Tonbridge Angels 1-0 Hastings United - Main has not reached his peak, warns Dolby - EXCLUSIVE

TONBRIDGE ANGELS 1-0 HASTINGS UNITED
Ryman Premier League
Bank Holiday Monday, 27^th August 2007
Stephen McCartney reports from Betterview Longmead Stadium

Tonbridge Angels boss Tony Dolby has warned his rivals that his star-striker, Jon Main has not yet “reached his peak” - despite the 26-year-old predator gabbing a dramatic late victory over Hastings United today.

At Hendon on Saturday, the Angels were 2-0 up after 80 minutes, courtesy of Main and Hamid Barr, but goals from Craig Vargas (timed at 89 minutes: 30 seconds), Wayne O’Sullivan (92:05) and Brian Haule (94:30), left Dolby with a “sick” feeling.

But the tables were turned today, when Main netted his fourth goal of the season to grab the points with 89:20 on the clock.

The Crayford-based striker latched onto a ball over the top of Hastings’ defence, from substitute Fraser Logan, which dropped over the head of substitute defender, Kevin Rose.

With a sun-basked crowd roaring him towards goal, his pace left Rose red-faced as Main only had one obstacle - goalkeeper Lee Worgan.

And Worgan was beaten as Main cracked a left-footed shot that flew past the goalkeeper from 12-yards - a trademark Main strike.

And Dolby insists Main, who netted a record breaking 44-goals for the club last season, can only get better.

“Jon didn’t have a good game today, but that’s one thing that he can do, score goals,” Dolby said EXCLUSIVELY to www.kentishfootball.co.uk, afterwards.

“He had a few opportunities, didn’t look fit or sharp enough, which we spoke about, but he certainly knows where the goal is, and yes, four (goals) in four, it’s not bad for someone whose not at their peak at the moment.”

Dolby made three changes to his side that were defeated at Claremont Road on Saturday.

Gravesend-born defender, John Beales, 21, returned into the heart of a back-four for James Donovan, who was relegated to the bench.

Beales, making his 200^th start for the Angels today, and midfielder, Scott Kinch, had completed their three-match bans that were held over from last season.

The other change was Ryan Martin, who came into the side for Logan - but the Scottish winger was to make a match-winning impact, later on.

Hastings United, meanwhile, also made three changes to the side that had beaten Ashford Town (Middlesex) 2-0 on Saturday.

The Arrows had defeated Maidstone United (4-0) on home soil - but were thumped 6-0 at much-fancied side, Billericay Town on the opening day of the season.

And the east Sussex side put in their usual workmanlike performance, displays that helped them clinch promotion into the Ryman Premier League - with Maidstone United - having defeated Dover Athletic and Tooting & Mitcham United in the play-off’s.

With players playing in boiling temperatures for the second successive game, it was the west Kent side that created the game’s first chance - inside four minutes.

But Ryan Martin’s left-footed drive from 25-yards, deflected just past the foot of the left-upright.

Hastings United, however, went on to dominate the first half, nine of their ten corners came during the first-period, but they couldn’t get past former West Ham United stopper, Matt Reed.

Hastings’ fourth corner of the game, during a spell where they had forced three successive flag-kick’s, Lee Carey, who spent a work experience period with Tonbridge whilst he was with Brighton & Hove Albion a couple of season‘s ago, cut the ball back to Russell Eldridge in space, but his left-footed drive deflected wide.

Striker Steve Harper, who failed to impress playing for his home-town club today, cut inside Rhys Whybrow after fifteen minutes but he lacked the killer conviction and allowed Worgan to smother the ball at his feet.

Eldridge and Carey were both off target for Hastings in a spell of intense pressure and highly-rated skipper, central defender Sean Ray, squandered an excellent chance after 20 minutes.

It came from the Arrows’ fifth corner of the game, taken by Eldridge, but Ray’s towering header was too close to Reed, who plucked the ball out of the air.

But three minutes later, Tonbridge went close, courtesy of a superb whipped in, left-footed in swinging free-kick from Martin.

Martin’s free-kick, out on the right-flank, was met at the far-post by Beales, who headed over from just four-yards out.

Hastings’ striker, John Bradley glanced a header agonisingly past the far post, following a cross from the left from Danny Spice.

The hardworking, Tommy Tyne, who started the game on the right-hand side of a four-man midfield, before reverting to partner Main later in the game, worked tirelessly for the Angels and he was denied in the 28^th minute.

The former Dover Athletic player received a ball from Main, but his stroked left-footed shot from 25-yards brought a low save from Worgan.

Passions erupted late in the first half, just in front of the dug-outs, which resulted in Robbie Kember and Anthony Storey being booked for the home side, and Hastings’ Dominic Cruttenden, who, at the time, was warming the bench.

