ANGELS’ DAY OF DESTINY: WE’VE GOT THE FINISHING LINE AHEAD OF US – TOMMY WARRILOW

On the eve of the most important game in the club’s history, Tonbridge Angels boss Tommy Warrilow has been sharing his thoughts ahead of what will be the biggest game the manager has ever been involved in – Saturday’s Ryman Premier League Play-Off Final at Longmead against Lowestoft Town, writes Mike Green.

 

Reflecting on his week so far, Warrilow said, “It’s been unbelievable Greenie, absolutely unbelievable.  The game on Tuesday should have been wrapped up by half time the number of chances that we had. 

”I thought the start was brilliant – we got at them; got the two goal lead and then we didn’t clear the ball properly at the back – Worgs (keeper Lee Worgan) has slipped making the clearance and they got a lift really. 

”So second half…  listen Harrow were a good side – there’s no point saying that we’ll deal with them here and there; they had a great FA Cup run, and they’ve been right up there – you don’t get top five all season through being a poor side. 

”You saw on the night what good athletes they are; they’re big strong boys and they play to their strengths. 

”On our pitch that’s what you’ve got to do – you can’t play football out there, you’ve just got to help the ball on into areas and start getting around people.  And I thought my forwards did that brilliantly all night long. 

”But all eleven of them they’ve all given everything the lot of them and they deserved it.”
 
Recalling the heart break of their last visit to the Play-Off’s two seasons ago, when Carshalton Athletic snatched a 3-2 win at Longmead, Warrilow admitted that he faced all those emotions again during Tuesday’s win,  “Massively through the mill tonight; massively, but I just didn’t want to be and feel like I did after the Carshalton game.  Me or the fans or you know...  I thought that we didn’t get many of the decisions on Tuesday to be fair – there were some pushes or shoves or whatever that I thought we could have got a bit more decision wise as some of their chances came from fouls, and I had a chat that most people probably saw with the ref during the change round in extra time as when we wanted to speak to him it didn’t seem to be allowed yet when they did he spoke to them so I just said that there’s two teams out there and that he was talking to their players and their bench and we weren’t allowed to say anything. 

”But I’m not going to take the gloss off what we achieve do Tuesday as the boys, the fans… the whole lot it’s fantastic and we’ve got the finishing line ahead of us now on Saturday…”


The Longmead faithful were undoubtedly the famed 12^th man on Tuesday – despite the TV attraction of Barcelona and Real Madrid – and the boss was full of praise for the Tonbridge contingent in the 1,124 gate. 

“Brilliant gate for a Tuesday night and we thank them all for their constant noise,” he said, “Obviously Saturday we’d like them all to come back and bring a friend with them to make the occasion even bigger and better as they’re liable to bring “a few” with them, and we’ve just got to make sure that we dig in and work our socks off again.”
 
Warrilow then turned to the challenge now facing his side who lets not forget have already recorded this season their highest every League finish, and now stand potentially just 90 minutes away from the promised Land of Blue Square Bet South! 

The Angels boss said, “I know we’re facing Lowestoft now at the weekend, but regardless of who we could have faced on Saturday – whether it had been Bury or Lowestoft as we were Tuesday – we know that we’re in for a hell of a game as you’re not going to get a pushover now. 

”I said to the boys at full time Tuesday night that I thought we finished the game very strongly – they had a spell in the second half when they played really well and got their equaliser – but I thought that we had the last ten twenty minutes of the ninety. 

”And I said to the boys that they think the games won; they think that we’re finished and we’ve got to go and prove that we’re not and if we do we’ll get chances. 

”They played a flat line at the back which is why we got in so many times in the first half and that’s how we got the winner.”

Warrilow added: “We haven’t lost to Lowestoft this season – we’ve drawn with them twice.  But we’ve nothing to fear – we know that they’re a good side, decent side.  But we’ve got players coming back to fitness – Browning’s come in and done a good shift for me tonight; Rookie’s had a little rest and done really well when he came on; I’ve got Frannie Collin to come back into the equation; Lewis Taylor played his first full game for god knows how long Tuesday night; and as I said we’ve got a few other niggles with backs and what have you, and we’ve had all these things and we haven’t highlighted any of it in the press, but make no mistake, we’ve had some big hitters out for us in the past month or so, and we’re beginning to get some of them back and they’re fit and raring to go.  

”I respect every side that we play, but it would be wrong of me to worry about Lowestoft or Bury or even Harrow tonight as the play-off results have proved yet again this week.  Dulwich went and beat Bognor at Bognor after finishing thirty odd points behind them in the League, it just shows what the play-offs throw up every year… you can’t guarantee anything!”
 
Warrilow did have some good news for Angel’s fans concerning his 21-goal top scorer.  “Frannie will be involved Saturday,” Warrilow confirmed, “I could have gambled tonight and put him on but if I’d have done that, I think we’d definitely have lost him Saturday.  I’ve left him out tonight in the view of unleashing him Saturday as they say…  We were in for rubs Thursday night and tried out a few different set pieces – we scored from one against Harrow and they do work, but we’ll just got through some things and getting them here and focused on the day.”
The last time Longmead hosted a Play Off final - when the Angels beat Dover Athletic to secure promotion to the Ryman Premier in May 2006 - Warrilow ironically was in the crowd as the BBC Radio Kent summariser alongside yours truly and Bill Rice – a day that the manager remembers very well. 

“Ironically I was up there with you in the pouring rain wasn’t I,” he smiled recalling our "drowning" that afternoon!  “That was a great day for the club before I got involved.  It was great for the fans but being here now was our aim at the start of the season.  To be this close now is brilliant – we’ve had a fantastic year considering how we started it and “all” we’ve got to do now is to make sure that we don’t throw it all away Saturday, but if the boys and the crowd give the same amount of effort, I’m sure that we’ll be OK!”

The Football Association have appointed the following officials for the big game:
Referee: Mr Brett Huxtable (Torrington, Devon)
Assistants: Mr Vince Penfold (Addlestone, Surrey) & Mr Greg Read (Addlestone, Surrey)
Fourth Official:  Mr Andy Newell (Bristol)

Meanwhile, the club have confirmed that this is an ALL-PAY game – but usual prices apply £10 (adults), £5 (concessions) £3 (under 16s)

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

Tonbridge Angels  v  Lowestoft Town
Ryman Premier League Play-Off Final
Saturday 7^th May 2011
Kick Off 3:00pm
at Longmead Stadium, Darenth Avenue, Tonbridge, Kent TN10 3JF