Tonbridge Angels 0-1 Maidstone United - We've got some difficult decisions to make - Jay Saunders

TONBRIDGE ANGELS  0-1  MAIDSTONE UNITED
Pre-Season Friendly
Thursday 25^th July 2013
Stephen McCartney reports from Longmead Stadium

MAIDSTONE UNITED manager Jay Saunders says he’s got some tough decisions to make at the weekend as the new season draws closer.

The Stones mark their return to the Ryman Premier League with a home game against Wealdstone on 10 August and they welcomed a confidence booster with a victory away to their Conference South neighbours Tonbridge Angels tonight.

Maidstone United claimed the local bragging rights after central defender Jerrome Sobers lashed home a controversial 89^th minute clincher, on the eve of Tommy Warrilow’s 49^th birthday.

The Tonbridge Angels boss was bitterly disappointed that referee Ian Bentley let the goal stood after Sobers clearly fouled Sonny Miles before scoring.

Warrilow said: “I was disappointed with the goal because I felt the lad’s come right through my defender, so I thought he (the referee) was going to blow up!  I said to the ref I know it’s a pre-season game, but I felt he was a bit too friendly and I don’t think he realises what’s on it for the supporters.”

Saunders, 34, added: “There was a bit of confusion in the build-up.  I think there’s a free-kick or a throw in. Jerome’s put one round the corner and I thought it was going to be cleared and Jerome slid in and I know Tom was having a bit of a moan up that it was a bad foul, but I didn’t really see what happened.”

But Saunders was delighted with the derby victory.

“It was a good run out. It was a good exercise I thought,” he said.

“For the first 15-20 minutes we started well, moved the ball well and after that Tonbridge had the better spell of the first half and it was a pretty even half to be honest.

“Some good stuff, some good battles all over the pitch. It was what I knew it would be, a competitive game. It was a good game to be involved in.”

Warrilow added: “I said to the boys, from our point of view it wasn’t our worst performance but it wasn’t like the way we started.

“I just felt considering we were 4-4-2, which is quite basic, I just felt we weren’t organised enough without the ball.  They had good movement and we never coped with the lad dropping off the front two, receiving the ball and I just think we panicked a little bit and didn’t really have any thought in our game and that’s what we’ve done in our previous games. We’ve pressed at the right times but I just felt we weren’t quite at the races tonight.”

Maidstone United started their sixth pre-season friendly well and Saunders felt his side should have drawn first blood inside the opening six minutes.

Alex Flisher launched one of his trademark long throws into the penalty area and Frannie Collin slammed a low shot towards goal, which was blocked by Clark Masters’ outstretched left-leg and the former Tonbridge Angels striker blasted the follow-up shot over the bar.

“I said to Frannie at half-time, ‘how did you miss that?”

“I think he was a bit shocked himself and we had a throw in just after that as well when we probably could’ve gone two-up.

“There’s still a few that need to get a little bit of sharpness probably Frannie in and around the box.  Even though he’s been scoring goals, I think the one he missed, on another day he probably doesn’t put it over!

“Also we need to learn to use him a bit better. If he is up there by himself, like he was tonight, we use him a big better but things will come. I’m not too worried. We’ve got a few more games to work on a few things.”

Saunders added: “We had a couple of good opportunities. I thought first 15-20 we moved the ball well. We asked a few questions of them really but I just felt we stopped doing that, we dropped a bit deep and invited them on a bit.  It was a good game.”

Collin then curled a right-footed free-kick over the top of the far post into the terracing in a good period for the visitors’.

A 40-yard run down the left flank by the impressive Nathan Green saw him cut the ball back to Tonbridge skipper Lee Browning, who spread the ball out wide to Charlie Slocombe, who played a one-two with Phillip Appiah before Slocombe floated over a cross towards the far post for big target man Mikel Suarez to glance his towering header wide from a tight angle.

But Warrilow insisted Luke Blewden should have buried their best first half opening in the 27^th minute.

Appiah pinged a fine diagonal pass, which was excellent brought under control by Green, who then floated over an inch-perfect cross into the penalty area.

Blewden rose and planted his header straight at Lee Worgan, who caught the ball low to his left.

Warrilow said: “He should’ve scored really being totally ruthless. He’s headed it straight at Worgs really. He should’ve buried that!

“We’ve got good crosses in the first half, that’s the most disappointing thing was we didn’t have anyone getting on the end of them and I had Mikel Suarez, with his height, and Luke, who is a strong lad, on the pitch.

“I’d expect to get on some so we’ve got quite a few crosses in the box and no end product.”

