Kentish Football 
Warrilow planning spending spree - EXCLUSIVE
Thursday 27th December 2007
Tonbridge Angels manager Tommy Warrilow has promised more new faces as he aims to get the underachieving west Kent club out of the Ryman Premier League drop zone, writes Stephen McCartney.
Warrilow, 43, suffered only his second – but heaviest – defeat in 13 games as Angels manager – when his former club Horsham inflicted a 5-1 Boxing Day defeat at the Betterview Longmead Stadium.
Horsham totally outclassed the Angels throughout and Fraser Logan’s fifth goal of the season, scoring with a left-footed screamer that flew into the top right-hand corner on the hour mark, was the only Christmas cheer for the Kent side.
Lewis Taylor had deservedly opened the scoring on the stroke of half-time, scoring from the penalty spot after Tonbridge right-back Robbie Kember was red carded.
However, the Angels joy was short-lived as Horsham’s Gary Charman netted a four minute brace and former Maidstone United striker Simon Austin’s eighth goal of the season sent the vast majority of the 685 fans heading for the exit with a right-footed finish in the 88th minute.
But Jean-Michel Sigere saved the best for last, lobbing Angels goalkeeper Matt Reed, who celebrated his 21st birthday on Christmas Eve, from fully 40-yards to complete the rout inside stoppage time.
Warrilow, who was quick to apologise to Tonbridge Angels fans’ following the Christmas stuffing, handed striker Luke Fontana, 23, his home debut yesterday, having signed him from league rivals Carshalton Athletic last Friday, 21st December, on a free transfer.
The striker skippered England Schoolboys and played for Wimbledon and Wycombe Wanderers before drifting into the non-league game.
He signed for Hampton & Richmond Borough in the summer of 2004 after spells at Kingstonian and Banstead Athletic joined Carshalton Athletic in October 2005.
Moving to Lewes, he returned to play for the Robbins and made a total of 77 appearances for Carshalton Athletic, scoring 32 goals.
Fontana has also played for Horsham and Eastbourne Borough, and Warrilow explained EXCLUSIVELY to www.kentishfootball.co.uk why he has brought the striker to his first Kent club.
“Luke’s got a bit of pace about him,” he said. “He’s just a general all round good forward and I think him and Rooky (Carl Rook) could be a real handful in there.
“Luke’s been suffering with a shoulder problem so we’ll nurse him into the games.
“He came on today (after 70 minutes) and done some bits and bobs but it’s hard. He’s been out for a while injured, he needs to come back and have some games but it’s hard introducing him for 90 minutes when we’ve got the squad available.
“He’s got to be patient like the rest of them but Luke will come good.”
Warrilow spent roughly a third of the funds made available to him following the sales of star striker Jon Main (to AFC Wimbledon) and full-back Scott Gooding (Fisher Athletic) in bringing striker Carl Rook from Horsham.
“Carl didn’t have the best of games today but anyone that saw Rooky on Saturday (the 1-1 draw at Staines Town) knows what you’re going to get out of him,” said Warrilow.
Since switching from Horsham to Tonbridge, Warrilow has signed John Westcott and Rook (from Horsham), Kirk Watts (Lewes) and Fontana (Carshalton Athletic) – and more are on their way.
“I keep my ears and eyes open for any player,” he said. “If any player can better our team, if I can get him, he’ll be coming here relevant of whose here, whose in that position.
“If someone comes along that’s better, I will do my utmost to make sure he’ll be putting on a Tonbridge shirt on.
“I’ve been busy all the time. I’ve been speaking last week to people and different clubs, even loan things.
“I’m looking all the time. I’ll always be looking to better than what we’ve got.
“If the boys keep coming in and performing and playing well, they’ll keep their shirts and it makes their position a little bit stable – you want consistent performances.”
Following their Boxing Day shocker, Warrilow’s men drive down the A21 on Saturday aiming to take three points at fellow strugglers, Hastings United.
After suffering his first defeat at Harrow Borough on 4th December, Tonbridge bounced back to become the first side to take any points at Chelmsford City, with an impressive 2-2 draw at Melbourne Park.
“We had the hiccup at Harrow Borough and they bounced back with the performance at Chelmsford” Warrilow recalled.
“But again we’ve got no divine right to go win any game and today I thought we turned up and thought the run we’ve been on perhaps it went to a few people’s heads.
“We got the basics wrong and fair play to Horsham, they took their chances.”
The Cuxton based boss knows what his side must do during their last 21 Ryman Premier League games.
“We’ve got to start getting some wins together,” he said. “The league is so tight but we can't keep saying that every week.
“We’ve got to do something about it. It is a very, very tight league.
“There won’t be any knee-bolt reaction, we’ve been on a great run and it’s finished today and it’s finished in style.”
He added: “We’ve just got to start trying to get a few wins under our belt.”
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Hastings United v Tonbridge Angels
Ryman Premier League
Saturday 29th December 2007
Kick Off 3:00pm
At The Pilot Field, Elphinstone Road, Hastings, East Sussex TN34 2AX
Red Dragon I.T. Ltd