Tonbridge Angels 2-3 Carshalton Athletic - Warrilow: My lowest feeling in football

Tuesday 28th April 2009

TONBRIDGE ANGELS 2-3 CARSHALTON ATHLETIC

Ryman Premier League Play-Off Semi-Final

Tuesday 28th April 2009

Mike Green reports from Longmead Stadium

“I can’t remember feeling so low in all my time in football!” Tonbridge Angels boss Tommy Warrilow’s blunt assessment as the Angels’ season shuddered to a frustrating and disappointing halt in front of Longmead’s largest crowd of the season.

And in the cold light of day, the Angels and their fans’ will be left to rue an amazing night at Longmead Stadium, where fortunes changed almost as regularly as a swing of a pendulum.

In the final analysis, however, Ryman League top goalscorer Richard Jolly was the difference between the two sides and his 37th and 38th goals of the season means it will be a long summer for the Angels faithful.

Choked Warrilow, who was speaking to BBC Radio Kent, said, “We’re absolutely gutted to lose because of a goal like that, what do I say to the boys in the dressing room, do I go in there and kill them for losing or do I go in and try and lift their spirits, which make no mistake, are on the floor - we’ve beaten ourselves tonight.

“We knew all that they had and when we got it back to two all, there was only one winner. We knew what we were going to get from them and while I’ll admit they were dangerous, we were the better side by a mile.”

And to be fair to Warrilow, who has guided the club to it’s highest league position of third in the Ryman Premier League, it really did feel as though Carshalton earnt their place in the final totally against the run of play.

As early as the eighth minute, only the width of Richard Stroud’s crossbar, kept the scoreline blank.

Steve Ferguson’s long throw was flicked on by Paul Booth, only for Carl Rook to send a header thundering against the bar.

As Tonbridge continued to press, with Ferguson looking lively down the right, the home side dominated possession without bothering the Carshalton goalkeeper.

That changed on 22 minutes when Ferguson’s cross fell to Rook on the far post and struggled to get the ball out from underneath his feet before shooting straight at Stroud.

The visitors’ then broke away and began breaking the Angels’ hearts as Jolly smashed in goal number 37 of the season on 24 minutes.

He got in behind the Tonbridge defence and drove the ball across Lee Worgan into the bottom corner.

Tonbridge responded with Tommy Tyne going close, when a blocked tackle on the edge of the Carshalton area, deceived Stroud and fortunately for the visitors’, flew narrowly wide.

As the game now ebbed and flowed, Jolly volleyed narrowly wide before another Ferguson run almost squeezed through Stroud’s legs and the keeper was grateful to Liam Harwood, who spent part of the season on loan with Margate from Bristol Rovers, for a desperate block to deny Scott Gooding.

The game turned Carshalton’s way four minutes after the break.

A midfield mix-up between Tyne and Anthony Storey allowed Jolly to be released and as Worgan came out the ball squirmed square for Charlie Ide to bundle home.

Tonbridge now had it all to do and were shell-shocked.

They needed a break to get back into the game and got it on 71 minutes.

Ferguson drove into the visitor’s penalty area and although he was felled by Lewis Gonsalves, whilst the referee had no hesitation in pointing to the spot, the Carshalton defenders were incensed and substitute Junior Kadi was very fortunate to escape at least a booking as he remonstrated with the assistant on the award.

Despite the delay Rook stepped up and coolly stroked home his 29th goal of the season from the spot.

The Angels suddenly had momentum and piled forward and eight minutes from time drew level.

A majestic pass from Storey released substitute Lee Minshull (after his introduction the Angels looked a different side) and from his intelligent pull-back, Booth used all of his experience to force the ball over the line and send the majority of the crowd into raptures.

Suddenly, you sensed that it was going to be the Angels’ night after all, yet within seconds of equalising the dreams were dashed again.

A Tonbridge corner was hammered clear by Harwood and Jolly, despite the valiant efforts of Simon Glover, raced away before coolly slotting the ball past Worgan and into the net for the goal that sealed the Angels’ fate.

The 27-year-old striker, showing predatory instincts like this (and after all his record of 38 goals this season does speak volumes) should surely be able to play at a higher level again.

So the Angels’ best season for many years comes to a shuddering halt and as manager Warrilow put it, “Who remembers who finishes third especially now we have the play-off’s. We’ve had a wonderful season, I’m gutted for the boys, they gave it their all, but hey.”

Before disappearing into the Longmead bar to no doubt drown his sorrows, the Angels boss paid tribute to the Tonbridge fans.

He said: “They were in a different gear tonight and I would really like to thank them for getting behind the team so well.

“That side that we put out tonight effectively is a new side; it’s a young side and the talent is frightening, which bodes so well for next season.

“But” the manager conceded, “It just makes tonight hurt so much more.”

Tonbridge Angels: Lee Worgan, Phil Starkey (Lee Minshull 68), Simon Glover, Tommy Tyne, Gavin Dayes (Tim Olorunda 68), Scott Gooding, Steve Ferguson, Anthony Storey, Paul Booth, Carl Rook, Dwain Clarke.

Subs: John Westcott, John Heath, Rob French.

Goals: Carl Rook 72 (pen), Paul Booth 82

Booked: Phil Starkey 39, Carl Rook 67

Carshalton Athletic: Richard Stroud, Simon Cooper, Lewis Gonsalves, Liam Harwood, David Graves, Bashir Alimi, Barry Stevens (Karl Beckford 90), Adrian Toppin, Charlie Ide (Junior Kadi 62), Richard Jolly, Jamie England (Ryan Martin 58).

Subs: Stuart Duff, Phil Wilson.

Goals: Richard Jolly 24, 83 Charlie Ide 49

Booked: Liam Harwood 73, Adrian Toppin 78, Richard Stroud 90

Attendance: 1,249

Referee: Mr John Busby (Wallingford, Oxfordshire)

Assistants: Mr Adam Ricketts (Bristol) & Mr Alan Raggett (Weston-Super-Mare, Somerset)

Fourth Official: Mr Ron Ganfield (Weston-Super-Mare, Somerset)