Tonbridge Angels 1-2 Staines Town - We lacked desire and pride, admits Warrilow

Record signing Rook toiled in the heat for 74 minutes as promotion chasing Tonbridge failed miserably against a Staines Town that were denied promotion by AFC Wimbledon in last season’s Ryman Premier League play-off final.

The Swans eased into a 2-0 lead at the break, through striker Elliot Onochie and substitute Dean Thomas, but after an ear-bashing from Warrilow during the interval, hopes of the west Kent side salvaging a point looked likely when striker Ade Olorunda opened his account for his new club, but despite a much better performance, they couldn’t grab a point.

“Rookie weren’t at the races today but he’s carrying some knocks,” revealed Warrilow when speaking to www.kentishfootball.co.uk afterwards.

“I thought he done better the second half, every time he missed a header I thought the crowd (got on his back). The crowd has to be a little bit patient with him.

“He’s got some groin problems and also he had a very bard toe, which is painful to strike on so we’ll look at that Monday and if he’s struggling like that we won’t start him (at Ramsgate).”

The Longmead Stadium faithful had every right to get at their players’ backs, during a very mediocre first half showing.

And Warrilow said: “They’re entitled to be, I don’t mind them being frustrated - we were!

“It did at times look very lethargic and they’re entitled to have a go at the lads because they’re paying their money and they’re right.

“All we ask for is 100% and some in the first half didn’t give it so they’re entitled to it but all I would say is don’t be so cynical on some of the lads at the moment.

“I take responsibility for putting him (Rook) on there, if people are worried about team selection but we’ll have a look at him Monday.

“I think he done not too bad, the second half better than the first half but we’ll address that Monday.”

Warrilow kept faith with the same starting eleven that defeated Harlow Town 2-0 in midweek, after starting their season seven days ago with a goal-less draw at Wealdstone, in a game where goalkeeper Lee Worgan was red-carded early on.

However, had their first chance had gone in, inside six minutes, maybe, just maybe, the outcome might have been different.

Olorunda played a diagonal ball from right to left for Fraser Logan who twisted and turned defender Jake Newton before cutting the ball back to Simon Glover, joining the attack.

The versatile Glover, playing at left-back, cut into the penalty area and a couple of his shots were blocked at the near post by Staines, as well attempts on goal from Olorunda and Jamie Cade.

At the other end, Howard Newton delivered a cross from the left by-line but Gareth Risbridger hooked his shot wide.

But what can be classed as the turning point came in the 14^th minute.

Olorunda got his body in front of defender Dave Sargent and Sussex referee Mr Irvine Woodward signalled that the former Hastings United striker had elbowed Sargent and was booked.

Play was held up to enable Sargent to receive treatment for a cut about his right eye, which incensed the Longmead Stadium faithful behind the goal, who shouted out many insults.

But this spurred Sargent on and it was his ball over the top, after 26 minutes, that gave Staines Town the lead.

Sargent’s ball cut through right-back Phil Starkey and the defensive pairing of Leon Legg and James Donovan and Onochie clinically found the far corner with a shot with the outside of his right boot, across Worgan.

Worgan tipped over Onochie’s right-footed drive before Staines doubled their lead, just eleven minutes after their first.

Substitute Thomas, who replaced the injured Gareth Risbridger, wasn’t picked up at the near post, following Howard Newton’s corner, and he found the far corner with a deft glancing header.

Casual defending from skipper Legg almost gifted Staines a third on the stroke of half time, losing possession to winger Andre Scarlett, but thankfully Leroy Griffiths’ turned his shot wide of the right post.

Surely the second half showing couldn’t be THAT bad!

Scarlett drilled a ball into the Tonbridge penalty area from the right hand side and Legg was relieved to see the ball divert wide when he stabbed the ball towards his own goal.

But Tonbridge finally took the game to Staines, who were happy to soak up the pressure and try and hit the Kent side on the break.

A move down the right from winger John Westcott and an overlapping Starkey, won the Kent side a 56^th minute corner.

Westcott’s near post flag-kick was met by off-colour Rook and his glancing header dropped agonisingly wide of the far post.

Another headed chance arrived within a minute.

Logan whipped in a cross from the left and this was met by a towering header from Legg, but the former Lewes defender could only glance this agonisingly wide of the far post.

At last, Staines Town were rattled.

Hope was, however, rekindled when Tonbridge pulled a goal back after 63 minutes.

Olorunda latched onto Logan’s through ball and raced towards goal and cracked a left-footed drive, which beat Louis Wells to rocket into the far corner.

Hitting Tonbridge on the break, Howard Newton blazed over the crossbar from just inside the Angels penalty area and Worgan made a couple of saves to deny Onochie.

But Warrilow knows the damage had already been done during a shockingly poor first half.

“Again, we’ve started very slow, lethargic,” he said after his side’s third league game of the
season.

“Disappointed with the two goals as well. I thought we gifted them one, long ball between my full back and centre halves, done us and a free header from a corner.

“The way we’ve been defending for the last couple of games has been a plus for us, but I’m disappointed we’ve got down with that.

“They started well but even if we kept them down to a minimum and go in blank you’ve got more chance second half but when we first came here every game we came in 2-0 down. We don’t want to do it this season.

“We got them in at half-time and obviously second half we’ve gone out and I thought a bit of a better performance in. We didn’t take our chances and ran out of time.”

Warrilow felt Rook and Legge should have taken their headed chances during a much better second period.

“We created enough chances in the second half I thought to get the second goal but our finishing let us down,” he said.

“A few crosses went in but we’ve not really got our heads behind it but we kept the pressure on second half and that’s all you can ask.

“We started so lethargically and you can’t give teams like Staines a 2-0 start. They’re a very good organised side but I thought second half we showed that we can more than match that.”

Warrilow demands a response from his players when they travel to Ramsgate on Bank Holiday Monday.

“Not tip-toeing about it, we wanted a bit of desire out there,” said Warrilow. “

"I don’t mind them having a bad game but I want 100% commitment and running through brick walls and pride to wear the shirt. I just thought there were too many fannying about out there, going through the motions.

“I just think they wanted it more in the first half. After the way we finished the other night you can’t go through a season at a canter.

“We got away with it the other night. Harlow played very well second half.

“You let a good team do that they’re going to hurt you and we found it out today.”

Tonbridge Angels: Lee Worgan, Phil Starkey, Simon Glover, Tommy Tyne, Leon Legge, James Donovan, John Westcott, Jamie Cade, Ade Olorunda, Carl Rook (Anthony Storey 74), Fraser Logan.
Subs: Kirk Watts, Lewis Hamilton, Tim Olorunda, Luke Piscina.

Goal: Ade Olorunda 63

Booked: Ade Olorunda 14

Staines Town: Louis Wells, Jake Newton, Dave Sargent, Danny Gordon, Lee Kersey, Darti Brown, Howard Newton, Gareth Redbridge (Dean Thomas 25), Leroy Griffiths, Elliot Onochie, Andre Scarlett.
Subs: Richard Butler, Marien Ifura, Davis Haule, Dean Fenton.

Goals: Elliot Onochie 26, Dean Thomas 37

Booked: Lee Kersey 14

Attendance: 411
Referee: Mr Irvine Woodwood (Seaford, East Sussex)
Assistants: Mr Baris Erguven (Brighton, East Sussex) & Mr John Flynn (Crawley, West Sussex)