Tonbridge Angels 0-2 Dover Athletic - We want to do as well as we can, says Dover boss Chris Kinnear

Tuesday 15th July 2014

TONBRIDGE ANGELS 0-2 DOVER ATHLETIC
Pre-Season Friendly
Tuesday 15^th July 2014
Stephen McCartney reports from Longmead Stadium

DOVER ATHLETIC manager Chris Kinnear says he has eleven shirts up for grabs as he prepares the club to return to the top flight of non-league football after a 12-year absence.

The Whites finished in fifth-place in the Conference South last season and a headed goal from former Ebbsfleet United striker Nathan Elder, 29, sealed promotion at his old club’s expense in the play-off final.

Nelder headed home Dover Athletic’s opening goal in their second pre-season friendly away to Tonbridge Angels, who suffered relegation after three seasons in Conference South under former boss Tommy Warrilow.

Current Angels boss Steve McKimm fielded a much younger squad during the second half in his first game in charge, falling to a late penalty through former Bromley striker Jake Reid, 27.

“First half we started a bit slow but again nobody really knew what we were doing,” admitted Kinnear afterwards.

“It’s just trying to change it a little bit, talk through things. We talked about it at half-time and I thought we came out second half and looked a lot sharper.

“Was it because of (Tonbridge having a younger side)? I think it was because we changed the way we were playing really, so that’s the main thing.”

McKimm, 38, who left his player-coach role at Sutton United to take charge of Tonbridge Angels, said he was pleased with his first game in charge.

“It was pleasing, pleasing to see the fitness of the boys against a good side in Dover. They were strong, physical and fit themselves and I was really pleased with the first half performance.

“As we said from the start my first three pre-season games isn’t about the result, it’s about can my new squad match the fitness against Dover, Eastbourne and Stevenage and I thought first half, yes, we done very well.

“Listen, I always say you can’t take too much out of pre-season games because were they at full throttle? Were we at full throttle? Would we demand more of our players? Would Chris demand more of his players?

“Pre-season is about getting players through 90 minutes of fitness and then the results come when the real blood and guts come at the start of the season.”

Kinnear started with eight players that started their glorious play-off final at Stonebridge Road on 10^th May, while the Angels’ 21-man squad only featured long-serving stalwart Jon Heath as the sole survivor from last season’s campaign.

Both sets of fans in the crowd of 252 were very quiet indeed, unlike a blood and thunder Kent derby in a game that matters.

Kinnear said: “It’s a pre-season friendly, it’s not quite the same isn’t it?”

McKimm added: “Again, it’s local rivalry but they’ve come to see their team prepare for the season ahead.

“Dover are in the Conference Premier, we’re in the Ryman Premier. Regardless of what league it is your supporters are only coming to see how you’re preparing to start that first league game and I was pleased with what my side done.”

Dover Athletic – who played with a 5-3-2 formation during the first half - created the opening chance inside the opening ten minutes.

Elder swept the ball out wide to Craig Stone on the right and he played the ball to Barry Cogan, who released Tom Murphy, who cut into the penalty area before laying the ball back to Chris Kinnear, but the manager’s son stroked a first time drive into the gloves of former Staines Town keeper Kyle Merson.

Tonbridge Angels’ first chance swiftly followed, following Harry Harding’s corner from the right.

Harding, who impressed during his first half showing, swung the ball into a crowded far post where Tom Parkinson – who left Leatherhead after beating Folkestone Invicta in the Ryman League Division One South play-off final in May – sent a header towards goal which forced visiting keeper Mitch Walker to punch away from inside a crowd of players.

Murphy’s pace was certainly giving Tonbridge Angels’ new-look defence some problems.

He was released by Kinnear’s fine pass down the left channel and after cutting inside he flashed his right-footed shot past the near post.

Tom Wynter came up from left-back to float in a great cross into the Tonbridge box where Elder glanced his header across Merson and past the far post.

Dover Athletic went close to deservedly breaking the deadlock in the 36^th minute, following a short corner from the left.

Barry Cogan cut the ball back to Wynter, who rolled the ball into Cogan’s path, who curled a looping shot around the far post with his right-foot.

Tonbridge Angels created the last chance of the first half when the impressive Harding teed-up Dee Okojie, who powered a low shot into Walker’s gloves with his right-foot from 25-yards.

