Tonbridge Angels 3-2 Harrow Borough - We're in control of our destiny, says Warrilow

Thursday 15th April 2010

TONBRIDGE ANGELS 3-2 HARROW BOROUGH
Ryman Premier League
Thursday 15th April 2010
Stephen McCartney reports from Longmead Stadium

TONBRIDGE ANGELS boss Tommy Warrilow paid tribute to two-goal hero Jamie Cade for keeping the club’s play-off ambitions alive.

The Angels were awful for the opening 35 minutes and Harrow Borough found themselves two goals up through Rocky Baptiste and Ryan Watts, silencing the Longmead faithful.

But 25-year-old Cade - tonight playing on the left flank due to Kirk Watts unavailability due to a sickness bug - pounced to bring the home side back from the dead with a crucial goal seven minutes before the break.

Tonbridge Angels dominated the second half and Scott Kinch headed home from close range before hobbling off and going to hospital with a suspected broken ankle, before Cade netted his second of the night to bag a crucial three points.

“I’m really pleased for Jamie Cade tonight, because the boy gets a bit of stuck on the forum,” Warrilow told www.kentishfootball.co.uk in the boardroom afterwards.

“I said to him I don’t care if he doesn’t score goals - it would be nice if he did - but if he scored goals he wouldn’t be here!

“The boy’s a dedicated professional, he works hard, he gives you 110% every week, wherever I put him he does a great job.

“I can see what he does, regularly making holes for other players but tonight he’s chipped in with two massive goals for us.

“I’m pleased for him. He’s got nothing to prove to me. I think he’s a very, very good player.”

The opening quarter-of-an-hour was a cagey affair, before eighth-from-bottom Harrow Borough stunned the Longmead faithful.

Tonbridge keeper Lee Worgan made an excellent double save to deny Kenta Nakashima from scoring with a low shot, which looped off the former Hastings United keeper, who reacted superbly to prevent striker Danny McGonigle from scoring from the follow up.

But Harrow Borough broke the deadlock just 76 seconds later (in the 18th minute) when Baptiste’s low drive went across Worgan to find the bottom far corner.

Tonbridge almost drew level within a minute when Sam Long’s ball into the box was flicked on by Cade for Paul Booth to sweep straight at goalkeeper Andrey Baptiste.

But things started to go downhill when Harrow doubled their lead after 35 minutes when Nakashima played the ball across the box to the unmarked Ryan Watts and the left-sided midfielder rolled the ball across Worgan to find the bottom far corner.

And when Ronayne Marsh-Brown flashed another shot across Worgan - but thankfully past the far post - the upset home faithful started showing their discontent with comments like “Earn your Money!” “Sort it out now!” and “Do Something!”

But it was Cade that pounced with a crucial goal - the versatile player’s fourth of the season.

Anthony Storey floated in a free-kick from midfield, which was flicked on by Kinch’s inside a crowded penalty area and Cade fired his shot past the keeper to lift the gloom.

Warrilow knew the importance of that strike.

“We had to get one back before half-time, get the boys in,” he said. “Both goals we’ve lost possession, just tried to play. We had too many touches on the ball first half. The pitch looks nice out there but it’s ever so bobbly and if your first touch isn’t right you get punished.

“We won the ball for the first one, gave it back to them and they’ve scored and the second one we’ve had possession and we gave it away and they’ve hit a cross field ball and he’s finished it well.

“It was important we got one back at half-time.”

The second half, however, was a different story, as the home side were on the front foot, and were resilient in defence when Harrow Borough hit them on the break.

It took the Angels almost seven minutes to equalise and then they took the game by the scruff of the neck and came out on top.

Liam Harwood’s left-footed free-kick from midfield was allowed to bounce inside the penalty area and the ball was destined to sail into the top far corner before Kinch got the decisive flick to head in from close range.

Booth squandered a couple of chances after being set-up by Long and skipper Storey’s free-kick went over the wall and dipped down into the Harrow keeper’s grateful arms.

It was only a matter of time that Tonbridge Angels would score the winning goal - and it duly arrived with nineteen minutes left.

A couple of flicked headers found Jay May - the on-loan Dartford striker who had a quiet game - and he slipped the ball into Cade’s path and he clinically swept the ball towards goal and the Harrow keeper managed to get something on the ball but he couldn’t prevent the ball rolling over the line.

Harrow Borough threw bodies forward and almost snatched a point inside time added on.

A throw from substitute Kurt Morlese was hurled into the penalty area and Wayne Walters came up from the back to see his glancing header tipped over by the alert Worgan.

Tonbridge almost added another when Long hit Harrow on the counter attack and his 35-yard effort sailed over an empty goal with the keeper stranded off his line.

The Angels remain in seventh place in the Ryman Premier League table -but one point and one place lower than Boreham Wood - who arrive at Longmead Stadium on Saturday.

The Angels then travel to three other sides that are vying for a play-off place; AFC Hornchurch (Tuesday), Wealdstone (Thursday) and Aveley on the final day off the season, which appears it could be a winner-takes-all showdown in Essex.

The players all dunked themselves in an inflatable ice bath outside the dressing rooms after the final whistle - to prepare for their make-or-break week or two.

“I spoke to them on the pitch,” said Warrilow. “I said to them ‘you’ve got to eat, drink and sleep football for the next week and a half.

“The whole season relies on it, them looking after themselves and being grown up. They’ve worked hard all season, we’ve had ups and downs and it’s important they stay focused.”

Looking ahead to Boreham Wood’s visit on Saturday, Warrilow added: “We’ve got two games in hand over them so they’re all huge games. We said Horsham was, we said tonight was. It was important to win tonight to shut the gap on them to one point and with two games in hand.

“It’s the same with (fifth-placed) Hastings. We’re fully aware of the situation that we’re in but we’re in control of our destiny but we’ve got some really difficult games coming up.

“We’ve just got to chalk them off so whatever happens Saturday, this one is going to be a must-win as well.”

Warrilow would rather be playing sides challenging for the play-off’s, than the ones that are fighting to avoid relegation, like Harrow Borough.

“I’ve always gone on record saying I’d rather be playing these then the likes of this lot, who are fighting for their lives,” he said.

“We’re all playing for a promotion place, their all playing to stay in this league and we do tend to, hopefully, raise our game a little bit.”

Tonbridge Angels: Lee Worgan, Phil Starkey, Jon Heath, Scott Kinch (Marc Cumberbatch 68), Liam Harwood, Sonny Miles, Sam Long, Anthony Storey, Jay May (Meshach Nugent 82), Paul Booth, Jamie Cade.
Subs: Tom Bryant, Luke Blewden, Liam Baker.

Goals: Jamie Cade 38, 71 Scott Kinch 52

Booked: Scott Kinch 45, Anthony Storey 83

Harrow Borough: Andrey Baptiste, Richard Orlu (Kurt Morlese 46), Ronayne Marsh-Brown, Wayne Walters, Tobi Jinadu, Kawsi Frempong, Kenta Nakashima, James King (James Fraser 59), Danny McGonigle (Warren Whiteley 80), Rocky Baptiste, Ryan Watts.
Sub: Simon Dahl.

Goals: Rocky Baptiste 18, Ryan Watts 35

Booked: Ronayne Marsh-Brown 5, Kwasi Frempong 65, Danny McGonigle 76

Attendance: 397
Referee: Mr Ian Crouch (Orpington)
Assistants: Mr Adam Bakalarz (Bromley) & Mr Steve Roots (Tunbridge Wells)