Kentish Football 
Tonbridge Angels 0-3 Bromley - We needed the three points so badly, says Mark Goldberg
TONBRIDGE ANGELS 0-3 BROMLEY
Blue Square Bet South
Saturday 29th December 2012
Stephen McCartney reports from Longmead Stadium
BROMLEY manager Mark Goldberg regrets the possibility of losing Joe Pigott after the on-loan striker played a key role in his side’s 3-0 victory at Tonbridge Angels.
The 19-year-old’s loan spell from Championship side Charlton Athletic ends on New Years’ Day and Goldberg admitted afterwards that he fears that Addicks’ manager Chris Powell will recall him from his impressive spell at Hayes Lane.
Goldberg said: “We’ve got to try and keep him. It’s just up to Charlton now to see if they’re prepared to let him stay with us. We’d love to keep him. I think it’s doubtful that they’ll allow him to stay but I’m still going to try.”
Bromley go into the New Year outside the Blue Square Bet (Conference) South relegation zone on 22 points from 18 games after coming away from Longmead Stadium with three points in the bag and the knowledge of extending their unbeaten run against the Angels to eleven games.
The last time that Tonbridge Angels defeated Bromley was on 8 November 1994 when they came away from Hayes Lane with a 4-3 win in the Kent Senior Cup First Round.
However, Angels boss Tommy Warrilow was eager to point out that all three Conference South games between these two clubs had ended in draws prior to today, but Bromley were worthy winners as Tonbridge Angels failed to replicate the performance that they put in to end Dover Athletic’s 21 match unbeaten away run in the league with a 2-1 win on Boxing Day.
Warrilow said: “I’m disappointed. We said before the game don’t throw it away. We never started particularly well. We made ourselves a few chances but we didn’t really get going today.
“I’ve just said to the boys down there (in the changing room), you’ve just thrown away all the good work which we’ve done against Dover.”
When asked whether his side had worn themselves out against Dover on Boxing Day, Warrilow insisted: “I’m not having all that! Everyone knows what the Christmas period is about. We’ve all played in it. If they can’t do three games in a week or whatever it is then they shouldn’t be playing at this level. I’m not having all that at all!
“Yes, Bromley have not had a game and they could have come here and we could have rolled them over and they would have said they’re rusty.
“I’m wise enough to say we didn’t deserve to win that game. Our finishing was poor. Even though it was 3-0 we had more than three chances, especially in the second half.”
Top marks must go to Ian Jordan, the groundsman who works for Bromley, Tonbridge Angels and Dulwich Hamlet for getting the playing surface playable for two games over the last four days. Numerous games have been postponed due to waterlogged pitches over the festive period, including Gillingham’s League Two game against Northampton Town.
Former Greenwich Borough midfielder, Mike Jones, marked his recall back in the Bromley engine room with his first goal of the season to score inside the opening 12 minutes.
The Ravens squandered an excellent chance to double their lead only five minutes later but Lee Worgan dived to save Danny Waldren’s penalty.
But Bromley punished a poor first half performance from the home side when they doubled their lead just before the interval when Aaron Rhule scored a peach of a goal.
Pigott thrashed home a stunning screamer to give Bromley a third goal, before the Angels were profligate in front of goal late on.
Goldberg was pleased with his side’s sixth league win of the season that sees his side climb up one place to nineteenth in the table.
“I think it’s fair to say we’ve had opportunities, especially with the penalty and we’ve had three one on ones,” said the Bromley boss.
“I don’t think it would have been an unfair scoreline if we had scored six but at the same time I did feel vulnerable at times especially in the second half, more so in the second half than the first half.
“I just felt they had opportunities as well. We got a little bit sloppy. Sometimes that happens when you’re 3-0 up. I didn’t feel comfortable until the whistle was blown, maybe because where we are (in the league) and the fact that we actually needed three points so badly and we needed the win for confidence. The belief is there in the dressing room but until you get the points on the board then you can’t really grow in confidence and stature as a team.
“Our game plan today was to defend first and then, on the break, try to play some football in their third.”
A scrappy start, Bromley created the game’s first chance inside the opening five minutes when Jones’ speculative left-footed scuffed shot rolled harmlessly wide of the post from 30-yards.
Tonbridge Angels’ first chance came on ten minutes when central defender Ollie Schulz headed wide after Danny Walder and Rory Hill combined down the left following a corner.
But Bromley’s vocal travelling contingent were celebrating their first goal when Jones finished off a slick move.
Piggott, midfielder Tony Finn and striker Solomon Taiwo combined down the right and Ali Fuseini’s hooked pass released Pigott towards the by-line and the striker cut the ball back across the face of the goalmouth and Jones ghosted in to sweep the ball past Worgan from six-yards with his orange boot.
Goldberg said: “I was really pleased to see that after 12 minutes we got an opportunity in the last third. Clever interplay, with Joe Pigott as well, he’s not just a target-man, but he’s a clever player who played it inside and Mike Jones was there to put it in. We’re really pleased with Mike.”
