Tonbridge Angels 3-3 Chatham Town - Miles: It's going well - EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWS

TONBRIDGE ANGELS 3-3 CHATHAM TOWN
Pre-Season Friendly
Saturday 5^th August 2006
Stephen McCartney reports from Betterview Longmead Stadium

Chatham Town manager Phil Miles admitted he was pleased with his side following their 3-3 draw at Ryman Premier League side Tonbridge Angels.

The Medway side, who opened their pre-season campaign with a 2-1 defeat at Ramsgate, have now gone four games unbeaten - pleasing Miles.

Kent League sides Herne Bay (3-0) and Thamesmead Town (4-0) were beaten before much-fancied side Margate were held to a 1-1 draw at Maidstone Road last week.

And at the Betterview Longmead Stadium they could have gone a goal down inside just 12 SECONDS when Ray Powell’s shot from just two yards out - following John Mains cross from the right - bounced back off the right post.



UNLUCKY:  Ray Powell (red) came close to opening the scoring for Tonbridge
Angels after just 12 seconds into their pre-season friendly against
Chatham Town

Photographs courtesy of David Couldridge - www.tonbridgeafc.co.uk

But Main opened the scoring for Tonbridge inside the opening four minutes, stroking home from eight-yards after Chatham Town defender Rob Goodyear, who signed for the club from Herne Bay following the Margate game, flicked on a cross from Angels’ Scott Gooding on the right.

GOAL:  Red shirted Tonbridge Angels net in front of the
www.kentishfootball.co.uk advertising board at the Betterview Longmead
Stadium

Photograph Courtesy of David Couldridge - www.tonbridgeafc.co.uk

Tonbridge started the game well, and Robert Kember, whose signed for the club from Crawley Town, then tested the Chatham Town goalkeeper.

Chris Smith, whose on trial from Kent County League side Milton Athletic, made a low save to his right and clutched the ball at the second attempt.

Chatham carved open a half chance after 21 minutes when Mark Brooks’ powered home a header into the grateful arms of Aaron Kerr following a cross from former Angel Darren Smith.

But Darren Smith drew the Medway side level on 26 minutes as they resulted to route one football.

Drew Watkins swung in a near post corner for the home side but Chris Smith plucked the ball off Ray Powell’s head at his near post.

The goalkeeper’s clearance flicked off the head of Mike Cramp, the Angels’ central defender, and Smith drove a right-footed 25-yard shot across Kerr and into the bottom corner.

Kerr, signed in the close season from Nationwide Conference side Gravesend & Northfleet, made two fine saves late in the half to deny Rob Denness and Ross Finn, tipping both efforts over the bar.

But slack marking from the home side helped Chatham to take the lead after just 61 seconds into the second half.

Tonbridge defender John Heath allowed Luke Harvey to whip in a cross from the right by-line, finding Finn, who volleyed across Kerr and into the bottom right hand corner from 12-yards.

Fraser Logan, meanwhile, tried his luck from distance but he was never going to trouble the Chatham keeper.

Angels’ player-manager Tony Dolby and Wade Falana, whose been training at Ryman League Division One side Croydon Athletic, both came on with thirty minutes remaining, and Dolby was the spark the home side needed.

But Chatham should have put the game beyond any doubt when Harvey fired wide of the left post after Kerr blocked Denness’ shot.

Watkins’ drive, following Logan’s corner, was cleared off the line by blonde haired Bradley King, who was well positioned on the left post.

But Dolby brought his side level at 2-2 with twenty minutes remaining, when his left-footed quickly taken free kick from 25-yards crept inside the bottom left hand corner.

Chatham were gifted the lead with eight minutes remaining when Logan needlessly gave away a corner.

Darren Smith’s corner found Adam Douglas, a recent signing from Sittingbourne, unmarked and he fired home from 14-yards.

GOAL:  Chatham Town's Adam Douglas (number 15 in blue), gave his side
a 3-2 lead at the Betterview Longmead Stadium on Saturday against
Tonbridge Angels, wearing red shirts.

Photographs courtesy of David Couldridge - www.tonbridgeafc.co.uk

Tonbridge, meanwhile, made sure honours were even, scoring the last goal of the game three minutes later.

Forcing three successive corners, John Beales came up from his defensive duties to power Dolby’s far post corner into the net.

Speaking in an EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW with www.kentishfootball.co.uk, Miles was happy with his team.

He said: “Very pleased, they worked really hard, we scored some good goals, playing against a really good team and I think we held our own.”

Reflecting on their pre-season programme, Miles said: “It’s been going really well. I don’t want to tempt fate too much but the lads are really showing me that we can really compete in this league.

“We’re playing some good sides at the moment. Margate was a great result, today was fantastic again, in the heat. It did drain them towards the end but the fitness looks fine, the shapes good and we’re scoring goals, which is pleasing.”

Miles’ men play their third successive Ryman Premier League team on Monday night when they travel to Folkestone Invicta.

Harlow Town then visit Maidstone Road on 12^th August before they kick off their Ryman League Division One South campaign when Croydon Athletic visit.

Looking ahead to the game at the Buzzlines Stadium, Miles added: “Another good opposition, it will be the same as today I’m sure - well organised.

“Neil Cugley’s been there for ten years and he’s had some good sides there so it’s exactly what we need.

“We need to play better opposition than us and it’s giving us a good test and it’s showing some of the lads that’s how they need to perform to be successful.”

Miles admitted he has an idea of what his starting eleven will be on day one of the league campaign.

He added: “It’s speaking for itself at the moment. One or two positions that I’m looking to consolidate but the team’s pretty much there. It just needs fine tuning basically.”

Tony Dolby, meanwhile, wasn’t too pleased as his side wilted in the heat.

“There were a few negatives, some positives as well,” he said. “Very hot day, we played some very good stuff and looked very comfortable in the first 15-20 minutes.

“The grass is very long down here, still managed to keep the ball well and we gave them a very sloppy goal away to put them back into the game.

“I think the heat played a major part today. Like I say there’s lots of positives but a few negatives that we need to iron out but we’ve got time - we’re on course.”