Maidstone United 2-3 Tonbridge Angels - They've all given me everything, says Tommy Warrilow

MAIDSTONE UNITED 2-3 TONBRIDGE ANGELS
Kent Senior Cup (Sponsored by Portablefloodlights.com) Second Round
Tuesday 13^th November 2012
Paul Parkinson reports from James Whatman Way

TONBRIDGE ANGELS can look forward to a home tie against either Bromley or Gillingham after a rip-roaring derby at The Gallagher Stadium, which saw Maidstone end the game with ten men.



Tonbridge led by two at the break through goals from Aaron Gayle and Mark Lovell. But Tim Olorunda struck within a minute of the restart and, after Henry Muggeridge’s 35-yard special restored the Angels’’ two goal lead, Alex Waugh’s strike should have set up a nervy last five minutes, but Ade Olorunda’s reckless tackle put paid to the hosts’ comeback.

Tonbridge Angels manager, Tommy Warrilow, was a relieved man at the end, as the scoreline was much closer than he would have wished.

“I thought we had enough chances to kill the game off, but all the time you don’t do that, at any level, it can come back to haunt you.

“The second goal gives them a lift and we’re backs to the wall, but the important thing was to get the win. But the lads who haven’t played for a while got 90 minutes today and I was pleased with some of the performances out there.”

“Overall I was pleased with the first half, but second half we started slowly, and we conceded a goal from our own kick-off when we went backwards. You can see how the large crowd here gave everyone a lift, but we’re through, and that is the main thing. From one to eleven, they’ve all given me everything. No-one can come off and say they were poor.

“We’ve got out of the cup what we wanted tonight, and recognise the importance of the result for the fans. I’ve played everyone who hasn’t had any football for a while, but Saturday, we want to go as strong as we can. First we need to see how Pipes is, but a few of the guys haven’t done themselves any harm tonight, so I’ve got a nice selection problem.””

For Maidstone United’s Jay Saunders, who made six changes from Saturday’s FA Trophy win over Ryman Premier League side Whitehawk, he admitted this was probably a game his side could have done without.

He said: “If we hadn’t gone through in the Trophy, I think we would have played a few more guys, but realistically it was a game I think we could have done without.”

“We are likely to lose Drakes (Ian Draycott), who has picked up an injury,  hopefully it’s not the same as before - and now we’ll lose Ade as well thanks to bad decisions.

“It was a much-changed side, but I thought we had a go. I wanted to rest as many players as I could, but when you’ve got both managers moaning at the ref about what a bad game he’s having it is just embarrassing.”

“I’m all for the Kent Cup, I’ve won it before and think it is a good competition, but tonight, you look at it and think maybe it’s is one match at the wrong time. Obviously, the league is the priority this year and we’re still in both the Trophy and League Cup, but if I lose two key players it will be a big blow. That is nothing against the Kent Cup , but it was probably a game too much for us at the moment.””

In an open game, both sides kept their opposing goalkeeper busy, but Tonbridge created the first clear chance from their first corner.

A deep cross found Ollie Schulz climbing highest, but his header bounced up, off Charlie Mitten’s left post and was creeping along the line until Ryan Cooper hooked clear in the 9th minute.

Mitten was somewhat fortunate to avoid conceding three minutes later as Schulz’s powerful clearing header dropped behind the Maidstone back four and, with Aaron Gayle closing in, Mitten chose to come out of his area. Somehow, the veteran keeper managed to sit on the ball and drag it away from Gayle then, having regained his feet, Mitten beat Mark Lovell to clear the danger.

Rory Hill fired over after player-manager Saunders had been robbed by Chris Piper in midfield, before in-form Ian Draycott attempted an audacious shot from the right touchline with Lee Worgan out of position, but the ball dropped over the bar.

Just after the quarter hour mark, Paul Booth played a one-two with Ade Olorunda, and having broken away from Schulz, fired a dipping volley just past the left hand post with Worgan well beaten.

Kaiyne Woolery had Maidstone’s next chance on 27 minutes. After his initial left wing cross had been headed away from Booth by Henry Muggeridge, the ball fell back to Woolery whose right foot shot from outside the area crashed off the angle of the left hand post.

Within two minutes though, Tonbridge had taken the lead courtesy of a calm finish from Gayle. Ryan Cooper took too long to control a bouncing ball, which allowed Nathan Koranteng to steal in and Gayle turned and curled the ball round the diving Mitten into the bottom right corner.

The first caution of the game went to Angels’ skipper Schulz, although no-one was sure which challenge was penalised. As Ade Olorunda turned the big defender, Schulz dragged the former Angels’ forward back, then brought him down from behind. From the resulting free kick, Danny Lye fired a header over, when Maidstone worked a three-on-one at the back post.

Maidstone wondered how Worgan stayed on the pitch after bringing down Booth on the edge of the area, when the Maidstone striker headed the ball past and goalwards, only for Sonny Miles to recover and hook clear.