Warrilow, whose side have slipped down from 12th to 15th, bemoaned his side’s defending and said: “Just disappointing because it came from a set-piece. We just didn’t come out and shut it down quick enough. We didn’t learn from that and they took a lot of short corners.”
He added: “A poor goal from our point of view regarding the free-kick. We switched off and they got it down and played but we were kicking against the elements. We thought it would be difficult in the first half and we’d see it out.”
Bromley squandered an excellent chance to double their lead, but Waldren missed his third penalty kick of the season.
Left-back Marlon Patterson raced down the line before whipping in a cross towards the far post and Pigott slipped over and the ball struck Gary Elphick’s arm and referee Paul Harris pointed to the spot.
Waldren stepped up and his right-footed penalty was gobbled up by Worgan, who dived to his left to keep hold of the ball on his goal-line.
Goldberg said: “I thought Gary Elphick should have been sent of there. I can’t understand, I don’t even think he was booked!
“We didn’t take advantage of the penalty. I must admit I was concerned. Although we kept pushing and kept playing and we got our just rewards with Aaron Rhule’s second goal, which was an absolute beauty.”
Warrilow added: “Obviously it looked like handball. He’s slid and its hit his hand and the ref’s given it so I can’t complain too much because if it was us I’d like it to be given for us.”
That escape should have brought Tonbridge Angels back into life, but their first half performance was flat and that disappointed their quiet fan base.
A header from Tonbridge Angels’ winger Hill was caught by Bromley keeper Joe Welch on the half-hour mark, before they almost grabbed an equaliser when Hill’s corner from the left swung out to Schulz, whose looping header beat Welch but Sanchez Ming volleyed the ball off his goal line beside the post.
However, the game’s turning point came in a sixteen second spell that turned the game in Bromley’s favour.
Tonbridge right-back Danny Walder clipped a cross towards the far post but striker Mark Lovell sent his header straight at Welch from six-yards. The keeper cleared the ball up field and Pigott released Rhule through on goal, and the left-winger was given time and space inside the penalty area to curl a left-footed shot across Worgan to find the far corner.
Goldberg said: “I think he got into that sort of position a couple of times, but to have the confidence to actually have a shot, he buried it didn’t he?
“It was a quality performance by Aaron Rhule. Up until then I think he hadn’t quite got into the game. He was doing his defensive duties. He got in behind them at times but this time he decided to have a shot himself and it was a peach of a shot!”
Warrilow was left frustrated as Lovell should have equalised before Rhule’s excellent finish.
He said: “We’ve headed it straight at their keeper but he’s rolled it out to the edge of the box and again from there they’ve set off and no-one’s pressed the ball and they’ve punished us with a strike.”
Striker George Purcell, whose fifth-goal of the season was the second goal against his former club Dover Athletic on Boxing Day, latched onto a long ball out of defence, turned to stroke a shot straight at Welch, who made a comfortable low save at his near post at the end of the first half.
When asked what he told his players at the interval, Goldberg replied, “Well, we needed to make sure that we kept the same performance going in the second half and don’t take them for granted the fact that we had such control over the game in the first half.
“We needed to recognise that they were going to come out in the second half with all guns blazing and in all fairness the first five minutes of the second half they got at us but I think we weathered a little storm and then we got what we deserved.”
Warrilow knew the next goal was to be important and said: “At 2-0 the next goals important. At 3-0 you get one break quick enough you never know. We done it against Bath down here and left it late. My cans always half full and not empty!
“It was just very patchy. We knew how Bromley would set up. Unfortunately from my point of view some of my players didn’t do their jobs today without the ball and that what hurts you even more.”
Tonbridge Angels opened the second half on the front foot. Hill burst forward and whipped in a cross towards the far post, which forced Patterson to head over his own crossbar. Hill’s resulting corner was punched away by Welch, but dropped on to Frannie Collin’s right-foot, his volley ballooning over from 17-yards.
Bromley’s first chance of the second half swiftly followed. Central defender Liam Harwood pumped the ball up field and Rhule flicked the ball on to release Pigott, but he scuffed his left-footed shot and the ball rolled into Worgan’s gloves.
Sonny Miles, who scored for Tonbridge Angels against Bromley and Dover Athletic on the last two Boxing Day’s, skied a right-footed volley over the bar from 22-yards after Purcell and Hill combined.
But Pigottt will be knocking on Powell’s first team door at The Valley if he produces his 57th minute finish again.
Patterson played a delightful diagonal ball out of defence to pick out Pigott, who picked up the ball and raced forward and cut inside left-back Henry Muggeridge, before thrashing a stunning left-footed screamer from 35-yards, which he powered across and over one of the best keeper’s around and the ball nestled into the top far corner of the net.
Goldberg will be on the phone to Powell to insist Pigott will develop more at Hayes Lane.
“An absolute stunning goal by Joe Pigott,” hailed the boss.
“Maybe he felt disappointed that he didn’t score three today. You’re not going to see anything better than that with his left foot as well!
“He went one-on-one and he’s maybe hit it too early with his left foot and yet there he was sticking it into the top left hand corner in the stanchion!
“I think there was a little bit of anger in him that he missed the first one so he wasn’t going to miss that one!”
