Kentish Football 
Tonbridge Angels 0-10 Brentford - I Just feel a little bit let down, admits embarrassed Warrilow
Saturday 16th July 2011
TONBRIDGE ANGELS 0-10 BRENTFORD
Pre-Season Friendly
Saturday 16th July 2011
Stephen McCartney reports from Longmead Stadium
TONBRIDGE ANGELS boss Tommy Warrilow suffered an all-time career low as his promoted side were destroyed by League One outfit Brentford in their first game as a Blue Square Bet (Conference) South club.
The optimism following their side’s promotion out of the Ryman Premier League after heroic play-off wins over Harrow Borough and Lowestoft Town was dented as ruthless Brentford embarrassed the Kent side with a 10-0 victory.
With number one keeper Lee Worgan on holiday in Portugal, reserve keeper Joe Hagan had a nightmare as former Gravesend & Northfleet striker Charlie MacDonald helped himself to four first half goals (including a thirteen minute hat-trick).
Brentford, who have come back from a Norwegian training camp and were fitter, stronger, better and clinical than their hosts, swapped over all eleven players at the interval, whilst Warrilow made eight changes at the break as only Hagan, defender Ben Judge and striker Frannie Collin played the entire 90 minutes.
Instead of showing the character and desire that sealed wins over Harrow Borough and Lowestoft Town when their backs were against the wall, the Angels capitulated during the second half, as striker Gary Alexander helped himself to a twenty minute hat-trick, Luke Hacker added two goals and Michael Spillane completed the embarrassment with four minutes left.
The two sides played out a goal-less draw last summer, but Warrilow was bitterly disappointed with his side’s poor performance in their opening pre-season outing.
He said: “Obviously embarrassed to lose by that scoreline, but that’s what we’re all about. I’ve got all the lads on the pitch. We’ve had a look but you can see we’ve got a lot more work to do still.
“Obviously I’m disappointed, but it’s too early to go in there and start having a go at them, but I just feel a little bit let down. I thought some of the body language, things like that, no organisation skills, obviously the scoreline’s not nice to be associated with. I don’t care what it is, but it’s the first game of the season, the first 90 minutes, they’re huffing and puffing.
“Brentford have showed us the respect and brought down their full squad, who we believe are going to get out of their league this year and I think it shows!
“We just can’t feel sorry for ourselves and (we have to) be strong and I said to them in there, the celebrations have stopped now, the partying, it’s back to normal now. It’s a massive reality check now. It’s just the kick that we need.”
The Longmead faithful saw Ben Andrews (Horsham) and Chris Henry (Carshalton Athletic), play for the club for the first time, whilst Anthony Storey (via Hastings and Horsham), Tim Olorunda (Hastings) and Jon Main (AFC Wimbledon) returned to the club.
But the only positive for the Angels faithful was that the heavy rain that greeted them back to Longmead Stadium stopped during the first half to bring lovely July sunshine.
Brentford’s first chance arrived inside the opening seven minutes when right-winger Niall McGinn flashed a right-footed angled drive past the far post following a three man move.
And another slick saw Craig Woodman play the ball inside to striker Clayton Donaldson, who dragged a right-footed shot wide.
Tonbridge Angels almost grabbed a 15th minute lead, with their only real chance of the game.
Lee Browning swung in a corner from the left and central defender Andrews sent a towering header over at the far post from six-yards.
Hagan got his body fully behind the ball to prevent a swerving right-footed drive from Reeves from beating him – before things went downhill for the hapless keeper.
Brentford took twenty minutes to break the stalemate when central midfielder Tiomani Diougura released MacDonald through on goal in behind Jon Heath and Andrews and his angled right-footed drive went in via the foot of the far post.
Brentford doubled their lead in the 28th minute when Jake Reeves’ cross from the right flank was dummied by Donaldson at the near post and the ball flashed across the face of goal and the unmarked MacDonald rifled the ball into the net from one yard.
MacDonald completed his hat-trick just six minutes later when Donaldson had time and space to deliver the ball from the right and the striker stooped down low to head home from two-yards.
Donaldson clipped a right-footed volley over at the near post after Woodman cut in from the left, before MacDonald scored his fourth goal in the 43rd minute.
An excellent through ball from Reeves released MacDonald through on goal and his angled drive nestled into the bottom corner, as Tonbridge Angels’ 4-3-3 formation (with Ade Olorunda, Collin and Main up front) didn’t work out.
Germans are renowned for perfection and Uwe Rosler went for the kill during another one-sided half as his Brentford side went on to score six second half goals.
Hagan could be blamed for the fifth goal as he allowed Alexander’s near post header from six-yards fly through his fingers after the striker met Hacker’s cross from the left.
But Hagan made a flying save to turn Ben Gill’s curling left-footed drive from 30-yards around the post before Alexander muscled Sonny Miles off the ball before stroking a right-footed shot past the diving keeper to find the bottom far corner to make it 6-0 in the 59th minute.
