We're not involved in a relegation battle, insists Warrilow

Wednesday 27th January 2010

TONBRIDGE ANGELS boss Tommy Warrilow says supporters should be looking up instead of fretting that the club are involved in a relegation battle, writes Stephen McCartney.

Goals from Paul Booth (his 12th goal of the season) and Liam Baker ensured the Angels booked their place in the quarter-finals of the Kent Senior Cup last night, with a 2-1 victory over Ramsgate.

The club were forced to offload 18-goal striker, Carl Rook to Ryman Premier League leaders Dartford for an undisclosed fee to balance the books and this has left Warrilow with a 13-14 man squad.

Warrilow, who reads the club’s fans’ forum, blasted supporters for their negative attitude.

The Angels are presently sitting in fifteenth place in the Ryman Premier League table with a record of seven wins and five draws from their 22 games.

Warrilow, meanwhile, is looking upwards (his side are only 10 points adrift of Saturday’s visitors to Longmead Stadium, Tooting & Mitcham United), who are in fifth place, whereas the Longmead faithful are looking over their shoulder as the club are only a couple of points above the relegation zone.

“I thought we were just outside the play-off’s myself, snapped Warrilow, when speaking to www.kentishfootball.co.uk last night.

“It’s exactly the same when I came here, we were bottom of the league.

“I don’t care what people say, I’ve got that dressing room in there on a positive note. We’ve got a big game against Tooting on Saturday and if we win that and the two games in hand, we’ll be one point behind them.

“I know that we’re not having the best of times but I’ve got to laugh at people say we’re only won one (league) game since and they pick a date and considering we didn’t kick a ball for three weeks, but that’s life.”

Warrilow admitted his side should have got more than a 2-1 defeat at Sutton United last weekend.

He said: “We had a good performance at Sutton and we should’ve come away with something. I accept the second half at Hastings was not acceptable and their right to rant and rave but we’ve got to stick together.

“I’m not going to tell my boys that we’re in a relegation battle because I think there’s eighteen teams that are in a relegation battle myself at the moment.

“We’re sitting fifteenth but there’s not a great deal of points between the teams.

“If I get a good starting eleven out there then I’d be keeping the expectation levels high and I’ll keep doing that because it’s the best way to do rather than go we’ll consolidate. I want to push these lads as much as I can.”

Visit Tonbridge Angels’ websites: www.tonbridgeangels.co.uk & www.tonbridgeafc.co.uk/forum

Tonbridge Angels v Tooting & Mitcham United

Ryman Premier League

Saturday 30th January 2010

Kick Off 3:00pm

At Longmead Stadium, Darenth Avenue, Tonbridge, Kent TN10 3JF