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Dulwich Hamlet 1 - 3  Tonbridge Angels

Colin Blewden & Chris Hollyoak’s Angels under 18’s recorded their fourth successive victory, and most impressive scalp of the campaign, with a convincing 3-1 away win against an experienced Dulwich Hamlet side on Sunday, which saw them take all three points and climb to fourth place in the league table.

The Blues dominated from the start, with Josh Biddlecombe testing the home side’s keeper with an early on-target shot. Angels, with a revamped starting line-up, showed their true ability with some of the best passing and interplay to date, creating yet another early lead, when skipper Luke Blewden drove Olly Funnell’s low cross into the back of net after fifteen minutes. With Hamlet looking to pull level, goalkeeper Ally Hamilton showed an air of confidence in his area, holding onto everything that dared to invade his airspace.

Midway through the half, midfielder Chris Page volleyed home from twelve yards, after connecting cleanly with Josh Biddlecombe’s cross, and opening his account in an inspired performance. Further bouts of pressure saw Funnell’s corners and Sonny Miles’ free-kicks rain in on the target, before the (almost) legendary Rambo Harland got the better of two defenders, and rounded the bemused goalkeeper to slot home as the defence looked on, to give the Angels a comfortable three-goal margin.

Soon after a heated half-time talk, the ‘revitalised’ Dulwich side managed a consolation goal in a more evenly matched second half, after the Angels were robbed of possession in midfield. In an attempt to restore the three-goal margin, several threatening attacks involving Biddlecombe, Harland and Blewden all failed to yield, much to the annoyance of Biddlecombe, who ‘saw yellow’ for the sixth time this season.

Just after the hour mark, Harland was unlucky not to find the net again, as he burst through on another misunderstanding between Hamlet’s defence and goalkeeper, but had to settle on wondering what might have been. Despite both sides having chances, substitute Joe Adams headed wide, before his on-target shot was held onto as Hamlet’s keeper pulled off the most impressive save of the match. Further attempts by Dulwich were either held onto by Hamilton , or broken down by Liam Herbert and Will Jagger in Angels’ central defence as the home side launched a series of late assaults. But Harland came closest for Tonbridge as time ticked on, seeing his headed attempt cleared off the goal-line in the fifty-minute second half.

Elliot (Rambo) Harlland took the ‘Man-of-the-match ‘ award, with Luke Blewden in close contention.

The Angels now entertain Erith Town in the John Ullmann Memorial Trophy at Longmead on Thursday evening, before taking on Long Lane in league action at Edenbridge on Sunday.

Goal Scorers:  Luke Blewden, Chris Page and Elliot Harland

Man of the Match:  Elliot (Rambo) Harland

Tonbridge Angels  4 - 1  Long Lane

Colin Blewden and Chris Hollyoak’s Angels’ under 18’s side moved into third position in the league table, after recording their fifth successive victory, with an emphatic 4-1 win against a physical Long Lane side, with another storming first-half performance.

The Blues stunned the visitors as they netted after only 37 seconds as Josh Biddlecombe pounced in Angels’ first assault on goal, with in-form striker Elliot (Rambo) Harland slotting home in the third minute to double the advantage and rock the opposition’s confidence. Apart from a single shot driven wide by Long Lane after seven minutes, unrelenting pressure from the Angels led to central defender Will Jagger finding himself unmarked and cleanly-headed home from Olly Funnell’s eleventh-minute corner to open his account for the season, and give the Angels a healthy three-goal lead. Lane replied immediately and reduced the margin back to two goals within a minute, with what proved to be only a consolation goal, when poking home in a crowded penalty area.

Harland then restored the three-goal advantage ten minutes before the interval, with his second goal of the match to give the Angels an untouchable 4-1 lead.

A more evenly-matched second-half ensued, with Lane launching their first real attack of the match, which was securely held by the confident Ally Hamilton. Biddlecombe came closest to extending the lead with a solo effort, weaving up the left flank and cutting into the penalty area, before flashing a shot across the face of goal. Angels introduced a steady flow of three substitutes midway through the half, with Chris Page, Jake Miller and injured Sonny Miles making way for Joe Adams, Mike Holden and Nat Janks respectively. A second attack by the Kibrooke-based opposition came to no avail, while Adams tormented the visitors’ defence, seeing his on-target shot deflected for a corner after skipper Luke Blewden put him through.

After a short lull in the action, and a couple of bookings for dissent from frustrated Lane players, the pace resumed with Harland being denied a hat-trick by the woodwork, and Adams’ fine solo against three defenders ending abruptly as his shot was driven into the Lane goalkeeper. With the game virtually over, Angels had a late free-kick outside the penalty area after Biddlecombe was fouled while taking on the defence single-handed, but the striker was thwarted as his effort was palmed round the upright for a late corner. Ironically, Harland was again cruelly denied the chance of taking home the match-ball, after the official blew for time as he burst through the defence with only the keeper to beat.

