St Albans City 4-0 Tonbridge Angels - We haven't got lads that take their chances, says Warrilow

ST ALBANS CITY 4-0 TONBRIDGE ANGELS
The FA Carlsberg Trophy First Round Replay
Monday 2^nd December 2013
Stephen McCartney reports from Clarence Park

TONBRIDGE ANGELS boss Tommy Warrilow says he feels shocked and numb with the manner of his side’s shock FA Carlsberg Trophy exit.

The Angels were held to a goal-less draw at Longmead Stadium at the weekend, despite Calor (Southern) Premier League side St Albans City playing with ten-men for 87 minutes after 33-year-old midfielder Richard Graham picked up the first red-card of his career.

Both sides made one change apiece for tonight’s First Round Replay, with Howard Hall coming in at right-back for St Albans City, while striker Mark Lovell relegated midfielder David Ijaha to the bench for the Angels.

But tenth-placed St Albans earnt a lucrative home tie against Conference Premier leaders Cambridge United in the last 32 on 14 December after stunning their Conference South visitors.

St Albans City, who knocked Tonbridge Angels out of The FA Cup in the penultimate qualifying round earlier on in the season, opened the scoring when central midfielder James Comley scored direct from a corner after 25 minutes.

St Albans City then scored three goals in sixteen minutes in the second half through striker Mark Nwokeji, Hall and substitute Chris Henry came off the bench to score against his former club.

Warrilow was lost for words at the final whistle and said: “Shocked to be honest. I thought first half we were the better side. I thought we knocked it around well, created the better chances.

“I’ve just had some stats thrown at me and yet we concede a goal direct from a corner. We’ve given three out of the four goals tonight.

“Second half we started well then gave the ball away and got punished and it seemed to give them a lift.

“The third one’s a second ball and the fourth one, well, I’m not going to start pointing and naming names but I’m just shocked because I thought we played well first half.

“We started the second half well, got in good areas, but we never made it count but it’s the same old story. We’ve been punished by losing possession.”

It was to be a disappointing Monday night for around 25 fans that made trip to Hertfordshire from Kent.

Tonbridge Angels created the opening chance inside the opening five minutes after linking up well down the right.

Winger Henry Muggeridge sprinted down the flank and found Chris Piper on the overlap and the right-back whipped in a cross where Lee Browning made a run into the penalty area but slid his shot harmlessly wide from a tight angle.

But Tonbridge Angels were to be denied a certain goal within five minutes.

Nathan Green swung in a free-kick from the right touchline with his left foot and Lovell’s powerful header produced a fine save from Paul Bastock, who dived to his right and used a strong right hand to parry the ball to safety.

Warrilow added: “We had Browning in on a third-man run as well. First few minutes we got out wide and got crosses in. Greenie could have attacked one better at the back stick.

“There’s three chances there and we’ve not taken them but one hell Mary from a corner goes directly in. That’s what happens.”

St Albans City’s opening chance, however, swiftly followed when a poor clearance from Jon Heath fell to Graham, who drilled a deflected low drive towards the bottom corner, which was well held by Lewis Carey, low to his right.

But the former Bromley goalkeeper gifted St Albans City the lead.

Full-marks must go to Saints’ left-back Lee Chappell who sprinted down the line to win his side a left-wing corner.

Comley swung in the corner with his right-foot and the ball sailed over Carey and a host of onrushing players and dropped into the far corner.

Warrilow added: “I thought we played some good stuff tonight. I thought we were the better side in the first half and we’ve gone in to a ridiculous goal really direct from a corner.!

Tonbridge Angels – in seventeenth-place in Conference South - squandered an excellent chance to restore parity in the 28^th minute.

Once again Muggeridge and Piper were instrumental in the move, linking up before Muggeridge whipped in a deep cross towards the far post but Nathan Green’s poor header screamed over the top of the near post from two-yards out.

A long ball forward by Graham released Nwokeji down the left and the Saints’ striker cut in before stroking his right-footed drive just past the near post.

David Keenleyside exchanged a one-two with striker John Frendo before cutting inside and seeing his left-footed drive caught comfortably by Carey.

But St Albans City were to be denied a second goal inside injury time.

Graham won the ball and dinked a pass to Frendo, who cracked a fierce left-footed dipping volley from 25-yards, which swerved and Carey produced a brilliant diving right-hand save to push the ball over the bar.

Tonbridge Angels were to be denied by a smart save from 43-year-old stopper Bastock, only 94 seconds into the second half.

