Tonbridge Angels 1-1 Bromley - Hopefully it's not too little too late, says Tommy Warrilow

TONBRIDGE ANGELS  1-1  BROMLEY
Skrill South
Easter Saturday 19^th April 2014
Stephen McCartney reports from Longmead Stadium

BROMLEY manager Mark Goldberg says he doesn’t want to see their Kent rivals Tonbridge Angels lose their Conference South status on Easter Monday.

The Ravens confirmed their place in the Skrill South play-offs and are expected to finish in third-place – their highest finish in seven seasons in Conference South – after being held to a 1-1 draw by their relegation threatened neighbours, who have now drawn three games on the bounce.

Bromley took an early lead through striker Bradley Goldberg, 20, who was gifted his 23^rd goal of the season, before Tonbridge Angels’ striker Alex Teniola and a string of fine saves from keeper Lewis Carey, 20, ensured the home side grabbed a point.

Tonbridge Angels remain in the bottom two and are five points adrift of safety with two league games left to play.

Tonbridge Angels MUST win at Chelmsford City – who are one place above the relegation zone and four points clear of the Angels – on Easter Monday – and at home to sixth-place play-off chasing Havant & Waterlooville next Saturday – and hope results go their way to stave off a return to the Ryman Premier League after three seasons at this level.

Bromley, meanwhile, are three points behind second-placed Sutton United and six points clear of Ebbsfleet United, who they could play in a two-legged play-off semi-final.

“I’m a bit disappointed with the end result because again we dominated the majority of the game,” said Goldberg after his club remained undefeated against the Angels in six Conference South fixtures.

“I think it’s fair to say we created a number of goalscoring opportunities and again the goalkeeper was magnificent for Tonbridge, our ex-goalkeeper Lewis Carey pulled off some magnificent saves.

“The pitch was difficult. It was bobbly. I would have expected more from us in terms of converting the goalscoring opportunities but one’s got to take on board the fact that we are still creating and I’m sure the goals will come as we gain confidence going into the play-offs.”

Tonbridge Angels boss Tommy Warrilow added: “We knew it would be a hard game.  Physically, aerially they’re very, very strong.

“The first half we were getting peppered with free-kicks and we know they’re dangerous from that, but overall I was happy with our shape against a side third in the table.

“We’ve not been out of place. We’ve killed ourselves losing to sides around us. That’s the bottom line.

“All the top sides, like again here today, we haven’t lost. It’s a great result, but it’s not a great result. 

“It keeps us in it. If we lost today it would have definitely been out. Whitehawk would have gone out of the equation because of the goal-difference but we’ve just got to stay positive and crack on.

“There’s some good performances today, they’ve worked their socks off – but we’ve come away with a credible point.”

Bromley started on the front foot and created their first chance inside the opening four minutes.

Joe Anderson swung in a left-footed corner from the right and Danny Waldren planted his header through a crowd of players and harmlessly wide.

Carey certainly relished playing against his former club and he was called into action after Ali Fuseini hooked the ball forward for Brendan Kiernan to stroke a right-footed volley towards the corner, which forced Carey to dive to his left to make a fine block, but the flag was raised by the time he made a smart double save to thwart Goldberg scoring from the rebound.

Bromley continued to press and Goldberg picked the ball up and teed up Anderson who floated in a cross from the right where Rob Swaine (who had come up for Anderson’s initial corner) powered his header just over the crossbar.

Bromley, however, deservedly opened the scoring, but Carey was at fault for gifting his former club a ninth minute lead.

Anderson swung in a left-footed free-kick from midfield and Swaine powered a towering header towards goal.  The ball, however, was inexplicably spilt by Carey at his near post and Goldberg gleefully hooked his right-footed shot into the bottom right-hand corner from two-yards.

“I’m pleased for Brad that’s he’s finally got a tap-in,” said the Bromley manager.

“He’s been good but he will be annoyed with himself tonight because he had I think two or three other chances. He could have had a hat-trick today but we’re getting into the right positions aren’t we and creating the right chances so we’ve got to be pleased with the way we’re playing, just disappointed that we didn’t get the right result.”

Warrilow added: “If you look at the goal they’ve got today, that sort of sums it up as well!

“It’s not even a well worked goal. It’s a ridiculous goal, but that’s what it is.

“Heads could drop. We were under pressure but what a pathetic goal! Lewis looked to throw it before he’s caught it and they’ve tapped it in.”

But Tonbridge Angels’ recovered from their early set-back when they could so easily could have folded.

Mark Lovell – leading goalscorer on ten goals – headed the ball on to Chris Piper on the right, who cut the ball back to Lovell, who blasted his right-footed drive over from just outside the corner of Bromley’s penalty area.