But the Tonbridge side didn’t show the character that Warrilow and his assistant, Alex O’Brien would have put in during their illustrious playing-days and were chasing shadows instead of putting in challenges to put the west Londoners out of their stride.
Goal number seven came from the penalty spot in the 71st minute when trialist Sam Berwick brought down Joanthan Douglas and Alexander completed his hat-trick by rifling the ball into the roof of the net.
Just eighty seconds later and Brentford had scored their eighth goal, as Hacker’s right-footed drive nestled into the bottom left-hand corner.
Outclassed Tonbridge leaked their ninth goal in the 80th minute when this time Alexander turned provider for Michael Spillane to plant his header past Hagan.
Brentford keeper, Richard Lee, meanwhile, then made routine saves from Robert Kember and Sam Bewick, who cut in from the left and tried to beat the keeper at his near post from a tight angle.
Hagan’s miserable day was summed up as he allowed Brentford to score goal number ten as he allowed Hacker’s weak shot bounced off his body and rolled into an empty net.
To witness a Kent side lose 10-0 for the first time in my life is a bitter pill to swallow and brought a tear to the eye on my way home to Tunbridge Wells afterwards, instead of tears of celebration following those two glorious play-off victories.
Warrilow said: “When you don’t get your own way, you’re looking for a reaction. We didn’t give the supporters’ pretty much to cheer about today. They were fantastic. They stood behind us but I don’t want to be associated with a result like that. I don’t care if there’s nothing on the game or whatever, I’m embarrassed and I hope the boys are really because we’re better than that.
“We’ve got to train Tuesday and get a reaction on Thursday against Gillingham.”
But Warrilow isn’t afraid to make changes to his squad if poor performances are a regular thing during their inaugural Conference South campaign.
He said: “I know it’s very, very early, I’m not going to start killing people or whatever, but if we don’t liven things up, I’ve got to do what I done last year, but like I said I don’t want to go over the top on it because it’s the first game, they’re a very, very good side.
“Perhaps my expectations what I want from my players is too high. I thought we could’ve done a lot better than what we did today.”
Warrilow refused to point the finger of blame to his goalkeeper, who was simply out of his depth.
“That’s up to him to grow up from it. It’s done. I’m not blaming him for some of the goals,” he said.
“There’s enough bodies to get through before they got through to the keeper. There were some poor goals as well. I’m not going to take too much away from Brentford because they dominated the game. From my point of view there were some poor goals we gave and every time we gave a goal away from our centre kick we went straight back towards our goal and gave the ball away!
“We didn’t learn from it and that’s what disappointed me more today was not learning from our mistakes. That’s what pre-season’s are for. The good thing is the boys are embarrassed but that’s the way of the world. We’ve had last year, we have to draw a line underneath, it’s a new campaign now.”
Warrilow added: “Collectively as a group the only one who can come out with any credit from the game today is Alwayne Jones.”
But an opening day Blue Square South win at Maidenhead United (13 August) and a home win over foes Sutton United (16 August) and today’s 10-0 humiliation will all be forgotten!
The Angels’ pre-season preparations continue with a trip to Kent League side Fisher on Wednesday, before welcoming League Two side Gillingham to Longmead Stadium 24 hours later.
Next Saturday, the first team will travel to Beckenham Town, whilst the academy and reserve side contest the Courier Cup, with a clash against Kent League neighbours Tunbridge Wells at Rusthall’s Jockey Farm, and Warrilow will assess the situation ahead of Sunday’s Final, against either Crowborough Athletic or Rusthall, if they get there.
Tonbridge Angels: Joe Hagan, Jake Beecroft (Sam Collins 46), Jon Heath (Danny Walder 46), Scott Kinch (Tim Olorunda 46), Ben Andrews (Sonny Miles 46), Ben Judge, Anthony Storey (Chris Henry 46), Lee Browning (Robert Kember 46), Jon Main (Alwayne Jones 46), Frannie Collin, Ade Olorunda (Sam Bewick 46).
Brentford: Simon Moore (Richard Lee 46), Kevin O’Conner (Shaleom Logan 46), Craig Woodman (Charlie Adams 46), Tiomani Diougura (Marcus Bean 46), Marcel Eggar (Leon Legge 46), Pim Balkenstein (Ben Gill 46), Niall McGinn (Michael Spillane 46), Jake Reeves (Jonathan Douglas 46), Clayton Donaldson (Luke Hacker 46), Charlie MacDonald (Gary Alexander 46), Sam Wood (Miles Weston 46)
Goals: Charlie MacDonald 20, 29, 33, 43, Gary Alexander 51, 59, 71 (pen), Luke Hacker 72, 86, Michael Spillane 80
Attendance: 420
Referee: Mr Phil Townley (Canterbury)
Assistants: Mr Paul Beadle (Sevenoaks) & Mr Martin Lehane (Bexleyheath)
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