The Angels were better in the first half than the second, simply because McKimm played a more experienced team.

He explained: “It will be my main stay of players in the first half, the players that I’ve signed. The rest of them, I’ve got my ideas who I’m going to be signing. For some of them, I won’t call them trialists because they’ve been with me from the start, the ones I had my eye on, the ones that I’ve brought in, they’ll be the ones that I’ll be sitting down and talking to.”

McKimm said: “I think we’ve made seven changes at the break and that’s down to what I wanted to do. I didn’t want to throw them all in for 90 minutes to start with. I want to build them up in games. They’ve all done a lot of hard work in training, build them up in matches in terms of minutes and by the time the ninth of August comes hopefully we’ll be flying.

“If you look at our back line (second half) it had an age of 18,18,18 and 19. You look at Nathan Elder, a good experienced player, but I’m just looking at my team and with a young back four like that, they’ve got a lot to learn.

“They’re not banging on anybody’s door demanding first team football. They want to learn and when they get their chance I’m sure they’ll be ready but what I said from when I first took the job I won’t be throwing any youngsters in that aren’t ready for Ryman Premier football because it doesn’t help their progression. If they keep progressing as they have done, they’ll be good players and have good futures in the game.”

Tonbridge Angels made seven changes at the break, but failed to trouble Walker in the Dover Athletic goal at all after the interval.

Tommy Whitnell was the only man in a blue shirt to complete 90 minutes, while Dover Athletic introduced winger Ricky Modeste at the interval and that gave Kinnear’s side a more dangerous threat.

Angels’ keeper Merson pounced on a loose ball inside his six-yard box after Richard Orlu came up from the back to stab the ball towards goal.

Modeste chipped a ball into the Angels penalty area for Liam Bellamy to send his downward header into Merson’s grateful hands.

Merson, 21, made a smart save in the 54^th minute to thwart Modeste when the Dover Athletic winger was put through on goal.

Kinnear added: “We created chances because we had a bit more movement and stuff.

“But again they’ve trained really hard, their legs are a little bit heavy at the moment and that’s why we’ve got our fitness guy who has really worked them hard. We’re just about peaking in three weeks’ time.”

McKimm added: “In terms of they had more of the ball, yes, they probably did, but I look at the side out there and apart from Nathan Campbell and Troy Ferguson, I had a load of 18-21 year olds and all I’m trying to do is to prepare them in case they’re ever needed.

“Some are ready now, without naming names and some need a bit more work. Eventually they’ll be there and they’ll be a part of this squad and have a good future in the game.”

But Dover Athletic deservedly opened the scoring in the 61^st minute, following a fine three-man move.

Stone clipped a fine diagonal pass to release Modeste in behind right-back Mishari Al Ashban (who was released by Conference South Bromley after an unsuccessful trial at Hayes Lane), who floated over a cross towards the far post for Elder to nod into the bottom near corner from a couple of yards.

Kinnear said: “It was nice for him to score, I’m pleased.

“Again because we changed it a little bit we were getting a lot more chances in the second half and that made the difference.”

McKimm added: “Good build-up play. When I was at Sutton last year Ricky (Modeste) tore us apart at our place and scored two good goals and when he came on he showed his quality.

“Nathan Elder has lived on that through his career – back-post headers.

“Listen, they’re a functional outfit that Chris knows and he’s got them doing exactly what they want to do and I felt even with a young side in the second half, they gave their all. They didn’t throw the towel in, they tried to pass the ball as I keep wanting them to do.

“Listen, they’re going to make mistakes pre-season, but it’s all about ironing out those mistakes.

“The result isn’t an issue to me. I just wanted those young kids out there in the second half were able to pass the ball and wanted to pass the ball about and wanted to get on the ball and they all showed that so I was pleased.

“I want to give them the experience of playing against good, honest pros and that’s what Dover are full off and if they learn anything out of that 45 minutes tonight – the second half team – it will put them on their way to their football careers at eighteen.”

Dover Athletic went on to dominate the rest of the game.

Modeste reached the by-line and cut the ball back to Stone, who whipped in an excellent first time cross towards the far post and Wynter planted his header over from 14-yards, despite being left in acres of space.

Dover Athletic substitute Matt Locke played a short corner to Wynter, who was given time and space to float a cross over Steele towards the far post but Orlu couldn’t steer the ball in from a tight angle.

