Tonbridge Angels 0-1 Newport County. Brave Angels reflect on what would have been

TONBRIDGE ANGELS 0-1 NEWPORT COUNTY
Saturday 28^th October 2006
FA Cup (Sponsored by E.ON) Fourth Qualifying Round
Stephen McCartney reports from the Betterview Longmead Stadium

Brave Tonbridge Angels’ FA Cup dreams ended courtesy of Julian Alsop’s fifth goal of the season today.

The powerful former Forest Green Rovers front-man, drove home Sam O’Sullivan’s low cross from the left past Aaron Kerr’s desperate dive and into the bottom right hand corner from sixteen-yards to settle the match as early as the 15th minute.

But the decisive goal, in front of the largest crowd of the season at the Betterview Longmead Stadium, was totally against the run of play.

There are hundreds of depressed fans in west Kent as they reflect on what would have been, especially when their leading scorer, Jon Main, had two excellent chances to score inside the first six minutes.

But the cheer coming from the clubhouse when Newport County drew their Welsh neighbours Swansea City in the first round proper was hard to stomach as the Nationwide Conference South side failed to impress.

Robert Kember played the ball over the top for Main to use his trademark electric pace to burst past the visiting defence.

With the passionate Tonbridge faithful urging him on towards goal, they were stunned when he stroked the ball agonisingly past the far post from 12-yards.

Then three minutes later it was Alex O’Brien’s turn to send Main racing through, but this time he was thwarted by the onrushing Newport goalkeeper, Mark Ovendale.

But Newport County stole the lead courtesy of Alsop’s right-footed driven shot and Tonbridge Angels were unable to get the goal back despite their gallant efforts.

Newport fans favourite Craig Hughes rose high to glance John Brough’s right-footed free-kick past the left hand post after 20 minutes.

Then Alsop skied a volley from 20-yards four minutes later, before County went close when Lee Collier flashed a shot past the far post after Hughes’ cut the ball back from the right after Nathan Davies played the ball over the top of the Tonbridge defence.

Main had his third chance of the first half after 31 minutes, following a flick on from a rather subdued Andy Martin, his Cardiff born strike partner.

But Main lifted the ball over the goalkeeper and the ball agonisingly dropped over the crossbar.

With seven minutes before the interval Ray Powell’s cross from the right was glanced wide by Scottish winger, Fraser Logan.

Newport County almost scored on the stroke of half time but Alsop planted a header over the bar from six-yards.

Tonbridge, desperate to get the goal back, created a chance inside the first minute of the second half but Kember drove a shot well wide, following Logan’s left-wing cross.

Ian Hillier whipped in a low cross from the right and Alsop, sandwiched by two Tonbridge defenders, headed past the near post from six-yards.

Tonbridge had Powell to thank in the 52nd minute for hacking Alsop’s header, following Jason Bowen’s corner from the right, off the line on the left post.

But the Kent side’s next chance came a minute before the hour mark.

Scott Gooding right-footed curling hanging free-kick was met by the onrushing John Beales, but his header flashed agonisinly past the near post inside a crowded penalty area.

Logan was guilty for giving away possession in the 63^rd minute some 25-yards from his goal on the left flank.

Hughes, who nicked the ball off the Scot, glided past left-back Jon Heath and cut into the penalty area.

He cut the ball back to an unmarked Bowen, who brought the ball under control, but lifted the ball over Kerr’s goal from 15-yards.

Logan was substituted by Mark Green four minutes later and this change caught Tonbridge off guard as within seconds of the substitution Alsop’s shot deflected off Powell and just past the foot of the near post.

Tonbridge created just two more chances when, in the 70 th minute, Green’s first time cross was met by a diving header from Kember, which flew past the post.

Main was thwarted again seven minutes later when Ovendale produced a flying save to hold onto his right-footed curler from 25-yards.

Tonbridge made a double substitution a minute later with home-grown striker Luke Piscina and Michael Power but Newport shut the door in their faces.

Newport County, though, went close on two occasions later in the game, with a shot that bounced off the crossbar and Kerr made his first save of the afternoon inside stoppage time when he clawed out a close range shot from Hughes.

Tonbridge Angels’ manager, Tony Dolby, was dejected as he reflected on a chance missed as the club’s wait to reach the first round proper of the FA Cup continues.

The last time the club progressed that far was in 1972 when Charlton Athletic won 5-0 at the old Angel ground.

Dolby told www.kentishfootball.co.uk : “I think if you take the first ten minutes, most definitely a chance missed.

“Mainey (Jon Main) has been prolific all year, he’s missed a couple of glorious chances for us and we’ve paid the price in the end.

“At the end of the day that’s what cup football’s all about. You have got to take your chances, you’ve got to seize your moment and do your bit at the other end as well.

“They took their chance and the game sort of like didn’t materialised for us.”

But Dolby was pleased with the performance from his side, adding: “I couldn’t ask for anymore and then (we) got caught with a sucker punch - thoroughly undeserved, against the run of play, they scored.

“But they’re a good side and that’s what they do so good luck to them.

“I thought we were the better side in the first half. I thought we were the dominant force.”

But Dolby insists his side will bounce back in time for next Saturday’s trip to AFC Wimbledon in the FA Trophy.

“Every game is important to me personally and the lads obviously want to do as well as they possibly can,” he said.

“I think the (FA) cup itself comes with many prizes, in exposure and obviously finance as well.

“But we’ve got to buckle down now and get on with next week.

“I don’t think that’s going to be a problem. We’ve set our stall out, we’ve got a good squad of players.

“We’ll regroup on Tuesday, have a good training session and prepare for a very big cup game next week.

“We’re above them in the league, we’re second in the table and we’ve got nothing to fear.

“On our day we can certainly give the best teams in non-league a go. At the moment everything’s going well, apart from today obviously, and we’ll go into next week full of confidence I’m sure.”

Yesterday’s league results mean Tonbridge have dropped from second in the Ryman Premier League table to fifth, but Dolby has high hopes for his side.

He said: “I’m hoping we can maintain certain standards with the performances and if we do I’m sure that we’re going to be in the mix for a while to come.”

But Dolby was dejected as his side missed out on welcoming the Swans in two weeks time, adding: “Swansea are a massive club, massive tradition and Newport have had a great draw, they can’t ask for anything better I don’t think.

“Obviously I was so disappointed at the final whistle myself anyway and that just compounded what misery I was feeling when they got a draw like that.”