Tonbridge Angels 0-0 Brentford - Impressed Brentford will hopefully return next year, says Warrilow

Saturday 17th July 2010

TONBRIDGE ANGELS 0-0 BRENTFORD
Pre-Season Friendly
Saturday 17th July 2010
Stephen McCartney reports from Longmead Stadium

TONBRIDGE ANGELS boss Tommy Warrilow was a proud man after his new-look side held a strong Npower League One Brentford side to a goal-less draw in their opening friendly.

Warrilow has assembled a quality squad that are expected to challenge for the Ryman Premier League title at the end of the season - and they matched their professional opponents in front of an expectant crowd of 486.

With Lee Worgan on holiday, Warrilow called upon a favour from Eastbourne Borough to field Seb Barton in goal, but Danny Walder, Lee Browning, Frannie Collin (all signed from Dover Athletic), Peter Hawkins (Maidstone United), Jacob Mingle (Braintree Town) and Jake Beecroft (Rushden & Diamonds) all made their club debuts.

Trialists Anthony Joseph (Sutton United), Ryan Rook (Norton Sports) - the brother of the watching Carl - were one of six players to come of the bench, with Paul Semeluka and Jack Brivio vying for a place after impressing in the reserve and youth teams last season.

Only Jon Heath, Scott Kinch, Liam Harwood, Paul Booth, Kirk Watts and Sonny Miles (who couldn’t take to the field due to a jaw injury), featured for the club last season.

Former Tonbridge defender, Leon Legge, 25, came off the bench after 66 minutes, and there also some familiar faces in Brentford’s ranks, including Sam Wood (former Cray Wanderers and Bromley), Charlie MacDonald (Gravesend & Northfleet) and Sam Saunders (Chatham Town/Sittingbourne).

The first half was played in a slow pace and Brentford created chances, although the Tonbridge strike force of Collin and Booth didn’t get any change out of a well drilled professional defence.

Kirk Hudson’s corner from the left was met by a downward header from defender David McCracken and Barton dived to his left to make a fine fourth minute save.

Barton made his second save ten minutes before the break when from his position at the near post, palming away a bullet header from Myles Weston.

Both sides made just one change each at the break, with Walder being replaced by Matt Hollyoak (who returns to the club after a spell away in America).

Tonbridge improved during the second half - and with Harwood and Hawkins gelling, the pair look destined to play a major part in keeping things tight at the back throughout the season ahead.

The Kent side almost grabbed the lead after 53 minutes when Beecroft floated in a corner from the left and Harwood was left unmarked at the far post to plant a diving bullet header towards goal, but Brentford had bodies in the way and survived.

MacDonald came back from an offside position and almost gave Brentford a 68th minute lead, but his shot on the turn bounced off the right-hand post.

Brentford goalkeeper Simon Moore had to be at his very best to thwart Kinch, who cracked a stunning right-footed drive from 25-yards, which was heading towards the back of the net, if it wasn’t for the keeper diving to his left to save well.

A couple of mistakes from Tonbridge (Hawkins and Kinch) gave a couple of late chances for Kirk Hudson (who switched from the right-wing to partner MacDonald for the second half) but his first effort, a chip, dropped wide, and then, after cutting inside Harwood, his shot was easily gathered by Barton.

Warrilow spent time with the Brentford management team in the executive suite afterwards and told www.kentishfootball.co.uk that he was pleased with the work-out.

“People say the result doesn’t count, it doesn’t, but it does, if you know what I mean,” he said.

“I said to the boys I didn’t want to go out there and get a good hiding and everyone say ‘well it was Brentford’.

“I think we’ve got a great set to players who can more step up. Alright, it wasn’t fluent etc, etc, but that’s the first time we’ve been on a proper football pitch. We’ve run them, we’ve been on Astroturf, we’ve stayed off the pitch before today’s game, so the main thing is they’ve given me their all and to keep a clean sheet against a very, very strong Brentford side is not to be sniffed at.”

Warrilow was pleased with Hawkins’ calming influence and the former Wimbledon, Ebbsfleet United and Maidstone United defender will be a key man this season.

“I reflected upon last year and I just felt we lacked a little bit of experience,” admitted Warrilow.

“Sonny Miles has got a really bad jaw at the moment so he really can’t get involved with anything physical, so Pete was always going to be put in there as a calming influence and I thought he showed that today and I thought Liam Harwood did.

“I thought the pair of them blended very well and Jon Heath. Danny Walder’s got a bit of tonsillitis so he can only give 45 (minutes) but we’re playing against a full-time outfit that went away to the Algarth for a week and they’re a good side.

“We just spent some time with (their management team) and they’re nice people and they said, hopefully they’ll come down against next year. That’s the main thing we wanted to hear. It was a sensible game, a good work-out for both teams and I’m really, really pleased.

“Brentford were impressed with the set-up, the atmosphere, the nice ground and that we didn’t kick lumps out of them and we appreciate them coming down.”

Towering central defender Legge was sold to Brentford for an undisclosed fee last summer and went on to make 33 first team appearances for the west London club as well as earning himself a new contract on the back of his player-of-the-year award.

The 25-year-old presented Warrilow with his signed number 32 shirt and insists the former Lewes defender will make it big.

“We’ve just been talking about him, they can’t speak highly of him,” said Warrilow. “He’s a nice lad, not just that, but the way he’s progressed, taken everything on board, I’ve said it all week, he’s just a nice lad that deserves everything that he gets.

“It just gives the youngsters here an example if you get your head down and do your job, there’s a chance. I think I’ve got some boys here that can push on.”

Tonbridge Angels: Seb Barton, Danny Walder (Matt Hollyoak 46), Jon Heath, Scott Kinch (Jack Brivio 82), Liam Harwood, Peter Hawkins, Lee Browning (Kirk Watts 57), Jacob Mingle (Paul Semeluka 64), Frannie Collin (Ryan Rook 64), Paul Booth (Anthony Joseph 65), Jake Beecroft. Sub: Sonny Miles

Brentford: Simon Moore, Kevin O’Connor (David Hunt 66), Craig Woodman (Ryan Blake 76), David McCracken (Leon Legge 66), Karleigh Osborne (Alan Bennett 81), Toumani Diacouraga (Michael Spillane 46), Kirk Hudson, Marcus Bean, Nick Forster (Sam Saunders 66), Charlie MacDonald, Myles Weston (Sam Wood).
Subs: Richard Lee, Carl Cort, Simon Royce.

Attendance: 486
Referee: Mr Michael O’Keefe (Sevenoaks)
Assistants: Mr Ronald Albert (Catford) & Mr Craig Wood (Gravesend)