Tonbridge Angels 2-1 Dover Athletic - Everyone's given their all today, says Tommy Warrilow

TONBRIDGE ANGELS  2-1  DOVER ATHLETIC
Blue Square Bet South
Wednesday 26^th December 2012
Stephen McCartney reports from Longmead Stadium

TONBRIDGE ANGELS boss Tommy Warrilow says his players’ gave him everything after they ended Dover Athletic’s impressive unbeaten record on their travels.

Dover Athletic, who went into this high-noon Showdown sitting in second-place in the Blue Square Bet South table with 40 points from 20 games, last suffered a league defeat on the road at Dartford on 3 December 2011, but after stretching that run to 21 games following their 4-2 win at Hayes & Yeading United in their last game eleven days’ ago, that run came to an end in front of Tonbridge Angels’ largest crowd of the season.

Dover Athletic started the game on the front foot, showing confidence having won their last six games, but they were hit by a sucker-punch when Sonny Miles gave the Angels the lead against the run of play in the 21^st minute.

Tonbridge Angels striker, George Purcell, who was taunted by the travelling fans, who sang “you’re just a s*** washing powder,” doubled his side’s lead after 65 minutes, before the home side were reduced to ten-men when left-back Henry Muggeridge picked up his second yellow card, the first for handball, the second for timewasting, with fourteen minutes left.

Dover Athletic set-up a grandstand finish when striker Ben May scored his 12^th goal of the season with three minutes remaining, but the Angels held on to climb up six places to 12th-place in the table, with 23 points from 19 games, four points clear of the relegation zone and seven points behind fifth-placed Farnborough.

Warrilow was pleased that his three-game run without a win or a goal has ended with a morale boosting win over their bitter-rivals.

“I asked the boys, I don’t care how we got it, but I wanted 100% from everyone,” said Warrilow.

“I wanted a kick, b****ck and punch performance and get at people.  I didn’t come off the pitch and say they didn’t give me their all. 

“We were obviously up against it when we were reduced to ten-men and we had our chances to get the third goal to probably kill the game off and all the time you don’t do that when they get one back it makes it a little bit lively that it probably could have been.

“I’m absolutely delighted because that’s the first game they’ve lost away since god knows how long and they’re on a little roll at the moment.

“Anyone can beat anyone on their day in this league so today it was our turn.

“But I thought everyone’s given their all today so hopefully it can start it off. We wanted to get something today. We’ve got three points. It’s important now we don’t toss that away against Bromley on Saturday.”

Dover Athletic boss, Nicky Forster, added: “I can’t blame them.  They’ve been on an incredible run away from home. We’ve won six games on the bounce. It was always going to happen, we were going to lose away.  The run was going to come to an end and it’s just how we respond from that now.”

Dover Athletic, wearing orange shirts, hit Tonbridge Angels on the counter-attack and almost opened the scoring after only 65 seconds.

Barry Cogan swept the ball out wide to right-winger Ricky Modeste, who cut inside and his low right-footed shot was blocked by the advancing Lee Worgan at his near post, the ball bouncing just wide of the post.

Worgan then made a low save to his left to push May’s shot on the turn around the post after Dover Athletic central defender Steve Watt clipped forward a free-kick.

Warrilow was pleased that his defence – Ollie Schulz and Gary Elphick were both immense – kept Dover Athletic at bay after the visitors’ forced four corners inside the opening five minutes.

He said: “We’ve defended the corners well. They had five corners in the first 5-10 minutes but it just shows that we’ve grown as a squad.  Gary Elphick has been a fantastic signing for us and it showed.  Gary and Ollie Schulz were towers of strength back there and when you’re playing against a team like Dover, who like to hit the boy Ben May at top, we knew they were dangerous from set-pieces.

“I’m delighted with the whole back four. Worgs, whenever he’s called upon never lets us down.   I thought the back four defended well and that included Sonny Miles, who we pushed into midfield today.”

Forster added:  “We had a good start. We could and should have taken the lead and the problem when you don’t capitalise on periods when you’re in the ascendancy you leave yourself vulnerable sometimes.”

