I've got more options to play with, says Warrilow

Monday 01st March 2010

TONBRIDGE ANGELS boss Tommy Warrilow says he is pleased to have more bodies available at his disposal for the remainder of the season, writes Stephen McCartney.

The Angels have hit form at the right time, winning their last two games (against Carshalton Athletic and Kingstonian) and travel to relegation threatened Margate on Tuesday night sitting five points above the Ryman Premier League relegation zone.

Iain O’Connell takes charge of his first game as Margate’s third manager of the season and Warrilow, who was speaking to www.kentishfootball.co.uk on the eve of the Kent derby, is expecting a tough game.

“Obviously when a new manager goes in they’ll be keen to impress,” Warrilow warned ahead of the Hartsdown Park clash.

“I’m sure they’ll be perhaps one or two signings that he might have made over the weekend but it’s all about us.

“I try to build that into the boys, no matter who you play. We had it at Carshalton the other week with Ian Hazel taking over and they were expecting a response over there - and I’m expecting a difficult game tomorrow night.”

A win at Hartsdown Park will take the Longmead Stadium outfit further away from the relegation zone, and where the club should be.

“I’ve always gone on record saying I’m fully aware where we are position wise but it’s the points!” said Warrilow.

“The league is still very tight. A lot of managers are saying it, which is true. If you string a few results together you fly back up the table.

“In the last four games we’ve won three of them. We’ve put in a good performance against Dartford but we didn’t make it count as much as we should have done when we had a dominant first half. They turned it around in the second half and they done to us what we should have done in the first half. There were positives to come out of that, despite (the fact that) I was disappointed with the result.”

The Angels boss is pleased to have been able to strengthen his squad, with the recent additions of Jerhal Hughes (Eastbourne Town), Meshach Nugent (VCD Athletic) and Sam Long.

“Now I’ve got more options it gives you more to play with and that’s a definite boost when you’re coming into a period now when the games are coming thick and fast,” said Warrilow.

“We’ve still got the Kent Senior Cup game (at home to Sittingbourne) to fit in as well. I know we’re definitely going to have a Saturday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, we’ll definitely have one. Hopefully the other fixtures can be booked in and we don’t have too many of them.

“At least I’ve got some players back now to give people a little breather when I can, but the most important thing is to get the results on the table first.”

Left-winger, Kirk Watts, meanwhile, is available for selection, having completed his suspension.

Margate manager O’Connell, meanwhile, has moved quickly to reinforce the side ahead of the game.

Within a week of the arrival at Hartsdown Park, O'Connell has signed Jay Saunders (who makes his third debut) and goalkeeper Jamie Tuner from Maidstone United.

Also signing for the Blues until the end of the season is central Defender Grant Cooper, who was recently released by Blue Square South side Chelmsford City, after 11 league appearances this season.

His last appearance for the Clarets came in the 5-0 defeat of Aveley in the Essex Senior Cup and he will bring much needed experience to the Margate defence.

In the meantime, two keepers have left the club. Former Tonbridge Angels keeper Matt Reed has been released and Luke Garrard – who has been on loan - has returned to Kingstonian.

Visit Tonbridge Angels’ websites: www.tonbridgeangels.co.uk & www.tonbridgeafc.co.uk/forum

To listen to commentary of this game visit www.margate-fc.com

Margate v Tonbridge Angels

Ryman Premier League

Tuesday 2nd March 2010

Kick Off 7:45pm

At Hartsdown Park, Hartsdown Road, Margate, Kent CT9 5QZ