Harper’s only major contribution of the game arrived on the stroke of half-time when he picked out Main at the far-post but the striker looped a header across Worgan but the ball dropped agonisingly over the top of the far post.

Hastings missed another chance inside the opening four minutes of the second half.

Spice whipped in a cross from the right, towards the far post but Eldridge planted his header past the near post, from an acute angle, just six-yards out.

Scott Kirkwood’s right-footed angled drive brought a fine save from Reed before Main’s first chance of the game arrived after 52 minutes.

Main cut in from the left, and from a central position, drove a shot past the left-post.

Dolby made a double change - with Richard Harris picking up a knock - just before the hour-mark, and this sparked his side into life.

Kinch, bursting forward, saw his attempted lob drop wide of the far post before Tyne, now playing as a striker, latched onto Kinch’s through ball, but Worgan saved the shot high above his head at his near-post.

And with fifteen minutes remaining, following Storey’s chipped free-kick from midfield, Kinch, with his back to goal, looped a header over the top of the far-post.

With the Angels now putting their visitors under immense pressure, fans had thought Kember had scored when his long-range half-volley, screamed past the post.

Jon Heath, who deserved his man-of-the-match award for keeping Ade Olorunda, the Hastings striker, under wraps, whipped in a cross, which was glanced wide by Tyne with time ticking away.

But when you’ve got England’s hottest property in your side, striker Main can pop up and do the damage and turn one point into a vital three - scoring with a trademark strike.

Afterwards, in the same goal-mouth, some Hastings youngsters, of primary school age, were trying to emulate the Angels’ hit-man, playing with their mates - if they were older, they would have wished that their club could be able to sign - and more importantly keep - a player of Main’s quality.

“Three points was what was required for today, and if we didn’t get it, we would have gone into next week under a bit of pressure,” said Dolby afterwards.

“But we’ve got the three points, just one defeat to our name and we’ve had so many people out, so I think our season’s going to start here.”

Dolby, however, felt his side deserved to win.

“I thought we put them under immense pressure in the second half, having chance after chance,” he said.

“We didn’t give up and we eventually got our rewards, I thought,”

But he admitted his side will need to improve, ahead of their next two games, at Margate next Saturday, and at home to another Kent side, Folkestone Invicta in eight days time.

“There’s always things to improve on,” he said. “I thought we looked solid today, never looked like we were going to concede.

“Hastings had a few corners in the first half, down the slight slope with the wind, and I thought we dealt with them quite well.

“I’m sure we’re gonna build on this and drive forward again.

“Today was somewhat a bit of a derby as well, so these games, doesn’t matter who we play, they’re going to be tough games.”

Dolby was, however, full of praise of man-of-the-match, Heath.

He said: “I thought John done exceptionally well, he’s been consistent this season, he deserved his award.

“It was a game for defenders today, both teams had played 48 hours before and it was hot again like it was on Saturday so it was a day to stand up and be counted and I thought did that defensively today.”

And on their trip to Hartsdown Park next Saturday, Dolby added: “The league is going to be strong again this year, Margate have obviously had a couple of good results, we’ll see what they’ve got to offer.

“We’ll go into it with a few more faces available and the squad will be stronger I’m sure.”

And with 636 fans watching his side today, Dolby believes the majority of them will watch their next home game, against Folkestone Invicta.

“I think the supporters are certainly going to be there, certainly help if we can string a few more wins together, I’m sure.

“Next Tuesday, Folkestone, I know it’s a night game, but we’ll anticipate another decent crowd and if we can keep winning, they’ll keep coming through the door, everyone’s a winner.”


Tonbridge Angels: Matt Reed, Robert Kember, Jon Heath, Scott Kinch, Richard Harris (James Donovan 57), John Beales, Tommy Tyne, Anthony Storey, Steve Harper (Fraser Logan 57), Jon Main, Ryan Martin.
Subs: Mike Cramp, Tony Dolby, Kurt Husnu.

Goal: Jon Main 89

Booked: Anthony Storey 39, Robert Kember 37

Hastings United: Lee Worgan, Danny Spice (Tom Cusden 75), Jimmy Eldford, Rhys Whyborne (Kevin Rose 62), Sean Ray, Lee Carey, Danny Ellis, Scott Kirkwood, Ade Olorunda, John Bradley (Dominic Cruttenden 85), Russell Eldridge.
Subs: David Henham, Brett Griffen.

Booked: Dominic Cruttenden 38, Scott Kirkwood 42

Attendance: 636
Referee: Mr Tony Power (Stanmore, Middlesex)
Assistants: Mr Paul Beadle (Sevenoaks, Kent) & Mr David Spain (St Leonards on Sea, East Sussex)