Tonbridge Angels’ opening chance came in the 12^th minute when Muggeridge stroked a high ball into the penalty area and Schulz sent a towering header over from fifteen-yards.

But Tonbridge Angels withstood the early Dover Athletic storm and started to nudge their way back into the game.

The impressive Mark Lovell – starting his first game since the win at Maidstone United in the Kent Senior Cup on 13 November – almost scored with a goal out of nothing.

The former Dover Athletic striker was brought down to the deck by Dean Rance but Lovell quickly bounced up on to his feet, looked up and looped a right-footed shot from 30-yards, which dipped towards goal and Lee Hook used his left hand to push the ball over his crossbar.

Warrilow was full of praise for Lovell, whose dad Steve, who now works for Charlton Athletic, was in the crowd.

“Great piece of skill, it reminded me of the Glenn Hoddle chip against Watford.  I was standing right behind that and it’s great vision,” he said.

“Lover’s has been a pleasure to have at the club. He’s disappointed not to be playing. Whenever I’ve played him he’s never let me down. It was touch and go whether I’d play him or Aaron Gayle at Dartford last week. I went with Gaylie but I thought he would be a bit more of a physical presence up there, but I felt Lover’s deserved his chance today.

“He’s a very clever footballer. He dropped into holes when people were going forward. I’m delighted with him. He’s done what we needed doing. He just ran out of legs eventually but I’m pleased with his contribution today.”

Forster explained why Hook replaced Mitch Walker in the Dover Athletic goal.

He said: “Mitch is injured so that’s why we went without a keeper on the bench.  We don’t generally go without a keeper on the bench but Mitch damaged his shoulder in training on Thursday night so he wasn’t available.

“I don’t know what the situation with Mitch is. We’ve just found out yesterday that he wasn’t able to play today and we’ll asses him over the next few days’ and see how bad he is and whether he’s got any opportunity of playing or where we are with that.”

But Tonbridge Angels grabbed the lead following the resulting corner, which was totally against the run of play at the time.

Rory Hill swept in the corner from the right flank and Lovell’s header was blocked, Frannie Collins’ follow-up shot was blocked and Miles rifled the loose ball into the roof of the net from inside a crowded six-yard box to score his second goal of the season.

Miles also scored the Angels’ first goal in the 2-2 home drew against Bromley last Boxing Day and Warrilow said:  “Second bite of the cherry, again, second balls. We said about today the pitch is going to be slippery and mistakes were going to be made.

“I thought Frannie’s work-rate was outstanding,” added Warrilow. “He got a couple of shots off and Frannie will get a goal. It was his first block from the corner weren’t it? That sums it up for Fran at the moment.  Someone’s on the line, it’s hit him on the bum, it’s gone to Sonny and Sonny’s tapped it in.  Frannie and George need one of them. George has got his so hopefully Fran will get his against Bromley, but they’re two class players so I’ve got no concerns with them.”

Forster couldn’t hide his disappointment and added: “We’ve conceded another set-piece, which is really disappointing.  It’s the first chance they had.  The first opportunity they had to put a ball in our box and they scored from it so that is incredibly frustrating, but we’ve been in that situation before.

“I thought for periods of the game, certainly for the first 30 minutes up until their goal and the last 20 minutes of the game, for 50-60 minutes of the game we’ve totally dominated it but you can’t concede goals in the manner we did today.”

Dover Athletic nearly forced an equaliser within three minutes of going a goal down when Cogan whipped in a fine cross from the left and May’s right-footed shot on the turn bounced into Worgan’s gloves to make a comfortable low save.

Dover Athletic created another chance on the half-hour mark when Cogan played the ball inside to May, who with his back to goal cut the ball back to Rance who played the ball inside to midfield magician Daryl McMahon, who burst forward before bouncing his left-footed drive wide from 30-yards.

Tonbridge Angels ventured forward towards the end of the half and Hill swung in a free-kick from the touch-line and Schulz made a late unchallenged run towards the far post but sent his header over from eight-yards.

When asked what he said to his players’ during the interval, Forster replied, “The same as I say anytime.  We talk about things that we can improve on, area’s that we’re doing well.