Warrilow added: “That’s the Dartford third goal the other week! Sometimes I can analyse it and have a go how it started but no-one’s going to keep that out!”
Bromley keeper Welch made a fine block with his legs to thwart Lovell scoring with a right-footed shot from inside the penalty area, the ball looping over the crossbar.
Bromley then created a couple of chances from distance when Finn cracked an angled drive straight at Worgan, who then saw a shot from Fuseini flash wide of the far post.
Warrilow made a couple of substitutions and the introductions of powerful midfielder David Ijaha (who was making his debut following his move from St Albans City) and target man Aaron Gayle lifted the gloom with 25 minutes to go.
Warrilow hinted that he will hand Ijaha his first start for the club at Dover Athletic on New Years’ Day.
He added: “I’ve brought a new lad in today and that was a positive. He come on and done really well for us. St Albans have lost a manager in David Howells. We know David really well. There’s a couple of players over there I was interested in. One’s moved somewhere else but we’ll monitor him. We’ve put a seven-day approach in for David straight away. We’ve missed that sort of presence in there and he’s come on and done really well for us so I’m delighted to get him on board and he will be a massive plus for us.”
Collin collected the ball down the inside right channel before cutting the ball back to Purcell, who shot straight at Welch.
A poor headed clearance from Harwood, was brought under control by Purcell, who took a touch before his left-footed shot from 25-yards just cleared the Bromley crossbar.
But Bromley should have embarrassed their Kent rivals further in the 73rd minute when Walder inexplicably played a comical back pass straight to Pigott, who went on before rounding the advancing Worgan, but he dwelled on the ball and his weak shot was cleared off the line by Schulz.
Gayle, who caused Bromley’s defence problems with his aerial presence, flicked Worgan’s punt upfield into Purcell’s path, but the striker was denied by Welch.
The table’s then turned, Purcell feeding Gayle, who stroked a weak shot in with his right-foot, which was gathered by the Bromley keeper beside his near post.
Bromley should have scored on the break when Fuseini intercepted a pass and released substitute Louie Theophanous, but Worgan dived to his left to push the ball around his post.
Visiting keeper Welch made an equally decent flying save, to his right, to thwart Angels’ substitute Tom Davis from scoring with a swept right-footed shot from 25-yards, before Schulz threaded the ball through to Collin down the right and he cut the ball back to the far post but an unmarked Muggeridge blasted the ball over the bar.
Warrilow said: “Second half we got into some good areas, shots at keepers, Henry at the end has blasted one over the bar and George has had a second ball at the edge of the box where he’s had a touch and skied it all together.
“There were lots of things happening but we didn’t really get going today. Even though I’m very, very disappointed to lose the game, I felt we had chances to score and we didn’t take them and that’s not going to help your cause.”
But Goldberg was delighted with a clean sheet and said: “Danny Waldren came in as a makeshift centre half and ended up probably being the man-of-the-match. That was even more pleasing that we kept the clean sheet the way that we did – tremendous!
“But I still felt vulnerable. I thought they had two or three chances where on another day if they had hit the target the game could have been different but I’m not going to paper over the cracks. It was a comprehensive win but I still thought in the second half they still had their chances.”
Bromley have been labelled a Cup specialist, having reached the FA Cup First Round and they travel to Blue Square Bet Premier neighbours Dartford in the last sixteen of The FA Carlsberg Trophy on 12 January 2013.
Goldberg now prepares for a home game against bitter rivals Sutton United on New Years’ Day and said: I thought today was certainly a comprehensive performance but the season isn’t made by one game. As you know where we are in the league, I don’t even know if we’ve improved from today’s performance, but we’ve just got to keep it going.”
Warrilow, who is expecting a backlash from Dover Athletic at Crabble on New Years’ Day, added: “Frustrating. We just got to crack on with the New Year. I was hoping to finish the year on a positive note and today we haven’t.
“We’ve had a set-back and we’ve got to crack on with it. We can’t feel sorry for ourselves.”
Tonbridge Angels: Lee Worgan, Danny Walder (Tom Davis 75), Henry Muggeridge, Chris Piper, Gary Elphick, Ollie Schulz, Sonny Miles, Mark Lovell (Aaron Gayle 65), George Purcell, Frannie Collin, Rory Hill (David Ijaha 62).
Subs: Ross Treleaven, Ben Judge
Booked: Danny Walder 52
Bromley: Joe Welch, Sanchez Ming, Marlon Patterson, Ali Fuseini, Danny Waldren, Liam Harwood, Tony Finn, Mike Jones, Solomon Taiwo (Elliot Buchanan 83), Joe Pigott (Louie Theophanous 83), Aaron Rhule (Pierre Joseph-Dubois 90).
Subs: Helge Orome, Michael Malcolm
Goals: Mike Jones 12, Aaron Rhule 42, Joe Piggot 57
Booked: Marlon Patterson 60
Attendance: 682
Referee: Mr Paul Harris (Maidstone)
Assistants: Mr Thomas Ellams (Tadworth, Surrey) & Mr Stuart Franklin (Wickford, Essex)
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