Warrilow said: “We’ve got in some good areas and we’ve not pulled the trigger and we’ve took an extra touch.”

But Teniola’s second goal for the club in only his fourth start for the club after 22 minutes kept the club fighting after ending the club’s scoring draught after 337 minutes without a goal.

Philip Appiah swept the ball forward from the middle of the park and Teniola latched onto the ball just inside the penalty area and swept his right-footed shot underneath Joe Welch, the ball rolling into the bottom far corner of the net.

Warrilow said: “We responded well and we’ve actually turned them for the first time with a ball, which we’ve been trying to tell the boys to do and it’s a good finish by Alex.

“Alex came down with Michael Bakare training with a lad. We said we’ll have a look at them and he’s come in training and he looks a handful and we’ve bedded him into the side and he’s very raw as you can see.

“But he’s a lad that’s willing to learn and works his socks off and he’s been a nice kid and we’ve been delighted to find him.

“We’ll invite anyone down. We will have a look at anyone and he’s come in and taken his chance.”

Goldberg added: “Disappointing! It seemed too easy. We were a little out of shape and they had three in the middle of the park and we didn’t compact that very well for that particular instance and it cost us.”

Bromley went close when Jake Reid flicked the ball on for his strike partner Goldberg, who clipped his right-footed dink over Carey, only for the ball to drop agonisingly wide of the near post.

Anderson pumped another free-kick into the Tonbridge penalty area where Swaine came up from the back to send his towering header sailing wide.

Carey then made a comfortable save in the 29^th minute to deny Anderson, who got his left-footed free-kick over the wall, the ball bouncing once into the keeper’s gloves.

Bromley missed an excellent chance to deservedly lead in the 36^th minute but Tunbridge Wells born Carey saved Tonbridge’s bacon.

Fuseini produced a defence splitting pass to put Goldberg through on goal and the striker’s left-footed shot was destined to nestle into the bottom far corner of the net, but Carey dived to his left to push the ball away towards safety.

Goldberg added: “We found quite a lot of space and his movement was good and as long as you’re testing the goalkeeper you can’t complain.

“I felt a goal would come but it didn’t but we’ve still created some great chances and we played well and I don’t think there can be any complaints.”

Warrilow added: “He did (make some good saves) but unfortunately he’s messed up for one and that’s what people will remember.”

The second half started with both sides struggling to create a clear cut chance, but Tonbridge Angels went close to grabbing the lead in the 56^th minute.

Piper stroked a right-footed free-kick from 20-yards, out on the left hand side, which narrowly dipped over Welch’s crossbar and behind for a goal-kick.

Tonbridge Angels wasted a better opportunity with nineteen minutes left when former Herne Bay right-back Danny Walder clipped a free-kick into the penalty area where Lovell sent his back-header into Welch’s gloves for a comfortable save.

But it was to be Bromley who pressed to kill the game off and put another nail in to Tonbridge’s relegation coffin.

Fuseini played in substitute Louis Dennis, whose shot was blocked by Carey and the follow up shot from Goldberg poked his shot towards goal, but Jon Heath was inside his own six-yard box to clear the ball away.

Bromley substitute striker Jay May almost scored against one of his former clubs when his right-footed shot from 20-yards brought another fine save out of Carey, who dived to his left to make another fine save.

Seconds later, Fuseini picked up the loose ball on the right-hand side and whipped in a cross towards the far post where Dennis planted his header over from eight-yards.

Fuseini played a part in another Bromley attack when he played the ball into Dennis, who skipped past Walder and was denied a goal from eight-yards when man-of-the-match Carey smothered the ball at his near post.

Bromley continued to press for the winner, but Tonbridge Angels didn’t have the quality in the final third to call Welch into action at the other end.

Bromley defender Jack Holland clipped the ball through the heart of the Tonbridge defence, which was chested down by substitute Elliott Buchanan and May’s right-footed hooked half-volley from 25-yards brought a comfortable save from Carey.

Goldberg added: “We just couldn’t finish it off but on another day we would have got four but it’s just the way it is.”

Profligate Bromley missed their last chance when Waldren released Buchanan through on goal but he lacked composure and drilled his left-footed shot high over the roof of the stand from 22-yards on the angle.

Warrilow added: “I’m disappointed because of where we are but I’m not disappointed how we’ve played and the result.

“They’ve had chances as well, let’s not kid ourselves but again we’ve just shown that we can compete against the top sides that are going for the play-offs.”

But the Tonbridge boss was incensed when David Smart’s flag denied his side an injury time winner.

