I want us to push up that league now, says Tonbridge Angels boss Steve McKimm

Friday 05th December 2014

TONBRIDGE ANGELS manager Steve McKimm has challenged his side to improve their away form to start climbing away from the relegation zone.

The Angels extended their miserable run of form against their Kent rivals Bromley, after losing 3-0 in The FA Trophy Third Qualifying Round replay at Hayes Lane on Tuesday night.

Tonbridge Angels have now won once in their last sixteen games against the Ravens, who are in second-place in the Vanarama Conference South table.

McKimm made eleven changes for their 4-0 win away to bitter-rivals Maidstone United to reach the Robert Dyas Ryman League Cup Quarter-Finals on Thursday night.

Flavio Tavares, Emmanuel Monthe and Jack Brivio all came off the bench at Bromley and started against The Stones 48 hours later.

Tavares, Neville Rivelino, Gavin Quintyne and Gianfranco Mici were on the scoresheet against a young Maidstone United side as Tonbridge Angels extended their unbeaten run against their bitter-rivals to ten games.

McKimm’s first team squad return to action tomorrow, with a vital game at Lewes.

Tonbridge Angels sit in eighteenth-place in the table with 23 points from 19 games – two points clear of Lewes who are in the bottom four.

“We concentrate on the league now,” said McKimm.

“It is a big game. Every game’s a big game. The old cliché’s come out now. We need three points. I’m not interested in a point. If we get a point, good, but I want three points because I want to push up that league now.

“I’m starting to get players back, which is a big bonus for me. Hopefully, touch wood, we’re away from the major injuries and I’m getting players back, strong players, fit players and that we can push on now and push up that league.”

Five of the club’s next eight games are away from Longmead Stadium. McKimm’s side travel to fourth-placed Dulwich Hamlet next Tuesday, before hosting Metropolitan Police on 13 December.

Tonbridge then travel to Harrow Borough (16 December), followed by AFC Hornchurch (20 December).

Tonbridge face two massive Kent derbies over Christmas.

League leaders Margate are the visitors to Longmead Stadium on 27 December, before a trip to second-place Maidstone United on the first day of 2015.

The Angels have won two, drawn one and lost six league games on the road this season.

“Our away record hasn’t been great and we’ve got to change that,” said McKimm.

“We’ve gone to VCD and won. We’ve gone to Leatherhead and won. We’re playing Hornchurch in that spell. We’re playing Dulwich, who are a good side. We’re playing Harrow Borough and Lewes obviously.

“The ones that are in and around us at the moment and we need to get points on the board from those games to push us away from them and then concentrate on the teams above and start nicking points off them if we aspire getting something from this season.”

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

Lewes v Tonbridge Angels
Ryman Premier League
Saturday 6^th December 2014
Kick Off 3:00pm
at The Dripping Pan, Mountfield Road, Lewes, East Sussex BN7 2XA