Kentish Football 
Tonbridge Angels 4-0 Carshalton Athletic - Our aim now is to play Sutton next year - O'Brien
Saturday 16th April 2011
TONBRIDGE ANGELS 4-0 CARSHALTON ATHLETIC
Ryman Premier League
Saturday 16th April 2011
Stephen McCartney reports from Longmead Stadium
ASSISTANT manager Alex O’Brien says Tonbridge Angels’ sole aim now is to clinch promotion through the play-off’s, along with champions-elect Sutton United.
The Angels climbed into second place in the Ryman Premier League table (eleven points adrift of top spot), as they dealt with the loss of 21-goal striker Frannie Collin in midweek, by scoring four goals as strikers Carl Rook, Ade Olorunda and two-goal substitute Adrian Stone all stepped up to the plate to put a poor Carshalton Athletic side to the sword at a sunny Longmead Stadium.
“I think the way we started the game and the way we controlled the game in spells, it was very pleasing on the eye,” said O’Brien afterwards.
“On a hard, bobbly pitch on a hot day, I thought we passed the ball extremely well. We went long when we needed to, we cleared our lines when we needed to do, but we definitely got the ball down and we created chances.
“I think, today, we were well worthy winners.”
Tommy Warrilow’s side will surrender second spot if Bury Town win at mid-table Cray Wanderers at Hayes Lane tomorrow, but as only one point separates the Angels and fifth-placed Lowestoft Town, wins over Harrow Borough, Hastings United and Horsham are required to cement their deserved play-off berth.
The league title will head to Sutton if Bury Town fail to beat Ian Jenkins’ side at Hayes Lane tomorrow, a game expected to be watched by Bromley resident Stone and Angels coach Terry Sedge.
With Collin nursing a swollen ankle, picked up whilst scoring the first goal in Angels 3-0 win at Hendon last Tuesday, Warrilow brought in Scottish winger, Fraser Logan.
Danny Walder was withdrawn from the starting line-up as he suffered back spasms during the warm-up, so Jon Heath slotted in and was excellent at left-back, although Walder was fit enough to replace Heath, who ran himself into the ground.
O’Brien explained the situation, that saw an amendment in the official team-sheet prior to kick-off.
He said: “Danny Walder got out his car and he twinge his back. He thought he’d be ok but his back started to spasm and tighten up in the warm up. Heathy’s been unwell for the last week and a half so we swapped them over. Heathy done extremely well and Dan finished the game for him but it was a bit of a freak thing. I’m sure with a little bit of love from Tina (Jenner) and Melvin (Slight, our pysio’s) he’ll be fine and raring to go Saturday.”
Carshalton Athletic arrived in Kent on the back of six games without a win and they looked devoid of confidence. Former Tonbridge and Folkestone Invicta midfielder Robert Kember lost his midfield battle to Angels combative skipper Scott Kinch and the Surrey side had no answer to Tonbridge Angels, who adapted well to the rock hard playing surface, despite it being watered for a four-hour period before the game.
Tonbridge Angels started and finished on the front foot, and they almost opened the scoring with only 34 seconds on the clock.
Sam Jones picked the ball up and played the ball inside to central midfielder Chris Piper, who struck a left-footed drive from 35-yards, which screamed past the post with visiting goalkeeper Craig Ross rooted to the spot.
Carshalton Athletic did create a chance when Luke Pigden (who was later substituted with a suspected fractured leg picked up following a challenge from Kinch), floated in a free-kick from the right and skipper David Ray’s looping header was tipped over the crossbar by Lee Worgan.
Piper squandered his second chance when he fired a right-footed volley wide after Heath looped a throw into the Carshalton penalty area - and the game wasn’t even five minutes old!
Carshalton keeper Ross made a comfortable save in the 12th minute when Logan bent a left-footed free-kick from 30-yards around the wall.
Another chance fell Tonbridge’s way in a dominant opening twenty minute spell as Jake Beecroft’s first time pass released Jones towards the by-line and his low cross was flicked on by Piper at the near post and Carshalton failed to clear their lines and Beecroft slammed a left-footed drive just over the crossbar.
Carshalton striker Adeyinka Francis was lucky not to pick up any cards (despite referee Adam Crysell consulting assistant Simon Finnigan) for an alleged elbow which flattened Sonny Miles on an off-the-ball incident, after an excellently timed sliding challenge from Heath thwarted Joel Ledgister’s progress down the right.
Logan swung in a corner from the left, which was headed away by Daniel Young, and after exchanging passes with Ben Judge, Piper swept a weak left-footed shot past the post from 22-yards.
But Tonbridge Angels went into the break a goal-up, courtesy of Rook’s goal-poaching talents, with 46:45 on the clock.
Logan swung in a corner from the left, which was headed away by Young, but the ball dropped nicely for Piper on the edge of the box who swept the ball across goal and the unmarked Rook stuck out his right leg to stab the ball over the line from eight-yards.
Rook, who is on loan from Dartford, has now scored 68 goals from 88 starts for the Angels.
“We tried to break them down and they were very resilient,” said O’Brien. “Then a cross come shot from Chris Piper was tapped home by Carl Rook and Rookie does what Rookie does. He scores goals and I was pleased we got something to show going into half-time.”
A perfect time to score the opening goal and when asked what was said during the half-time interval, O’Brien replied, “We just demanded more. We demanded that we start (the second half) well and we demanded individual players stamped their authority a little bit more. We knew if we do things the right way there will be more goals and to be fair the boys started off and finished the second half extremely well.”
Carshalton squandered an excellent chance to equalise within the opening four minutes of the second half when Ledgister slipped the ball to Michael Boateng on the overlap and he cut inside Heath and teed up a good chance for Ledgister, who stroked a left-footed shot just past the foot of the far post.
