Tonbridge Angels 2-2 Maidstone United - Fans' behaviour mars pulsating derby

It appears that whenever these two clubs meet each other, a certain element of undesirables crawl out from underneath their hole and damage the reputation of the club that they claim to “support.”

It was the 77^th minute of an enthralling derby; the Angels were hanging on, despite leading 2-1; before all attention turned away from the action on the pitch to behind the away dug-out.

A crowd huddled around the away dug out, and after a while, stewards ran towards the area to calm the heated exchange.

Sadly, the individuals involved will ensure their moronic actions will be discussed in days to come - instead of the football played on the pitch - a proverbial game of two halves.

Maidstone United joint-manager Lloyd Hume, who was the victim of the verbal attack, explained what happened, whilst speaking to www.kentishfootball.co.uk afterwards.

He said: “There’s supporters goading me, shouting and hollering and at the end of the day I’m just sort of standing there trying to ignore the situation and then people are getting involved from there, and there’s just a fracas right behind me, which makes it difficult to really concentrate on the game.

“I asked the referee "can we have them moved away?", which the stewards came over and the more they tried to move them away the more vocal they became and the more aggressive they got.

“It’s nothing to do with the players or me or anything on the bench - it’s some fans being over zealous if you like.”

When play restarted, the Angels, who dominated the first period, switched off and allowed the Stones to immediately level proceedings, courtesy of a rare goal from Roland Edge - his second of the season.

But the Stones couldn’t live with Tonbridge Angels during a one-sided first half and goals from John Westcott and Carl Rook’s 20^th of the season put the home side in the box seat before the break. Striker Ade Olorunda also had a headed goal ruled out.

But whatever Hume and Alan Walker said at the break had the desired effect as the Stones fought back with a powerful attacking display.

Meshach Nugent, on his return following his successful loan spell at Croydon Athletic, gave them the belief and despite having James Pinnock sent off for picking up his first yellow cards of the season, Maidstone United drew level when Edge headed home immediately after the off-the-pitch incident calmed down.

Maidstone United, sixth in the Ryman Premier League table, just six points behind their third placed rivals, almost drew first blood when Nugent looped a shot agonisingly past Lee Worgan and against the top of the far post - after just 58 seconds.

But Tonbridge Angels clinically opened the scoring, with their first chance, inside the opening five minutes.

Fraser Logan slipped the to Carl Rook and after the striker got the better of James Peacock, centred low through a crowd of players to winger John Westcott.

Despite the ball stuck behind him, the former Horsham winger turned and slammed his shot past goalkeeper Steve Northwood from eight yards.

Northwood was called into action after 15 minutes, tipping over Leon Legge’s towering header following Westcott’s out-swinging corner from the right.

Tonbridge were clearly pumped up for the first half of this derby game, but Maidstone United brought fine low saves from Lee Worgan, who denied Pinnock scoring on the turn, and Elliot Bradbrook, at his near post.

But Tonbridge Angels doubled their lead on the half-hour mark, courtesy of a training routine goal, worked on during their two sessions during the week.

Westcott delivered a free-kick some 35-yards from goal and long throw specialist Leon Legg did superbly to acrobatically hook the ball across the face of goal from inside the six-yard box and Rook was on hand to loop his near post header over Northwood and into the right-hand corner.

Seven minutes later Northwood was relieved not to have conceded his third goal, when Ade Olorunda nodded the ball into the net from two-yards after Tommy Tyne whipped in a hanging cross from the right, but the former Hastings United striker was penalised for bumping into the flapping goalkeeper.

However, during the interval, someone must have flicked a switch as it was the Stones’ turn to dominate the rest of the game - a complete reverse from the opening 45 minutes.

The impressive Nugent beat three Tonbridge defenders on his run down the right and his low centre was fired wide of the near post by his strike partner Lloyd Blackman.

Maidstone United then struck the crossbar in a matter of seconds after 51 minutes.

Blackman clapped the decision to award the Stones a set-piece, and Bradbrook curled a left-footed free-kick from 25-yards, which bounced down off the underside of the crossbar and skipper Jay Saunders smashed his volley onto the top of the crossbar.

But they deservedly pulled a goal back on 54 minutes when Bradbrook’s corner from the right caused mayhem in the box and the ball dropped to Nugent to rifle a deflected shot in off the right post.

Then, Jay Saunders’ looping header was marvellously headed off his own goal-line from underneath his own crossbar by Legge, as the Stones battered the Angels.

You would’ve thought any hopes of making a comeback would’ve been impossible when Pinnock was shown his second yellow card after 67 minutes for a lunge on Tonbridge skipper Anthony Storey.

Roared on by excellent support, the Stones went close when Blackman’s right-footed drive flew just over the crossbar, before things turned ugly behind Hume’s vantage point.

And once that all died down, substitute Aaron Lacy, another long throw specialist, delivered a free-kick, which was flicked on by Peter Hawkins, making his debut having joined the club on a month’s loan from Ebbsfleet United, and Edge headed down and into the bottom right-hand corner to earn a deserved point.

Tonbridge Angels boss, Tommy Warrilow, had a face like thunder as this was the second successive home game that his side have thrown away a 2-0 lead to end up picking up a point.

And when asked about the dug-out incident, Warrilow, speaking to www.kentishfootball.co.uk, replied, “I didn’t even see the second goal, so that was even more annoying, but it was a load of verbal’s going on and everyone was just trying to calm it all down.”

But he admitted his players switched off immediately after the incident, which led to Stones’ leveller.

“It doesn’t warrant conceding a goal like that,” he fumed. “The lads have got to be professional and concentrate on the pitch.

“If they want to play at a higher level they’ve got to ignore what’s going on off it.

“It was right behind the dug-out; from our point of view anyone didn’t come onto the pitch and get the game abandoned or get the club into trouble. I think it calmed down in the end.”

With Tonbridge Angels chairman Nick Sullivan away in Hong Kong on business, vice-chairman Mr Garry Pass gave his take on the ugly scenes.

“I know Maidstone actually videoed the match and I will ask for a copy,” Mr Pass told www.kentishfootball.co.uk.

“I’ve heard different stories but I’d rather not comment until I’ve seen the video.”

It goes without saying that everybody connected with the Kentish Football family would not condone this level of abuse or behaviour as it has no part in the game that we all love.

Tonbridge Angels: Lee Worgan, Tim Olorunda, Phil Starkey, Tommy Tyne, Leon Legge, Scott Gooding, John Westcott, Anthony Storey, Ade Olorunda, Carl Rook, Fraser Logan (Jamie Cade 86).
Subs: Michael Phillips, Kevin George, Lewis Hamilton.

Goals: John Westcott 5, Carl Rook 30

Booked: Tommy Tyne 28, Anthony Storey 54

Maidstone United: Steve Northwood, Nathan Paul, Ashley Ulph, Peter Hawkins, James Peacock (Aaron Lacy 57), Roland Edge, Meshach Nugent, Jay Saunders, James Pinnock, Lloyd Blackman (Craig Thompson 87), Elliot Bradbrook.
Subs: Ant Bodle, Keelan Mooney, Lloyd Hume.

Goals: Meshach Nugent 55, Roland Edge 80

Booked: Elliot Bradbrook 41, James Pinnock 44

Sent off: James Pinnock 67

Attendance: 948
Referee: Mr John Rowbury (Orpington)
Assistants: Mr Daniel Wyatt (Orpington) & Mr Adam Balalarz (Bromley)