They were awarded a free-kick 30-yards from goal and Green whipped in a curling free-kick with his left-foot which bounced in front of the keeper, who dived to his right to push the ball away.

Eighteen-year-old Brighton & Hove Albion on-loan striker, Shamir Goodwin was then released down the right and after taking a touch to take the ball past his marker he stroked his shot harmlessly wide.

But things started to quickly go downhill for Tonbridge Angels as St Albans City doubled their lead after 57 minutes.

Comley won the ball and slid a diagonal pass through the heart of the Angels defence.  Defender Gary Elphick slid to his right in a brave attempt to cut out the ball – and Nwokeji clinically drove his right-footed shot past Carey when he only had the goalkeeper to beat.

It was the striker’s eleventh-goal of the season for St Albans City, which is the same amount of goals scored by the entire five-man Tonbridge Angels strike force that were in their sixteen man squad here tonight.

Warrilow added: “We’ve come out and gave the ball away after a great start to the second half, but you’ve seen the goals, they weren’t exactly brilliant goals were they? 

“That’s the difference, they’ve got lads that take their chances – we haven’t!

“When they’ve had chances like Nwokeji for the second one, you give the lad a chance, he buries it. Unfortunately we’ve not got that!”

Carey was twice called into action within twenty seconds as St Albans City turned the screw.

Chappell played the ball up to seventeen-goal striker Frendo, whose hooked pass released Nwokeji, who set up Frendo and his right-footed shot was blocked by Carey at the near post.

Carey then dived to his right to deny Keenleyside scoring with a right-footed drive from outside the box.

St Albans City brought on Henry and he played a part in their killer third goal before scoring the fourth himself.

Henry reached the right by-line in the 66^th minute before cutting the ball back where Frendo took a touch before rifling his shot which was cleared off the line and Hall, who had originally released Henry, rifled his shot into the ground and into the top left-hand corner.

St Albans City wrapped up the victory with their next attempt in the 73^rd minute.

Chappell was allowed to dance his way into the penalty area down the left hand side before playing the ball inside to Henry, who swept his left-footed shot towards the far corner from 15-yards.

But Carey dived to his left and allowed the shot to trickle past him to nestle into the bottom far corner.

Warrilow said: “That’s what I mean! I could have blown it harder I think.  I was surprised it ended up in the back of the net!”

Tonbridge Angels rallied for the rest of the game but it was too little too late.

A header forward by substitute Nathan Pinney released striker Goodwin, who lashed his right-footed shot wide of the right-hand post when he only had the keeper to beat.

Green and David Ijaha linked up well and Piper cut inside before stroking a left-footed shot that deflected just past the foot of the near post.

Left-back Heath went close to scoring his first goal for the club in his 281^st game. He was given time and space to unleash a left-footed drive, which flashed just wide of the left-hand post from 30-yards.

Pinney had a couple of late chances to add to his three-goal haul for the season.

He curled a left-footed free-kick over the wall which forced Bastock to palm the ball away with a strong left-hand, before the former Crystal Palace striker was denied by a comfortable save by the keeper at the death.

Warrilow added: “We’ve tried to get back in it with three up but it wasn’t to be. Sham had a shank of a shot. We started the second half with Greenie whipping a free-kick in and we had no second balls.”

Despite his side being one level higher, Warrilow insisted this wasn’t a shock victory for St Albans City.

“Not really, no, not at all, Why? What makes you say that?

“They’ve got a good set-up here, got good funding. We know what the front two (Frendo and Nwokeji) are all about. Ben Martin at the back has got a lot of experience. We know what they’ve got here so I wouldn’t do over the top on it.”

Warrilow said he will go through what went wrong at Thursday night’s training session.

He said: “At the moment we’re just numb. We’ll see them on Thursday and address it.

“I’m just shocked with 4-0 because I’m the one looking at the stats or whatever you would think it’s an absolute humiliation – I don’t think it was!

“The four goals they’ve scored we’ve actually given three of them. We’ve just got to strip it back down and go again Thursday.”

Tonbridge Angels travel to Woking next Saturday to play ninth-placed Hayes & Yeading United.

The Angels are in the bottom six, two points clear of the relegation zone.

When asked what he’s expecting, Warrilow replied: “Nothing yet. Ill sort it out Thursday. I’m doing well not to lose my temper mate so I don’t want to say too much. I think I’ve said enough for tonight, otherwise I’ll go into one!”