Saunders added: “To be fair to Tonbridge and Tom they created a few good chances and Worgs made some good saves.  I’ve been really pleased with Worgs, he’s come in, he’s great to have in the dressing room, he’s made some great saves but it’s his distribution as well. He’s so eager to get it in play, he’s comfortable on the ball when it does come back to his feet and he’s been great to have him around.”

Worgan’s replacement at Tonbridge, former Havant & Waterlooville stopper Masters made himself big at the near post to make a fine block to thwart Flisher, who had ghosted in at the far post to crack a left-footed drive from an acute angle towards the goal.

Green’s deep searching cross picked out Henry Muggeridge ghosting into the penalty area and the talented winger cut inside before steering his left-footed shot into the base of the side netting.

Tonbridge Angels almost grabbed the lead on the stroke of half-time.

Green swung in a left-footed corner from the right and Blewden challenged Worgan at the near post and the keeper pushed the ball onto his own crossbar and towards safety.

“I said to Green, I thought he was skying them too much but when we got the deliveries right – we’ve not worked on our set-pieces yet – we’re going to start training on the pitch soon and we can work on shape and set-pieces. If we get our delivery right, they’ll cause problems.”

Warrilow made three changes at the break, bringing on keeper Scott Chalmers-Stevens and changed his strike partnership, with the impressive Nathan Pinney and Mark Lovell coming on for Suarez and Blewden.

Saunders also made three changes, bringing on Jack Sullivan for the injured Richard Davies and bringing on midfielders Rory Hill and Fabio Saravia.  The Stones boss made seven changes in total and still doesn’t know his starting eleven for the opening game of the new season.

“I’m looking at games as much as it’s fitness and stuff, you are staking a claim really,” said the Stones boss. 

“Everyone’s come in and not let themselves down. Nobody’s playing and they’ve been horrendous and looked out of place and it’s made it hard. Even some of the trialists’ like when we had Danny Walder come in and done well in the game that he played. It’s made it hard to cut people.

“We’ve got (a trip to) Calais on Saturday and after that game we’ll look to trim it down. I don’t want to trim it too early with three games a week and we’ve got that again next week.

“We’re not taking that many to Calais and we’ll look to trim it right down.

“It’s only Lea Dawson (ex-Thamesmead Town) and Orlando Smith (ex-Erith & Belvedere) who I’m trying to get tied up and other than that it’s pretty much the Academy lads.  I’ll probably keep one or two of them and maybe get the other lads out on dual-registration so they’re getting games.”

Tonbridge Angels’ defender Miles launched a long ball over the top of the Maidstone defence for Pinney to race onto before he was denied by Worgan, who saved low down beside his near post inside the opening six minutes of the second half.

A poor piece of defending from Miles gifted possession to Hill, who slammed his right-footed drive past the near post.

Pinney will be a hit among the Longmead faithful and he produced a near perfect finish in the 63^rd minute when he unleashed a right-footed shot on the turn, which he drilled into the side netting.

“Pins movement, he creates his own chances,” said Warrilow.  “He looks the part.  He’s one of those lads who excites you when he gets the ball at his feet and if he can get a shot off he can. He’s got some power in his shots with minimum back lift.

“That’s why I want him to stay in the box. If he can stay in there and he come go and get the ball and turn and run at people in a short space of area, he’s very explosive and he’s going to cause some problems this year.”

Muggeridge then released the former Crystal Palace striker through on goal but Pinney’s drive brought the very best out of Worgan at the near post.

The game opened up and Maidstone United hit Tonbridge Angels on the counter attack a few times.

Browning gave the ball away to Hill inside the centre circle, who feed Collin, who laid the ball off to substitute Saravia, who cut inside before Browning made amends by making a fine block on the edge of the box.

Flisher’s pacy counter-attacking run fashioned another chance for the Stones but Chalmers-Stevens dived to his right to push the angled drive away.

But Maidstone United were rewarded for their late persistence, although their winning goal with 43:48 on the clock was controversial.

Flisher launched a throw into the penalty area and Collin’s initial shot was blocked by Chalmers-Stevens legs and Sobers clearly went through Miles before lashing the ball into the back of the net from eight-yards.

Warrilow added: “We had two chances to clear the ball, even though it was a foul.  Charlie Slocombe and Sonny Miles should’ve helped it on. We’ve got to eradicate that.

“I’m not too down. I’m disappointed because we’ve let a goal in very, very late so it still digs away with you a little bit and the manner of the goal. I know it’s pre-season but I still get a little bit wound up with how the goals are conceded.”

