Alex O'Brien relishing Kingstonian test

Wednesday 24th November 2010

TONBRIDGE ANGELS assistant manager Alex O’Brien says he is relishing their mouth-watering clash against high-flying Kingstonian at Longmead Stadium on Saturday, writes Stephen McCartney.

A ninth minute header from talented central midfielder Chris Piper - his second goal for the club following his move from Croydon Athletic - sealed a comfortable 1-0 win over Cray Wanderers at Hayes Lane last night.

The Angels seventh league defeat of the season ended a run of four games without a win in any competition and takes Tommy Warrilow’s side back into the top ten in the Ryman Premier League table and O’Brien, who was talking to www.kentishfootball.co.uk is looking forward to the clash against Alan Dowson’s third-placed K’s.

“It’s a tough game,” said O’Brien. “K’s are steeped in history, are a very, very good side and are always going to be there or there abouts.

“They have a decent management team with Dows (Alan Dowson) and Mark Hams, they have good players, but it’s a test. They’ll probably be saying the same thing about us, that we have good players.

“The bottom line is come Saturday, let battle commence. We’ll get on with it and we’ll give it a go and hopefully get what we deserve.”

The Angels travel to Blue Square Bet South Dartford next Tuesday night in the first round of the Kent Senior Cup.

And while O’Brien is keeping Tommy Warrilow's team selection under wraps, he wants his side to beat one of his former clubs.

O’Brien, who skippered Tony Burman’s side to the Ryman League Division One North title in April 2008, wants to knock his former side out of the County Cup.

He said: “It’s a Cup competition, I think me and Tom are from the same cloth, that’s whether we’re playing cards or football matches - we want to win.

“We’ll go to Dartford, a fantastic place, and it will be a game that we want to win.

”Dartford are obviously in a higher league and doing great but we want to go there and show we want to be apart of that. We want to be beating good sides and being in better league’s and that’s what drives us.”

Meanwhile, the Darts have snapped up George Purcell on a one-month loan deal from Blue Square Bet Premier side York City. The 22-year-old striker, who progressed through the ranks at nearby Ebbsfleet United, has been sidelined following ankle surgery, and has yet to start for York City since moving from Braintree Town in the summer.

Visit Tonbridge Angels’ website: www.tonbridgeangels.co.uk

Tonbridge Angels v Kingstonian

Ryman Premier League

Saturday 27th November 2010

Kick Off 3:00pm

At Longmead Stadium, Darenth Avenue, Tonbridge, Kent TN10 3JW