Wealdstone 2-1 Tonbridge Angels - The season's over, admits angry Warrilow

Thursday 22nd April 2010

WEALDSTONE 2-1 TONBRIDGE ANGELS
Ryman Premier League
Thursday 22nd April 2010
Stephen McCartney reports from Grosvenor Vale

TONBRIDGE ANGELS boss Tommy Warrilow suffered a heartbreaking defeat in Ruislip tonight - as his side pulled out of the play-off race in their penultimate league game.

However, it was the nature of their 2-1 away defeat to fellow play-off chasers Wealdstone that left a sickening taste in the mouth at the final whistle.

But the Angels were by far the better team throughout; enjoyed plenty of possession; created the better chances; won the corner count 11-2; but were defeated on a night when only a win mattered.

Things got off to a flying start as box-to-box midfielder Lee Minshull finished off a good move to score his seventeenth goal of the season after just 12 minutes.

But Wealdstone levelled twelve minutes later through Matt McClure, and despite the Kent side battering the hosts, McClure ended Tonbridge’s promotion hopes by scoring with a 45-yard screamer just SEVEN SECONDS into the second half.

The Kent side found Wealdstone keeper Sean Thomas in fine form throughout and the final whistle meant that Sutton United, Aveley, Kingstonian and Boreham Wood will go into the final game of the season sitting in the play-off places, whilst Tonbridge travel to Aveley sitting in eighth place suffering from broken dreams.

Without the suspended Scott Kinch and 22-goal striker Paul Booth (who was rested with a foot injury), Tonbridge drew first blood, after McClure was off target twice.

Meshach Nugent (who only arrived at the ground within 45 minutes before kick-off), held the ball up in the middle before releasing Kirk Watts down the left and the winger floated an excellent cross for Minshull to leap off the ground and glance his header across Thomas into the bottom far corner.

Thomas made a fine reaction block to prevent Sam Long scoring from the edge of the penalty box, before Angels keeper Lee Worgan excelled by making a fantastic double save.

Worgan got down low to his right to prevent winger Danny Spendlove from curling a 25-yard free-kick into the corner of the goal and the highly-rated stopper reacted superbly to prevent Ryan Ashe scoring from a low driven follow-up.

But Worgan couldn’t prevent Wealdstone from grabbing an equaliser.

Long-throw specialist Lee Chappell threw the ball into the danger area and Worgan got a hand to the ball but couldn’t prevent McClure from finding the net, via the near post.

Tonbridge Angels reacted to this set-back by dominating the remainder of the first half - but rued the chances that they missed.

Liam Harwood came up from the back to meet Kirk Watts’ free-kick with a downward header, which was saved comfortably by Thomas.

Nugent was then chopped down but play continued and Minshull spread the ball out wide to Watts and his cross was met by a downward header from Jay May, but Thomas made the save much to the frustrations of the Angels faithful and management alike.

And on the stroke of half-time, an in swinging corner from the left by Long was met by Minshull, whose header looped agonisingly onto the top of the crossbar.

Wealdstone grabbed what turned out to be the winning goal just SEVEN SECONDS into the second half.

Wealdstone kicked off and McClure picked the ball up and had time to sprint a few yards down the middle of the pitch before unleashing an unstoppable left-footed drive, which gave Worgan no chance as the ball rocketed into the top left-hand corner.

Some of the decisions from the match officials left a lot to be desired and play was allowed to carry on despite Ngoyi being flagged for offside - his looping header bouncing onto the Tonbridge crossbar.

Long whipped in a couple of excellent balls from the wings, but Thomas kept out headers from Nugent and Sonny Miles.

Wave after wave of Tonbridge attacks (playing the final 12 minutes with an attacking 3-4-4 formation) peppered the Wealdstone goal - the home side hitting the Angels on the break when they could and courtesy of Chappell’s long throws, headers from Ngoyi and substitute Kieron Forbes were saved by Worgan.

The final whistle sounded and Wealdstone’s raucous supporters celebrated their team’s success - with desperate cry’s towards the Tonbridge players to do them a favour by beating Aveley on Saturday afternoon.

After some words out on the pitch, Warrilow swiftly collected his bag and with a face of thunder made his way out of the dressing rooms, leaving his players time to reflect on a bitterly disappointing night.

It’s not the first time that Wealdstone manager Gordon Bartlett has broken his heart. Bartlett was Yeading’s manager when the west London side booked their place at Wembley Stadium for the FA Vase final back in 1990. Warrilow was playing for Kent League side Hythe Town at the time and the two managers reflected this before the game started.