Saunders said: “We were creating chances, on another day you take one or two of them and it’s a bit more comfortable.  As I say it was a case of trying a few things, giving people more minutes and that was the main thing.

“Frannie’s had a shot, Scott’s made a great save from it and Jerrome’s in and around there and he’s tucked it in, so I’m pleased for Jerrome.  He doesn’t get enough goals for us I don’t think from set-pieces for a big lad.  In pre-season against Faversham he set one up and hopefully he’s somebody we can use because he’s a big lad.”

Both sides are in action on Saturday, with Conference Premier side Dartford coming to Tonbridge, whilst Maidstone United play their first game in Europe for a generation when they travel to play Calais Racing Union.

Warrilow is expecting a tough test against Dartford, who finished as the highest-ranked part-time club in the Conference Premier last season after finishing in the top eight.

He said: “Dartford will be strong hopefully and we’ll have another test and we’ll pick the bones out of that after the game.  The lads will be stiff tomorrow, we’ll get them in Saturday, give them a good stretch off and try and get a bit of thought into our game.  Tonight we stopped doing what we’ve done in our first few games and I think that’s cost us a little bit.”

Saunders is looking forward to their trip to France.

“It’s important when you’ve got a few new lads to get away,” he said. 

“We’ve had a couple hours of training and games together and it’s nice to go away in pre-season for them to get to know each other a bit better.

“We’re looking forward to it. We’ve got a good changing room now. We get on well and it’s a new experience. It’s a great stadium out there. We’ll take a few supporters’ over there so it should be a good day.

“We still want to go there and win if we can because as I say all along, winning isn’t as important in pre-season games but it’s a good habit.”

When asked about his squad, Saunders replied, “We’ve beat Ebbsfleet, we’ve come here tonight and got a win and what’s pleasing, every game this pre-season, even though we’ve played higher teams pretty much all of them, we’ve looked like we can compete with people. 

“We’ve made a lot of changes tonight and left a lot of people out. I’m pretty pleased with the way things are going. We’ve got a lot of competition and we’ve got some difficult decisions to make.”

Warrilow hopes to have found a new central defender in the shape of Gary Borrowdale, 28, who made 98 League appearances for Crystal Palace between 2002-2007 and was given 16 caps for England in five age-groups at youth-team level.

“It’s very, very early days for Gary. He went out to Ireland to play (for Carrick Rangers) last year and he fell out of love a little bit. He had a half with Dartford last week. He came training with us on Tuesday and we worked the boys hard and he’s had 90 minutes tonight and that’s his first 90 minutes for god knows how long.

“I don’t expect him to be pulling up trees but I was happy. He looks like a good player and he’s got a great left-foot and he’ll only get stronger and stronger.”

Warrilow is disappointed that his side could not claim the local bragging rights over their bitter-rivals.

“I am bothered but I am not bothered but for the fans I’m bothered because I
know they’re all going to start winding each other up now and that’s what I said to the ref – I don’t think he realise now they’re just going to our annihilate our lot!

“Listen, good luck to Maidstone this year. I’ve got a lot of friends down there.  I’ve known Bill Williams since I was a 16-year-old kid and people down there are good friends of mine.

“I want the local derbies. We want to push on but I want the more Kent teams to push on with us. You want to have games against Dover, Welling, Maidstone and Ebbsfleet. I’m all for it.

“They’re (Maidstone United) a club pushing in the right direction and good luck to them. I hope they have a good year.”

Tonbridge Angels: Clark Masters (Scott Chalmers-Stevens 46), Sonny Miles, Charlie Slocombe, Lee Browning, Gary Borrowdale, Ryan Watts, Henry Muggeridge, Phillip Appiah (Ollie Bankole 77), Luke Blewden (Mark Lovell 46), Mikel Suarez (Nathan Pinney 46), Nathan Green.
Sub: James Pass

Maidstone United: Lee Worgan, Richard Davies (Jack Sullivan 46), Tom Mills (Dan Johnson 77), Steve Watt (Billy French 72), Jerrome Sobers, Danny Lye (Ross Bassan 61), Lea Dawson (Fabio Saravia 46), Alex Brown (Dan Parkinson 61), Ian Draycott (Rory Hill 46), Frannie Collin, Alex Flisher.
Subs: Orlando Smith, Charley Robinson, Mitchell Hart

Goal: Jerrome Sobers 89

Attendance: 357
Referee: Mr Ian Bentley (West Wickham)
Assistants: Mr Freddie Collins (Beckenham) & Mr Chris Myatt (Dartford)