Harland unanimously took the ‘Man of the Match’ accolade, with Will Jagger in close contention for a solid performance in defence.

A spokesman for the team remarked: “The team have certainly found their form of late; seventeen goals in the last five matches speaks for itself.”

The Angels Kent Youth League side entertain Erith Town (North) on Thursday evening at Longmead in the John Ullmann Memorial Trophy, before travelling to Erith Town (Central) on Sunday 18th November in the PLAAYA Cup (Round 2).

Goal Scorers: Josh Biddlecombe - 1,  Elliot Harland - 2 and Will Jagger - 1

Man of the Match:  Elliot (Rambo) Harland

Tonbridge Angels  2 - 0  Erith Town

Cold, frosty conditions set the scene at Longmead as Colin Blewden and Chris Hollyoak’s Angels’ under 18’s side moved into the third round of the John Ullmann Memorial Cup after recording their sixth successive victory, with a hard-fought 2-0 win against a struggling Erith Town side on Thursday evening.

A completely one-sided opening fifteen minutes, most of which was played in Erith’s half, saw midfielder Chris Page and striker Joe Adams narrowly miss the target from close-range, with Elliot (Rambo) Harland sweeping the ball across the face of goal after being picked out by Olly Funnell on the right flank.

With only one attempt of their own on goal in the first fifteen minutes, unprepared Erith were stunned eighteen minutes into the game when quick-thinking Olly Funnell curled a direct free-kick into the top corner of the net as the visitors were still trying to organise themselves.

Despite two brief attacks from Erith, the Angels held the majority of the play, but had countless unconverted efforts on goal, with Funnell, Adams and Harland all being denied on numerous occasions, and Sonny Miles seeing his on target ‘screamer’ blocked by some unfortunate defender, who took a few minutes to recover. Perhaps Funnell came closest to doubling the margin, as his low curling shot was well held by the visiting keeper as the interval approached.

After the restart, with temperatures falling, both sides seemed to raise their game and increase the work rate, with Pagey having the next opportunity get on the scoresheet, but being unable to release a shot after weaving his way into the box with apparent ease. As the second-half progressed, Miles proved strong in what became an intense and often heated midfield battle, where his distribution created many chances, but again with no end product.

Three strategic substitutions from the Angels’ bench as the half approached the midpoint, saw Matt Knight, Nat Janks and Mike Holden brought into the affray, with Adams , Pagey and Jake Miller being replaced respectively. With a more intense period of play, Erith were reduced to ten men, but the Angels were still unable to increase their lead and seal the tie, despite the constant two-pronged assault from Knight and Harland. At one point, their combined effort saw Knight unable to connect at an opportune moment, as the ball bobbled away on the whitening surface.

An impressive late effort from Luke Blewden came to no avail, after the midfielder ran with the ball and released a shot that needed two attempts to capture by the sprawling goalkeeper, who minutes later in injury time, spilled the ball for Funnell to poke home, to give the Blues a less than comfortable two-goal lead at the final whistle.

Will Jagger was nominated ‘Man of the Match’ for another solid performance in defence, with Sonny Miles in contention for his creative midfield play.

The Angels travel to Erith Town (Central Division) on Sunday 18th November in the PLAAYA Cup (Round 2).

Goal Scorers:  Olly Funnell

Man of the Match:  Will Jagger

Erith Town 2 - 1  Tonbridge Angels

PLAAYA Cup - Round 2

Colin Blewden and Chris Hollyoak’s under 18’s suffered a shock 2-1 away defeat in the PLAAYA Cup against Central Division’s high-flying Erith Town at Flamingo Park on Sunday, after conceding a hotly-disputed goal in the dying minutes.

Despite a good start on a difficult pitch, and two key players being absent (Funnell on Kent duties, and Biddlecombe taking a seven-day ‘sabbatical’), the Angels fell behind to an early goal, when goalkeeper Ally Hamilton was beaten at close range, after a square ball was flicked into the net. Typical of a cup-tie, both sides found it hard to settle down to their normal game, playing somewhat nervous Football, with the wind and challenging playing surface adding to Angel’s dilemma of having to chase the game.

A strong first-half performance from Luke Blewden, kept the Angels’ cup hopes alive, as he commanded the midfield, almost scoring on the half-hour mark, with a low effort that squeezed narrowly wide of the target. Further pressure in the form of penetrating free-kicks from Will Jagger, and Mike Holden pushing forward to set up Liam Herbert, who unfortunately saw his well-struck effort saved by the home side’s keeper, showed why they have gone six matches without defeat.