Ryan Watts played the ball up field and substitute Nathaniel Pinney was in an offside position but not interfering with play.  Piper latched onto the through ball and sent a delicate chip over Welch which dropped into the bottom right-hand corner but the goal was chalked off.

Warrilow said: “I’m really annoyed with the officials today, really annoyed!

“I thought we never got nothing, especially being at home.

“Pipes at the end was onside, he’s tucked his goal away well, but the flag went up just too early.”

Goldberg was proud that he is coming to the end of his best ever season in charge of the Hayes Lane outfit and he was quick to pay tribute to his players.

He said: “I think we showed a lot of commitment today.  I think everybody worked for the day. 

“They’ve been magnificent for the whole season.  They work for each other, the commitment. We’re physically winning our battles and creating good goalscoring opportunities. It’s a pleasure to be manager of the team at the moment.

“I think it’s fair to say third-place is a good position to be aiming for now and we’re very proud of that.

“I think it’s confirmed today that we’re in it (the play-offs) so congratulations to everybody involved but our job just starts again now to make sure we make the most of it.

“We don’t just want to sit back and say what a great season we’ve had. We want to recognise the fact that it’s been a great season and recognise the fact that we’ve got the most unbelievable opportunity for a second time in a decade (of winning promotion via the play-offs after beating Billericay Town on penalties at Hayes Lane to win the Ryman Premier League play-off finals in 2007) that we’ve got this opportunity so let’s try and make it work.”

Despite being rivals on the pitch, Goldberg admitted he doesn’t want Tonbridge Angels to fall down the trap door during the last week of the season.

“I didn’t want to play Tonbridge today because it’s an important game for us and a very important game for them but in a way it’s probably fitting that we got a draw today,” said Goldberg, who’s side thrashed Tonbridge Angels 5-1 at Hayes Lane back in August.

“At least we haven’t put them down but if we had to, that was part of our job to do so today.

“I turned round to Tommy and said I don’t want to see you go down.  I didn’t want to see us playing against you today because I’m going to be working hard to get as high up the table as we can to finish as high as we can but we’ll always be disappointed if our Kent rivals were to get relegated.”

Goldberg has experience of escaping relegation during the last two seasons before this one and when asked how you escape the drop, the Bromley boss replied: “You need the ammunition as well.  Tommy’s done well with the ammunition that he’s got, the players he’s got, the resources he’s got.  I think he’s done an exceptionally good job.

“I don’t think the fans should have anything but admiration for the job that Tommy’s done.”

Warrilow will hope for another Easter Monday miracle if his side are to avoid playing Ryman Premier League football in August.

As things stand, Tonbridge Angels have a slim chance to avoid the drop – but they can still pull off the great escape.

“Hopefully, it’s not too little too late,” said Warrilow.

“We’ve still got ourselves a fighting chance and we’ve got to hold onto that belief.

“I think everyone’s more relaxed now because we know what we have to do.  We didn’t have to win today. A win would have been good.  The games we should have and wanted to win were Maidenhead (which we drew 0-0 away).

“The difference is you don’t want to lose those games, so it’s just trying to find a happy medium.

“We know what we can still work on bits but we just have to put our chances away and perhaps not give the ball away so cheaply.”

Warrilow knows the importance of coming away from Chelmsford City with three points.

“Yes, the last two games are important. If we lose we know where we are,” he said.

“It’s going to be difficult over there. We know what the Chelmsford fans are like. It’s always blowing a gale force wind down the pitch but at least we’re going there with something to play for and that’s the most important thing.

“At the end of the day, we knew we had to get at least a point here (against Bromley today).”

Tonbridge Angels: Lewis Carey, Danny Walder, Ryan Watts, Philip Appiah (Evan James 83), Sonny Miles, Jon Heath, Chris Piper, David Ijaha (Lee Browning 41), Alex Teniola, Mark Lovell (Nathaniel Pinney 87), Nathan Green.
Subs: Luis Cumbers, Tom Collins

Goal: Alex Teniola 22

Booked: Philip Appiah 31, Nathan Green 55

Bromley: Joe Welch, Ashley Nicholls, Joe Anderson, Ali Fuseini, Rob Swaine, Jack Holland, Pierre Joseph-Dubois, Danny Waldren, Jake Reid (Jay May 66), Bradley Goldberg (Elliott Buchanan 84), Brendan Kiernan (Louis Dennis 58).
Subs: Taylor Parmenter, Adam Bailey-Dennis

Goal: Bradley Goldberg 9

Attendance: 672
Referee: Mr Lee Venamore (Maidstone)
Assistants: Mr Nick Dunn (Deal) & Mr David Smart (Maidstone)