“Just the challenge for them was to go out and reproduce a second half performance similar to what we did at Hayes & Yeading last week.  It didn’t happen today.”

The Angels’ were denied by an offside flag after only 53 seconds after Danny Waldren drilled a low cross across the face of goal and Lovell bundled the ball into the bottom right-hand corner from an offside position.

But Dover Athletic missed their first second half chance when Cogan slipped the ball inside to May, who had time and space but could only crack his right-footed drive high over the crossbar from 25-yards.

Tonbridge Angels went close to doubling their lead when Miles, Hill and Muggeridge combined and Miles’ hanging cross was flicked on by Hill and fell to Collin unmarked at the far post and his low right-footed angled drive was saved by Hook at his near post.

But Tonbridge Angels eventually doubled their lead in the 65^th minute, courtesy of Purcell’s fifth-goal of the season since his move from Dover Athletic.

Worgan took his time and considered his options before punting the ball up field,  which was flicked on by Lovell and fell nicely for Purcell to prod a left-footed shot past a stranded Hook to find the bottom right-hand corner.

Warrilow said: “I texted George yesterday and said to him to just relax and the Dover fans had a bit of banter with him.

“I’m pleased with George.  I’ve said to him I’ve got no qualms with him since he’s been here.  He wants to score more goals. I want him to score more goals, but his overall work-rate and everything was exceptional and again today he deserves that goal because he’s chased in behind. He’s done a little deeper run than Frannie, but there was a lad in an offside position who stood still and George has cashed in behind him and tucked it away nicely. Hopefully that makes George relax a bit more as well.”

Forster added: “I’m not happy with any goal I concede, regardless.  I thought the second one was poor as well, but the first one was from a set-piece, which we’re conceding too many from.”

Warrilow, who was watching from up high from the camera position above the clubhouse due to the last of his two match touchline ban, was cursing his luck after his side was denied a third halfway through the half.

Collin’s angled drive was blocked by Hook and the ball fell to Lee Browning, whose low right-footed shot was struck powerfully straight at right-back Chris Sessegnon and Lovell drove his shot wide of the far post.

“You need that third goal,” said Warrilow.  “It’s that elusive 2-0 score. Everyone will tell you the next goal can dictate how the game goes and we were under it especially when you get what seemed like three hours of added time!”

Dover Athletic missed a decent chance with twenty minutes remaining when McMhaon’s corner was cleared out to Watt, who clipped the ball back into the penalty area, where Worgan stretched to push to ball away.  McMahon clipped the ball back across goal from the by-line to find May at the far post, who sent his downward header wide of the near post from six-yards.

Dover Athletic substitute Calum Willock had a fine goal ruled out for offside in the 72^nd minute.

When asked his thoughts on the decision, Forster replied, “I’m standing on the half-way line. I’ve got no idea of knowing. There wasn’t any mumblings about it in the changing room afterwards. They weren’t moaning.”

But Tonbridge Angels’ made life hard for themselves when Muggeridge picked up his second yellow card from referee Ian Cooper, much to Warrilow’s disgust.

He said: “It was just very, very, very harsh!  I spoke to the ref and he’s told him to hurry up, hurry up, hurry up, but I just think when you’re on a yellow I think it’s very harsh.

“I think if that was a Dover shirt on the ball I don’t think he would have done it.

“The first booking was fair enough, he’s hit it on his hand, but when you know someone’s on a booking I don’t think you should book him and send him off.

“It’s a bit early to try and timewaste but we’ve got to sort that out when that (suspension) comes along in two weeks’ time.”

Forster felt Tonbridge should have lost been awarded a penalty and possibly another red card for the home side inside injury time after a confrontation between Elphick and May inside the Angels penalty area.

He said: “There did seem to be a fracas between Ben May and Gary Elphick and he’s walked up to Ben in the box and pushed him when the ball’s still in play, so I don’t understand how that was just a drop ball?”

As the Angels sat back to protect their two-goal lead, Dover Athletic continued to press and May curled a left-footed shot wide from 25-yards, before Worgan was finally beaten with three minutes of normal time left.