The second half saw Town start with the intention of doubling their lead in order to seal the tie, but a tactical substitution in the form of Matt Knight hadn't been reckoned with. Knight, a straight substitution for ‘Rambo’ Harland, got straight into action with a forceful run down the flank, sending in a cross that immediately threatened Erith’s narrow lead. It was no surprise that Knight himself negated it only minutes after coming on, as he collected the ball, surged forward and struck it under the helpless keeper to restore the equilibrium on the hour mark.

Despite Knight proving to be a constant threat at one end, Town still had their moments at the other end, with a short spell of pressure that saw Holden and Nat Janks forced to make clearances, and a free-kick headed over Hamilton ’s crossbar.

Ironically, with Angels strengthening and making a late substitution as extra-time looking unavoidable, Erith booked their place in the next round after scoring directly from a corner, one that saw Hamilton forcefully manhandled over his own goal-line as the ball was struck.

The final two minutes saw a gallant attempt to pull back on level terms, with concerted effort from Jake Miller, whose late cross was just beyond Blewden’s reach. Not to mention an odd decision from the match official, who stopped play to ‘award’ the Angels a free-kick for something he had spotted in the centre circle, when Knight was through on goal much further up the pitch….with full advantage and only the keeper to beat!

Angels face either Whitstable or Blue Eagles in the KCFA Youth Cup at Edenbridge on Sunday 25th November.

Mike Holden was nominated ‘Man of the Match’, in a match that saw another forceful performance from Luke Blewden, and an impressive showing from Nick Hollyoak.

Goal Scorers:  Matt Knight

Man of the Match:  Mike Holden

Tonbridge Angels 0 - 2  Whitstable Town

Kent County F.A. Youth Cup - Round 2

Colin Blewden and Chris Hollyoak’s Angels’ under 18’s side suffered their second successive cup defeat, losing 2-0 against Whitstable Town in the KCFA Youth Cup (2nd round) at Edenbridge on Sunday.

The Blues, unbeaten at home in all competitions before this match, looked for an early lead as Joe Adams flashed a wild shot across the face of the visitors’ goal as Nick Hollyoak’s second minute free-kick wasn’t cleared. The Angels continued to threaten, forcing the first of sixteen corners, before a run of niggling tackles begun to creep into the match, with Hollyoak picking up a yellow card for a late challenge, one that was severely punished by a free-kick that was floated in and stabbed past Ally Hamilton with only fourteen minutes played.

Angels were unlucky not to equalise, after Olly Funnell had set up Joe Adams, who could only direct his shot at the keeper. Town, with renewed confidence, looked to increase their narrow lead and continued to push forward bringing Hamilton into action, forcing a reflex save at the near post.

Central midfielder Sonny Miles came close to pulling level, as his diving header from Jake Miller’s cross was deflected for yet another corner, before Miller picked out Josh Biddlecombe, whose twenty-five yard shot was driven straight at the keeper.

Further attempts from Hollyoak and Biddlecombe both eluded the net as the visitors continued to defend in numbers. Further frustration ensued, with Liam Herbert picking up the next yellow card, with the Angels finishing the half as they started; abundant bouts of attacking spells, ending with Biddlecombe’s point-blank shot being held by a well-placed goalkeeper.

Tonbridge opened the second half as they ended the first; threatening, with a free-kick and several awkwardly defended corners, before Whitstable had their liveliest spell of the match, with a string of breakaway attacks.

The hour-mark brought a mass substitution from the Angels’ bench, seeing Elliot Harland, Matt Knight and Chris Page being brought into the affray to replace Adams, Miller and Hollyoak respectively. The refreshed midfield allowed fullback Mike Holden to push forward, bringing his own threat to the visitors, setting up Funnell, who painstakingly chipped over the crossbar.

Further sporadic attacks from Town forced Holden and Nat Janks to ‘clear the line’, as the Angels looked to find that ‘bit of urgency’ that had been sorely missed from the frontline of attack, compared with the previous home matches. It seemed ironic that after two more thwarted attempts from the Angels, that it was Whitstable that found the net; with Hamilton blocking the first shot, before being beaten by the follow-up, with only ten minutes left on the clock.

One-way traffic from the Angels followed, with Funnell taking the initiative with a quickly-taken free-kick, only to see the ball sail over the crossbar, before a flurry of crosses from Page and Knight penetrated deep into the visitors’ six-yard box, with Janks, Miles and Biddlecombe all being unable to convert or connect with a finishing touch.

A final effort from Whitstable flashed across the face of Hamilton’s goal, as the official blew for time after 53 frustrated minutes.

Mike Holden unanimously took the ‘Man of the Match’ accolade for an impressive and flawless performance.

The Angels return to league action on Sunday 2nd December, entertaining Erith Town .

Man of the Match:  Mike Holden