Tunbridge Wells 4-2 Tonbridge Angels Gibbons: A few of our guys looked utterly terrified!

TUNBRIDGE WELLS 4-2 TONBRIDGE ANGELS
Saturday 29^th July 2006
Courier Cup - Pre-Season Friendly
Stephen McCartney reports from Culverden Stadium

Under-strength Kent League side Tunbridge Wells won the Courier Cup for the very first time outright, shocking their Ryman Premier League neighbours Tonbridge Angels at Culverden Stadium today.

The full-strength visitors, who have won the annual cup competition between the two sides for the past five years, took the lead inside the opening three minutes through Nick Barnes’ penalty, but three goals in a space of ten storming minutes left the Angels’ stunned.

VICTORIOUS:  Tunbridge Wells end their barren run of results against
their higher league neighbours Tonbridge Angels to win the Courier Cup today. 
The annual clash between the two sides is sponsored by the Kent & Sussex
Courier Newspaper


Pic: www.tunbridgewellsfc.co.uk


When Tunbridge Wells’ goalkeeper Jimmy Simpson was picking the ball out of his net after just 148 seconds, the home side were fearing the worse.

Barnes, who was fouled inside the box by Mike McKeown, sent the former Dartford goalkeeper the wrong way, firing into the bottom left hand corner from the spot.

Tonbridge were unlucky not to double their lead after eight minutes when Lew Watts’ glancing header, following Fraser Logan’s cross from the right, clipped the far post.

Then Luke Piscina’s pass sent John Main through and the former Cray Wanderers striker was denied at the near post by Simpson.

Logan then whipped in a cross from the left hand side, which was met by Barnes, and his shot was blocked well by Simpson.

The overawed home side created a half chance after 16 minutes when Danny Nicholls played in Wayne Balmer, whose cross was hooked clear by Angels’ defender Mike Cramp before Tom Fuller could make an impact.

Tom Fuller then received the ball from a header from Tonbridge’s experienced central defender Lew Watts, but his effort from 30-yards was off target.

Drew Watkins’ 18-yard volley at the other end, moments later, flashed just past the post following a slight deflection.

Tunbridge Wells have erected meshing high above the far end of the ground, and it did it’s job after 35 minutes when Barnes’ 35-yard chip looped high over the bar before Main was denied by a low smart save from the Wells’ goalkeeper.

But the home side burst into life during the second half, after some wise words from assistant manager Steve Gibbons, who took charge of the side with manager Martin Farnie still on holiday until tomorrow.

Tom Fuller’s 53^rd minute corner found it’s way to Adrian Hatcher, who was in the right place at the right time, and from six-yards hooked his shot into the top right hand corner.

The equaliser gave the Wells the confidence to go on and attack their higher league neighbours, and looked dangerous down the right hand side.

Angels’ player-manager Tony Dolby had seen enough and after making four changes at the break, he came on with Kieron Wilson just past the hour mark.

And Dolby twice went close when his first shot was blocked by Simpson and moments later his second shot trickled across the face of goal.

Dolby then sent over a free kick from the left, which was met by Alex O’Brien’s shaven head, but the midfielder couldn’t direct his effort inside the near post.

But Tonbridge were hit by three sucker punches in a devastating nine minute spell from the Kent League side.

Joe Fuller played the ball out to the right hand side and the flag stayed down to allow Rich - a youth team product - to race forward.

His shot, however, was well blocked by Aaron Kerr, a summer signing from Nationwide Conference side Gravesend & Northfleet, but Tom Fuller was there to nod the ball home into an empty net.

Things got worse for the Irish goalkeeper just two minutes later as Rich’s cross-cum-shot across the face of goal crept into the bottom far corner.

And Rich’s corner, with ten minutes remaining, was met by a glancing header from substitute Chris Stoate, finding the far corner.

But Main restored some pride to the Angels in the final four minutes, bursting forward, he drove a fierce shot across Simpson and the ball crashed into the net.

The only time Tunbridge Wells had got their hands on the Courier Cup was when they shared the silverware following a 0-0 draw.

Steve Gibbons, Wells’ assistant manager, revealed to www.kentishfootball.co.uk in an EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW after the game that his players we’re “utterly terrified” facing the Angels.

When asked how if felt ending the club’s barren run of results against a side that play less than six miles away, Gibbons said; “It’s brilliant, it’s absolutely brilliant! I mean before the game we had a few guys there who looked utterly terrified, didn’t look like they wanted to play.

“We had to give them a bit of a word in the changing room before hand to say “look it’s a friendly, anything can happen - let’s just have a good go at them. If we’re going to go out make sure you play” - and we did!”

Gibbons, a former Tunbridge Wells player who played either in goal or up front, heaped praise on Alex Rich.

He said: “I didn’t feel we played that bad, it was only the first coupe of minutes where we looked a bit shaky and gave away the penalty.

“But it did stir us so it was a blessing in disguise really. We actually started to play, we went out there and believed it.

“We got the ball out wide, Alex looked quite superb, Wayne (Balmer) worked really hard and they were the difference.

“At half-time we said “keep getting the ball out wide because they didn’t like it” - it made the difference!”

Gibbons was, however, without the services of Aaron O’Leary, Andy Garrett and Ben Hilden, but Tonbridge were at full strength, especially during the first half.

But player-manager Tony Dolby is not too despondent with the defeat, after “chopping and changing” team personnel to get the right formula for their Ryman Premier League opener at Hendon in three weeks time.

“These first two games, against Ashford and Tunbridge Wells, we’ve chopped and changed a little bit,” he said. “We’ve experimented a little bit and not put the onus too much on certain things, so not too despondent about losing the game but certain mannerisms of certain aspects of it were not very pleasing.

“But these are the times to eak them out and get them sorted before the real stuff starts.”

Dolby, meanwhile, has four pre-season friendlies remaining to fine tune his side - starting with the home game against Farnborough Town on Tuesday night.

“There’s lots to talk about, lots to say individually and collectively, which we will go through the next few days,” he said.

“We’ve got another friendly against Farnborough on Tuesday and we’ll be back at it again.

Tonbridge Angels, however, did have something to be cheerful about today, as their youth side defeated their Tunbridge Wells’ counterparts before the main event courtesy of goals from Ashley Dann and John Hampson.

Reserve team manager Julian Leigh, who took charge of the side, said after the game that he was pleased that his new-look side won.

“It’s a new squad getting together, with five or six lads from Gravesend & Northfleet,” he said.

“It’s a case of getting some games under their belts.”

Dartford, who have won three of their five pre-season matches, travel to Culverden Stadium on Tuesday night.

Tony Burman’s side, who drew 1-1 at East Thurrock United today courtesy of Jay May’s 20-yarder, have beaten Thamesmead Town (3-0), Slade Green (3-0) and Tilbury (3-1) and have also shared six goals at Whitstable Town.

* We shall bring you more quotes from Tony Dolby and Steve Gibbons later.