We've always looked upwards, says Tonbridge Angels boss Tommy Warrilow

TONBRIDGE ANGELS boss Tommy Warrilow says it’s important to remain positive following the club’s awful FA Carlsberg Trophy exit last night, writes Stephen McCartney.


The Angels came away from Bishop’s Stortford with a 1-1 draw last weekend, but they put in their worst performance of the season, losing the Third Qualifying Round Replay 2-1 at Longmead Stadium.

Lee Browning’s fifth goal of the season gave Tonbridge Angels’ an eighth minute lead, but things started to go downhill after twenty minutes and the third-from-bottom Blue Square Bet (Conference) North outfit sealed a First Round trip to Carshalton Athletic on 10 December courtesy of goals from strike pair Daniel Subuola and Dwight Gayle.

The Angels lie in tenth place in the Blue Square Bet (Conference) South table with 27 points from 19 games, but the newly-promoted side initially struggled with life in their new surroundings earlier in the season.

Speaking before last night’s defeat, Warrilow said, “I am pretty honest with people and I said earlier in the season I think some of our performances warranted more out of games but the fact is we haven’t and we have to get on with it.

“Since then we turned some of the performances into wins and it shows what a few wins can do for you.”

The Angels were perennial slow starters during Warrilow’s reign during their Ryman Premier League days, but his charges often rose up the table beyond Christmas.

“I’ve said from day one, I always look at the point’s scenario, not the position in the table and at the moment we’re sitting quite comfortably but we could quite easily go one way or another,” said Warrilow, 47.

“I’ve always concentrated on looking upwards and I have to send that message to the players’.

“Since I’ve been a manager I’ve always spoken about the top end of the table.  We’re coming up to the halfway through the season and there’s a long way to go. 

“We’ve had a few weekends when we’ve had a few injuries when the squad gets depleted and that’s what can kill us.

“We’ve always looked on a positive – upward rather than downward and if we keep doing that then hopefully we can tag on to the top end of the table and keep the season alive.  That’s what I want to do.
I just want to go into the final months of the season and know we’re not out of contention and the fans’ have something to come down and watch with some meaning behind it.”

Warrilow, though, wasn’t as positive following last night’s awful FA Carlsberg Trophy exit, when he was asked about facing second-placed Welling United on Saturday.

The Angels met Welling United in the fourth league game of the season when they threw away a 2-0 lead, through a brace from Frannie Collin, although gainst the run of play on both occasions, but Jamie Day’s side hit back to win the Park View Road clash 3-2.

“Welling taught us a lesson early on.  If we play like that (Bishop’s Stortford), we’ll get taught a lesson again,” warned Warrilow.

“Listen, I could put eleven sixteen-year-old lads’ out there and get a better performance than I got last night from my players’.

“We’ve got to get back to the Sutton performance (when we won 1-0  two weeks ago)and roll them up and dig in and perhaps win ugly but last night we were just exposed everywhere, people were not doing their jobs.  They’ve done them in the past against good sides but last night our mind-set was wrong and they thought they just had to turn up and that’s what happens to you!”

Meanwhile, striker, Jon Main, who has scored 70 goals in 91 starts for the club, says he hopes to be back in action in a month’s time, having sat out the last two months of the campaign through tendonitis.

Warrilow said last night: “He has to get games under his belt, so I’ll be surprised if we don’t see Mainey until the New Year.”

Visit Tonbridge Angels’ website: www.tonbridgeangels.co.uk  

Tonbridge Angels  v   Welling United
Blue Square Bet South
Saturday 3^rd December 2011
Kick Off 3:00pm
At Longmead Stadium, Darenth Avenue, Tonbridge, Kent TN10 3JW