But the Tonbridge goalkeeper, although the busier keeper, was never really stretched after this.

The home side put together a 7-man passing move that ended with Ade Olorunda heading over, but the visitors doubled their advantage five minutes before the interval.

Hill was released on the right wing and whipped over a fine cross that gave Mark Lovell a free header in the middle of the Stones’ box.

Maidstone made a change at half-time, with Steve Okoh replacing the injured Draycott, and the substitute nearly caught the Tonbridge defence cold within 14 seconds of the restart.

Booth pressured Schulz into a mistake and, when Okoh nicked the ball away, his right foot effort was tipped round by Worgan.

From the resulting corner, Maidstone pulled one back as the ball dropped to Tim Olorunda inside the 6-yard box and for the second game in a row, Olorunda slammed the ball home emphatically.

The goal gave the crowd a lift and Ade Olorunda skillfully deceived Danny Walder and Miles on the halfway line before releasing Okoh who, closely tracked by Muggeridge, fired a left foot effort wide.

As play flowed from end to end, Hill saw a shot through a crowd of players blocked by Mitten and Lovell flashed a header wide.

At the other end, Worgan had to be alert to palm away shots from Ade Olorunda and Woolery.

Koranteng came close to a third Tonridge goal on the hour, as his deflected shot cannoned off the bar and over Gayle, who had anticipated where the ball would fall, but the visitors’ pressure was soon rewarded.

A Koranteng free kick was blocked by the Maidstone wall, but the ball fell to Muggeridge, 35 yards out, who had time to line up a drive into the bottom left corner, past the unsighted Mitten.

Worgan had to be alert to turn over a snapshot from Saunders, and Mitten saved a Koranteng shot before controversy reigned. As Worgan parried away shots from Lye and Alex Waugh, Miles wrestled Ade Olorunda down and the two players were left grappling on the ground in the area, while almost unnoticed Tonbridge broke quickly. Koranteng drove into the Maidstone area from the right wing, but with three supporting players, smashed his effort against Mitten and the chance was gone.

With five minutes left, Waugh spun across his marker and flashed a volley off the underside of the bar and over the line, at least according to the assistant referee (not a Russian linesman!) and about 900 Maidstone voices.

Warrilow and his players were incensed by the decision and tempers frayed further minutes later as Ade Olorunda crudely lunged at Miles and was immediately dismissed which virtually ended Maidstone’s hopes.

Woolery managed to beat the Tonbridge offside trap as Miles stopped expecting a flag against Waugh, but the young winger’s composure let him down as he fired wildly over from the edge of the box. And, deep in stoppage time Waugh stabbed a Cooper long throw wide, even as the final whistle was sounding.

Saunders was left looking for the positives from the end of his sides’ 11-game unbeaten run, adding, “the bonuses tonight were that we gave Dan, the left back, another go and I thought he did well again and Steve has come on and done well. Steve Okoh has been playing well for the reserves and Jim Bodle gave me Steve, Joe Reeves and Billy French, so it was a chance to get them involved. He’s got a lot of pace and likes to have a go at people, so with Drakes’ injury we thought we’d give him a go.

“There’s probably three lads that are struggling with knocks, which is another reason why we left a few out, but we’ll have everyone in on Thursday and see where we are. I think Graeme (Andrews) is touch and go. We’ve signed someone on loan tonight, for an initial month from a Conference South club, which will be formally announced later, but the good thing from tonight is that a few players have got 90 minutes under them.”

“Next up is a league game, so obviously we’ll have a different approach than tonight and there’s a lot of people who didn’t play tonight who will.”

Maidstone United:  Charlie Mitten, Ryan Cooper, Dan Johnson, Danny Lye, Tim Olorunda, Sam Bewick, Kaiyne Woolery, Jay Saunders (Bill French 86), Ade Olorunda, Paul Booth (Alex Waugh 58), Ian Draycott (Steve Okoh 46).
Subs: Joe Reeves, Deren Ibrahim

Goals: Tim Olorunda 46, Alex Waugh 85

Booked: Jay Saunders 44, Tim Olorunda 82

Sent Off: Ade Olorunda 87

Tonbridge Angels: Lee Worgan, Danny Walder, Henry Muggeridge, Tom Davis, Ollie Schulz, Sonny Miles, Rory Hill (Ross Treleaven 70), Chris Piper (Lee Browning 41), Aaron Gayle (Frannie Collin 82), Mark Lovell, Nathan Koranteng.
Subs: George Purcell, Gary Elphick

Goals: Aaron Gayle 29, Mark Lovell 40, Henry Muggeridge 64

Booked: Ollie Schulz 34, Tom Davis 53

Attendance: 1,102
Referee: Mr Nolan Wilde (Maidstone)
Assistants: Mr Mark Scott  (Swanscombe) and Mr David Smart (Maidstone)