Kinnear and Al Ashban were both forced off through injury and following the resulting free-kick, Locke drilled his 35-yard effort narrowly over Steele’s crossbar.

Steele was at fault for gifting Dover Athletic a deserved second when he came rushing out to bring Locke down and referee Nigel Lugg pointed to the spot.

Reid stepped up and smashed his right-footed penalty into the top right-hand corner with a minute to go.

“We’re going to play every game for penalties,” joked Kinnear. “We’ll be alright in the World Cup or play-offs!”

The Dover Athletic boss revealed he’s got penalty kick options for the season ahead.

“We’ve got Baz (Cogan), haven’t we? We’ve got Stefan (Payne), who takes a great penalty, who scored on Saturday. We’ll play for penalties in future!”

McKimm added: “As a young keeper as well, James has come out and made the decision that he’s committed and the penalty’s been given and the blokes put it in the top corner.

“But what was that? 89 minutes? It’s 1-0 and then they get a penalty right at the end, so listen yes they had more possession.

“I would have liked to have threatened them a bit more with Owen (Kabodi) up front to test out his pace but those boys in the second half we’re learning. They’ve been given an opportunity, they’ll get another opportunity and as the season goes on I might need them so the more experience they get now the better it is in the long run.”

Dover Athletic have won both of their pre-season games so far after coming away from another Ryman Premier League side Canvey Island with a 4-1 win at the weekend.

Kinnear said: “It’s getting a game under our belts really and that’s why we played a lot for 60 minutes and on Thursday (at Erith & Belvedere) we’ll play another lot for 60 minutes. It’s just getting our fitness really.

“You don’t win anything pre-season. I’ve never really worried about pre-season in that respect. You’ve just got to learn something from every pre-season game.”

Dover Athletic kick-off their Conference Premier campaign with a home game against FC Halifax Town on Saturday 9 August.

When asked whether he knows his starting eleven for the Crabble clash, Kinnear replied: “No! Not a chance! No, I don’t know, not at all. I really don’t!

“They’ve got to show us here. I actually said that to them. I don’t know what the side is, you’ve got to show that you can fit into the side.”

When asked his aspirations for the season ahead, Kinnear added: “To do as well as we can.

“Kevin (Raine, my scout) will be watching and we’ll be learning about them (Halifax and our league rivals) very quickly. It’s not easy when you don’t really know.

“It usually takes a couple of years to get our balance a bit. Once we’ve learnt the league, even though we’ve seen a few of the games last year and watched it on television, we’ll be ok in that respect. It’s just about building as quick as we can and playing from strength-to-strength.

“Nick Deverdics, who came on, he’s been on trial up at Halifax and he said they’ve just gone for massive, massive players, big, strong lads. I suppose people in the Conference have looked at Luton, who got up with big, powerful players. Cambridge got up and won the FA Trophy with big, powerful players and I think that’s going to be the order of the day in the Conference. We’ll have to have a think about that as well.”

Tonbridge Angels: Kyle Merson (James Steele 62), James Folkes (Mishari Al Ashban 46, Tom Parkinson 83), Ben King (Jack Parter 46), Lee Carey (Nathan Campbell 46), Jerrome Sobers (Matt Harden 46), Jon Heath (Hamilton Bunga 62), Harry Harding (Troy Ferguson 46), Tom Parkinson (Adedemi Bolaji 62), Billy Medlock (Owen Kabodi 46), Tommy Whitnell, Dee Okojie (Flavio Tavares 46).

Dover Athletic: Mitch Walker, Craig Stone, Tom Wynter, Chris Kinnear (Tambeson Eyong 80), Sean Raggett, Richard Orlu, Tyrone Sterling (Sean Francis 82), Liam Bellamy (Nick Deverdics 76), Nathan Elder (Jake Reid 63), Barry Cogan (Matt Locke 63), Tom Murphy (Ricky Modeste 46).
Subs: Stefan Payne, Lee Hook, Jack Evans

Goals: Nathan Elder 61, Jake Reid 89 (pen)

Attendance: 252
Referee: Mr Nigel Lugg (Chipstead, Surrey)
Assistants: Mr Ronald Albert (Catford, London SE6) & Mr Leigh Judd (Tunbridge Wells)