I can't defend the boys after a night like that, fumes Angels boss Tommy Warrilow

Wednesday 25th August 2010

TONBRIDGE ANGELS boss Tommy Warrilow says his side must beat Harrow Borough at Longmead Stadium to get their promotion chasing season back on track, writes Stephen McCartney.

The Angels are presently slumped to the foot of the Ryman Premier League table after defeats to Billericay Town and Bury Town during the first week of the new season.

Last night, the home fans couldn’t believe what they were watching, as Tonbridge went in at the break 2-0 up courtesy of a 79 second brace from striker Paul Booth just before the break, before their defence went missing and goals from Sam Read (2) and Lee Read ensured the Suffolk side’s fight back was complete.

No-one expected Warrilow’s side to be sitting bottom of the table at any stage of the season - but slow starts have been an all too similar pattern in recent years.

Nothing less than victory over Harrow Borough will do on Saturday, as Warrilow aims to get their promotion push back on track.

“Even if we beat Harrow and Folkestone (on Bank Holiday Monday), it’s a long, long season,” Warrilow told www.kentishfootball.co.uk, following last night’s dismal second half showing.

“I want to get some points on the table. Harrow Borough are always a difficult side, full of good, athletic players. It’s not going to be easy but there’s no point feeling sorry for ourselves, we’ve got to dust ourselves down and pick ourselves up and crack on again.

“Like I say, it’s a long season but I can’t keep defending (the players). Saturday (at Billericay) I stuck up for the boys a little bit because first half it was all us and the second half it was alright for ten minutes, even then we didn’t warrant the 3-0 (defeat), but tonight the way we played the second half I can’t defend that.

“It stops with me and I’ll take it on the chin but I’ll get them going and we’ll go again on Saturday.”

When asked whether his new-look side are struggling to handle the expectation put on their shoulders, the boss replied, “No, not at all, that’s a good thing. It shows that the club’s going in the right direction.

“If you’ve got expectation and these boys know that, they know that’s not good enough! The last few minutes of the game we showed a little bit of purpose and that’s too late then. We’ve been poor for 40 odd minutes, you just can’t turn it on for the last three or four minutes in a game and expect something out of it.

“If I’d got a draw, I’d still be fuming, but obviously a loss hurts a lot more.”

Warrilow takes his beleaguered side down to Folkestone Invicta on Bank Holiday Monday (3pm), and their manager Neil Cugley and secretary Neil Pilcher were in attendance last night.

Folkestone, who suffered a 2-0 defeat to big-spending Croydon Athletic on the opening day of the season, claimed a point on a poor playing surface at Aveley on Monday night, courtesy of a 78th minute equaliser from former Ashford Town striker Paul Jones, who headed home Josh Burchell’s free-kick.

Warrilow said: “I saw him at Aveley the other night, I had a chat with Cugs over there. Listen, that’s us, you can watch us tonight and we’ll look brilliant and then we look poor. It’s a sign of a new side, a youngish side as well to be honest. If we’re not going to get organised and it’s something that I’m going to address.”

Warrilow added: “In the meantime, I’ll get them in (for training) on Thursday. I’ve told them my thoughts after the game, they’ll stay in there and we’ve got to bounce back from it because no-one else is going to do it, we’ve got to do it ourselves.”

The only plus point against Bury Town was the excellent performance from right wing-back Jake Beecroft, who gave Bury full-back Russell Short a torrid time.

The highly-rated 20-year-old turned down full-time football at Blue Square Bet Premier side Rushden & Diamonds to pursue a job in the city of London and to return to his home-town club.

“He’s been different class for me all pre-season Jake and the first two games I couldn’t ask for much more from him,” said Warrilow.

“He’s been outstanding for me. I think Jon Heath (who was the other wing-back) put a great shift in as well.”

But Warrilow pointed the finger of blame for not picking up two players, who tore his side to shreads with their movement, something that watching Maidstone United coach Alan Rogers will tell Stones boss Peter Nott ahead of the clash at Homelands at the weekend.

Warrilow added: “I think the boys have got to have a good look at themselves and the marking was poor with one up front. He caused a few issues and there shouldn’t have been and the boys in midfield let the 10 (Lee Read) and the 8 (Sam Read) drop off them a few times and they didn’t learn from it. We kept letting them do it all the time.

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

Tonbridge Angels v Harrow Borough

Ryman Premier League

Saturday 28th August 2010

Kick Off 3:00pm

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