Mr Antony Andrews (Erith)