Central midfielder Rance was given time and space by the Angels’ defence and he cracked a right-footed drive from 30-yards, which screamed through a crowd of players and Worgan dived to his right to parry but the ball fell to May, who rifled a right-footed shot into the net and picked the ball out of the net and placed it on to the centre spot.

“We only score when it’s raining,” sang the travelling fans’ behind the goal, hoping their side, who scored four second half goals in the rain in their last game, would claim a share of the Kentish bragging rights with a late comeback.

Forster said: “I thought towards the end of the game we had more and more chances.  There were a number towards the end. There were blocks and the keeper made a few good saves so on the face of things we’ve created enough chances to score the two goals we needed to get a draw, certainly accumulative with the first half chances.”

Warrilow added: “I’ve said to Worgs in there, it’s a great save but I want him to parry it away from goal. I always throw comments at him to keep him on his toes.

“Again, also where were we for the second ball? It’s come back in, why weren’t we first to it?

“We’ve had a lot of pressure when we was under the cosh for the last five to ten minutes when they were throwing everything at us. We were letting them have it at the back and we were just hoping that our two centre halves would do what they’ve done all game, be nice and strong with the aerial balls and I thought they didn’t let us down.  All the time they were coming at us straight I didn’t want them getting down in the sides and deliver them in from wide areas. I was hoping we saw the game out.”

That dramatic comeback almost came but Willock was denied by an excellent save from the diving Worgan, who won Forster’s vote for man-of-the-match.

“I thought their keeper was for me man-of-the-match today,” said Forster.

“I thought he was terrific.   I thought he commanded his box. He made some outstanding saves.  I think he was the best player on the pitch today and that goes someway in saying we should have got a result.”

McMahon hooked a right-footed shot over Worgan’s crossbar inside stoppage time, but Tonbridge Angels held on to claim their first win over their Kent rivals since their 3-2 home win in the Ryman League Division One South play-off final in May 2006 - at the seventh attempt.

Dover Athletic are without a game on Saturday, but Forster wants his side to bounce back when they host Tonbridge Angels at Crabble on New Years’ Day (3pm).

Forster said: “It’s never nice to play the same team twice (very quickly) but it gives us a good opportunity to put this defeat to bed and try to get a result and move on again.

“The challenge for us now is to make sure we don’t go back-to-back defeats and we get out of the blocks and have a good go again next week.”

Tonbridge Angels welcome third-from-bottom neighbours Bromley to Longmead Stadium on Saturday, before the return game at Dover Athletic on the first day of the New Year.

Warrilow added: “We’ve got the three points and that’s the most important thing for us.  We needed it. The league is so tight.   I’m not going to toss the league away. We’ve got a few people around the club that seem to think you lose three games on the spin and automatically it’s the end of the world.  Today shows you it’s not if you go back to some good old fashioned work ethic, that’s what you get out of life.

“They’ve all put their shift in. They were all out on their feet at the end of it and they’ve given their all and you can’t ask for much more.”

Tonbridge Angels: Lee Worgan, Danny Walder, Henry Muggeridge, Lee Browning, Gary Elphick, Ollie Schulz, Sonny Miles, Mark Lovell (Ross Treleaven 73), George Purcell, Frannie Collin, Rory Hill (Chris Piper 84).
Subs: Tom Davis, Aaron Gayle, Ben Judge

Goals:  Sonny Miles 21, George Purcell 65

Booked:  Rory Hill 44, Henry Muggeridge 45, Gary Elphick 90

Sent Off: Henry Muggeridge 74

Dover Athletic: Lee Hook, Chris Sessegnon, Tom Wynter, Dean Rance, Danny Webb, Steve Watt, Ricky Modeste (Moses Ademola 55), Daryl McMahon, Ben May, Billy Bricknell, Barry Cogan (Calum Willock 65).
Subs: Lloyd Harrington, Steven Thomson, Ian Simpemba

Goal:  Ben May 87

Booked:  Dean Rance 56, Ben May 90

Attendance: 710
Referee: Mr Ian Cooper (Rochester)
Assistants: Mr Adrian Waters (Greenwich) & Mr Adam Bakalarz (Bromley)