Tonbridge Angels 2-1 Hendon - Angels win marred by Scott Gooding injury

“It was one of those incidents that you really worry about,” he said.  “There was no one around him as he went down.  We’d rolled the ball into Pipes (Chris Piper) who’s lost possession and as Scott’s gone to react to it he’s caught his studs in the ground.  In the next 24 hours we’ll know how bad it is, but hopefully, with everything crossed, it’s obviously a big concern and has put a dampener on the result.”

Warrilow added: “It was another hard fought win again tonight.  I’ve said to the boys that there are no easy games in this League – we’ve just got to chalk them off one at a time! 

“We’ve come from behind again, which shows the strength in character that we’ve got.  We just didn’t get going in the first half.  The system that we played at Bury Town on Saturday didn’t work as we just didn’t talk or organise. They ran the show in midfield. 

“We got them in at half time and had a bit of a go at the boys in the middle of the park to start allocating men when we haven’t got the ball and I thought the second half was obviously a lot better.  We got in some good areas – I keep saying it week in week out, that if we get into good areas we’ve got to take our chances.”
 
Chances that were few and far between for the Angels early on as the visitors looked to build on the lead given to them on eight minutes. 

Piper was caught in possession and as the ball was threaded ball, Belal Aite–Ouakrim raced away from the distressed Gooding to hammer the ball low past Lee Worgan and into the corner of the net. 

The lead was almost doubled on 20 minutes but this time Worgan was just about equal to Jamie Busby’s lob – the keeper palming the ball over the bar when it appeared to have beaten him. 

Then in a moment of sheer brilliance - Aite–Ouakrim fired just over as he controlled Lubomir Guentchev’s left wing cross, turning as he controlled to the only to fire just too high with a stunning shot.
 
Then came an incident that you hardly ever see at a game of football.  As that Angels were preparing to take a corner, with their subs warming up behind them in a corners, referee Stuart Butler was called over by his assistant, and after a brief conversation produced a yellow card for Scott Kinch who was warming up off the playing area. 

Indeed that incident happened on 23 minutes which in the end was some 63 minutes before Kinch actually came on for Ade Olorunda!
 
Olorunda then equalised with his first Tonbridge goal since returning recently from Hastings United as the Angels levelled before half time slotting home neatly after being played through by Lee Browning. 

Browning won the ball just inside the visitors half and threaded the ball into the channel for Olorunda to race onto and round Hendon keeper James Readings five yards outside his area. 

Then showing all the composure in the World the former Hastings striker the coolly slotted the ball home much to the delight of his manager. 

Warrilow said: “I’m delighted for him.  We’ve given him half hour, forty minutes up to now and we decided to let him loose tonight.  He gave the signal that he’d run himself into the ground tonight and that’s the only reason why he was taken off.  He’s a real handful and will only get better given time.”

The visitors responded and it was that man Aite–Ouakrim again who again knocked on the Angels door, and was a whisker away from restoring Hendon’s lead as he raced onto Guentchev’s measured through ball. 

The striker took it in his stride, rounded Worgan and fired into the side netting with the goal at his mercy!  That came at the midway point of the second half as we in all seriousness you couldn’t pick a winner.
 
The visitors were always dangerous going forward with striker Aite–Ouakrim a constant problem for the Angels defence, whilst at the other end Jay May lead the line magnificently and was rightly named the home sides player of the game.

The winner came on 73 minutes when Collin himself was bundled to the ground on the edge of the box, and the former Dover striker dusted himself down to coolly slam home his 13^th goal of the season from the spot.

Back came Hendon again, and with just Aite–Ouakrim was denied yet again by Worgan’s big feet as the Angels stopper produced yet another fine stop with his feet this time. 

The home side did have chances to win the game by more late on – Piper’s low drive was brilliantly saved and substitute Lewis Taylor’s follow up was brilliantly blocked by keeper Reading, whilst Browning was denied by the keepers legs after a super free kick move between Browning and Collin. 

But a third home goal would have been tough on Hendon who contributed so much to a very enjoyable game of Ryman Premier football.
 
This win lifts the Angels to sixth in the table with a busy January ahead of them, but much of the gloss of these hard fought three points was lost with the injury to Gooding which will be fully assessed over the next few days.

But tonight’s attendance was the Angels’ lowest league crowd of the season.
 
Tonbridge Angels:  Lee Worgan, Danny Walder, Jon Heath, Rory Hill, Sonny Miles, Scott Gooding (Ben Judge 12), Lee Browning, Chris Piper (Scott Kinch, Jay May, Frannie Collin, Ade Olorunda (Lewis Taylor 67).
Subs:   Jake Beecroft, Luke Blewden

Goals:  Ade Olorunda 28, Frannie Collin 73 (pen)
 
Booked: Scott Kinch 23, Jay May 44
 
Hendon: James Readings, Eddie Munnelly (Danny Dyer 79), Scott Cousins, Michael Peacock, Daniel Sinter, James Burgess (Glenn Garner 79), Lubormir Guentchev, Lee O’Leary, Aaron Morgan (Brian Haule 86), Belal Aite – Ouakrim, Jamie Busby.

Goal:  Belal Aite-Ouakrim 8

Booked: Jamie Busby 70, Daniel Sinter 79, Aaron Morgan 86
 
Attendance: 267
Referee:  Mr Stuart Butler (Maidstone)
Assistants: Mr James Garratt (Blackheath) and Mr Jamie Broughton (Deptford)