They were made to pay, however, as Tonbridge doubled their lead after 54 minutes.
Olorunda spread the ball over to Logan on the left, and the Scot did well to control the ball as it bobbled underneath his feet, but his pass to Olorunda was good and the former Hastings United striker cracked an angled right-footed drive past the hapless Scott for his 12th career goal for the club.
O’Brien said: “Well, it was a great ball into him and a fantastic turn. Ade’s been superb since he’s come back. His work-rate is second to none, even if he’s having one he keeps working and harrying defenders. He’s turning bad balls into good balls and he’s an extremely good asset for us to have.”
Carshalton could have pulled a goal back when Boateng’s cross from the right was glanced wide by Francis, before at the other end, Olorunda looped a header under pressure into Ross’s hands after meeting Rook’s floated cross.
Olorunda had a goal ruled out for offside in the 63rd minute after Logan knocked down Beecroft’s free-kick and another chance came the Angels way when Worgan’s kick was knocked down by Olorunda and Piper’s right-footed angled drive from 30-yards bounced wide.
Olorunda was replaced by Stone and the 28-year-old striker rounded off a good day for the home side by scoring two late goals.
“We’ve never been a side that says we’ve got one natural goalscorer, because I don’t think that works,” added O’Brien.
“We’ve got players that can come off the bench and score. We’ve got players who on their day are fantastic and Stoney had 20 minutes the other night and I think we saw the real Stoney and that was someone who was sharp in the box, wins his headers, works hard and finishes his chances.”
Jones played the ball along to Beecroft, and his driven shot was destined to be heading wide, but Stone turned and swept the ball across Ross and into the corner of the Carshalton net to make it 3-0 in the 79th minute.
Tonbridge Angels made it 4-0 inside stoppage time when Jones and Piper combined again down the right and Piper’s cross was rifled into the roof of the net on the volley by Stone.
Stone, whose nine of his 13 appearances for the club have been from the subs bench, was pleased with his two-goals in his eleven minute cameo.
“To be fair, the last couple of games, I played really, really well and I took my goals well, but overall I thought the performance was decent,” said Stone.
“Frannie (Collin) is a big miss. He’s obviously our top goalscorer. He’s gonna be a miss but when he’s fit he’s going to go straight in. That’s the way football is.”
Reflecting on his two goals, Stone said, “More of a confidence boost for myself. I’ve been there a little while now and not scored. I’ve not really been playing that much so I’m pleased to score both.
“I enjoyed watching it from the bench and it was good to get on and get involved.”
Stone hopes Cray Wanderers do their Kent rivals a favour by beating Bury Town tomorrow.
He said: “Now we’re there I don’t think we’re going to lose second spot. I’ll probably go and watch the game tomorrow at Cray because it’s right around the corner (from my house). I think we can hold onto that second spot and go all the way.”
The visiting Carshalton fans vented their anger as their beleaguered side suffered their second 4-0 defeat in seven days, as they sung the name of their former manager Mark Butler, and chanted “You’re not fit to manage us!” in the direction of their owner/manager Paul Dipre, from behind the goal.
Worgan ensured his 140th appearance for Tonbridge ended in his 17th clean sheet of the season (and his sixth clean sheet in his last eight games) as he made a comfortable save at the death, as Ledgister tried his luck with a right-footed drive from 30-yards.
Despite the travelling fans’ voicing their anger, the Angels supporters were fantastic and they will be needed for the club’s remaining five games of the season.
“They didn’t stop from start to finish. They’ve been fantastic,” said O’Brien. “They’ve been decent. You can’t thank them enough but like I said on Friday, we’ve still got a few more games to go and I think they’ll definitely be a twelve man for us. They deserve to see football like that today!”
So the Angels will have to win promotion through the play-off’s, five wins will see the club clinch promotion into Blue Square Bet South.
“We started off bad and we’ve had a few ups and downs but league table’s don’t lie and Sutton have won it and congratulations to Sutton,” said O’Brien.
“Paul (Doswell), I’m sure will be raring to go next year and kick on in the Conference (South), but our aim now is to meet them there, to play Sutton again next year along with the other big sides.
“At the minute we’re focusing on Harrow Borough over the Easter weekend and this league, if you don’t pick up points, you find yourself in eighth or ninth, just like that! You miss out and there’s always someone on your toes to fill your gap.
“We drew Tooting last week and we found ourselves eighth. We won in the week and we found ourselves fourth and we won today and now we’re second.
“We’re not getting carried away. We’ll just win the next game, hope we’re in the pack until it’s mathematically that we can’t fall out of there (the play-off zone).
“It’s extremely tight but I’m sure all the other manager’s and players’ are saying the same. Now is the time not to drop points.”
Tonbridge Angels: Lee Worgan, Jake Beecroft, Jon Heath (Danny Walder 74), Scott Kinch, Ben Judge, Sonny Miles, Sam Jones, Chris Piper, Ade Olorunda (Adrian Stone 73), Carl Rook, Fraser Logan (Matt Hollyoak 86).
Subs: Alex O’Brien, Joe Hagan
Goals: Carl Rook 45, Ade Olorunda 54, Adrian Stone 79, 90
Booked: Ade Olorunda 50, Carl Rook 87
Carshalton Athletic: Craig Ross, Michael Boateng, Jake Hill, Dwain Williams (Tommy Williams 76), Daniel Young, David Ray, Joel Ledgister, Robert Kember, Adeyinka Francis (Darren Bryan 72), Luke Pigden (Sonny Ayres 28), Anthony Joseph.
Subs: Jake Harris, Jack Eden.
Attendance: 472
Referee: Mr Adam Crysell (Braintree, Essex)
Assistants: Mr Simon Finnigan (Maidstone) & Mr Rob Baker (Maidstone)
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