“I’m just angry really, again we’ve had most of the game,” a dejected Warrilow told www.kentishfootball.co.uk afterwards.

“We created the better chances but I just had a go at the boys because I don’t think we showed enough desire in the box, both ways when long throws go in.

“We’ve had some great quality balls go in second half and we haven’t had the desire to get on the end of them. That’s why I’m angry with them.

“No disrespect (to Wealdstone), I thought we were the better side by far tonight and yet again we’ve come away with nothing.”

Consoling Warrilow, Garry Pass (the club’s former vice-chairman) muttered “F***ing robbed, f***ing robbed!).

The manager added: “I don’t want to get too carried away because I’m f***ing fuming at the moment!”

How many teams shoot on goal immediately after kicking off?

“We switched off and got punished!” Warrilow said of McClure’s sinker. “He’s gone straight through the middle, no-one’s shut him down and he’s hit a screamer - but there was still enough time to get back in the game and I thought we did.

“Like I said I can’t fault the effort but I’m just annoyed that we didn’t have that want to get on the end of those balls. They were great balls and anyone here tonight witnessing better set-pieces than what got put in the box tonight I’ll be surprised. I’m absolutely delighted with that, obviously there’s no point in doing that if no-one’s making runs getting on the end of them.

“I thought there was going to be one team that was going to win it!”

Admitting their season is now over - Warrilow wants to reward the club’s supporters for their excellent support tonight with a win at Aveley on Saturday - although futures are undecided.

“Hopefully it will bode well for the future, the way they’ve seen us finish the season but regarding who will be here (next season) we’ve not even spoken about that yet so we’ll talk about that Saturday and thereafter,” Warrilow said - 360 days after he suffered Ryman Premier League play-off semi-final misery at the hands of Carshalton Athletic at Longmead Stadium.

“Things have gone well since the time that we’ve been here.

“Obviously we’ve got nothing at the end of the season, which is disappointing, but I can’t fault the run that we put together in what’s been a very difficult season on and off the pitch.

“We’ve stuck together through an awful run. We’ve had bad weather that’s killed the season and killed the club financially and we’ve bounced back from that, got it back on a stable footing and we’ll have to sit down and have a chat and see what’s happening next season.”

When asked where his future lies, Warrilow replied, “Who knows? I won’t be sleeping tonight, I tell you that now! This is what it felt like after Carshalton. You’ve got nowhere to go. I want to do something, I can’t do nothing about it. It’s (the season’s) over.”

Explaining his swift exit from the dressing room, Warrilow said: “I don’t want to say too much. I’m just wound up at the moment. I don’t want to say the wrong things because the lads have given me everything.

“I’m sick for them because it’s just a basic thing that’s let us down tonight. It’s not about opening teams up or skill. It’s just about a little bit of want in that box and we lacked it tonight so I didn’t want to go too overboard. I thought best get out!”

The Angels travel to Aveley on Saturday reflecting on what could have been.

“We’ll go again and give our supporters 110%, the ones that go there,” said the boss. “They were superb tonight, they’ve come here tonight and I’m glad we put a good performance in for them.

“I expect anyone who puts a Tonbridge shirt on to give me 110% and want to win a game of football.

“There will be teams around us that we don’t want to let down and be professional so we’ll go to Aveley to do the best we can to get a win there.”

Wealdstone: Sean Thomas, Marvin McCoy, Lee Chappell, Darren Locke, Alan Massey, Ryan Ashe (Kieron Forbes 83), Adam Logie, Chris O’Leary, Matt McClure, Greg Ngoyi (Charlie Mpi 90), Danny Spendlove.
Subs: Jamie Osborne, Rob Fitzerald, Louis Lavers.

Goals: Matt McClure 24, 46

Booked: Greg Ngoyi 33

Tonbridge Angels: Lee Worgan, Phil Starkey, Jon Heath, Lee Minshull, Liam Harwood, Sonny Miles (Jamie Cade 79), Sam Long, Anthony Storey, Jay May, Meshach Nugent, Kirk Watts.
Subs: Tom Bryant, Marc Cumberbatch, Liam Baker.

Goal: Lee Minshull 12

Attendance: 411
Referee: Mr Alf Field (Chesham, Buckinghamshire)
Assistants: Mr Sebastian Podsadny (Northfolt, Middlesex) & Mr Andrew Hickman (Northolt, Middlesex)