To The Heavens - A Tonbridge Angels Story

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New Manager Takes Reigns At Angels


The chairman of Tonbridge Angels, Steven Churcher has appointed a new young manager named Daniel Hardie. The new appointed 26 year old manager has had no previous managerial experience but has played in the youth ranks of Charlton and non-leaguers Welling and Cray Wanderers. Churcher stated that the reason for this appointment was to inject the club with some youthful vitality and energy, and that the ambitious Mr. Hardie is the right man for the job.

Daniel Hardie was introduced to the press just an was very passionate about the job he had just taken on. He stated that he wishes to play attacking football and that he will be bringing some new signings to the club during this transfer window.

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New Signings



Pre-Season

W Tonbridge Angels 3 - 0Tonbridge Angels Res
Collin (2), Purcell

W Tonbridge Angels 2 - 0 Maidstone
Lyons, Atangana

W Basingstoke 2 - 4 Tonbridge Angels
Collin, Anatanga, Purcell (2)

W Tonbridge Angels 3 - 0 Croydon
Collin, O.G., Tsovolos

W Tunbridge Wells 0 - 8 Tonbridge Angels
Tsovolos, Nsaku, Suarez, Lyons, Hill, Purcell, Collin (2)

W Tonbridge Angels 1 - 0 Margate
Atangana

L St Albans 1 - 0 Tonbridge Angels

Overall pre-season was very promising with 6 wins and 1 loss. It was also good to see that all of my new signings for the club managed to get on the scoresheet at least once, showing that they must be starting to settle in. The highlights of pre-season are of course the 0-8 thrashing of local rivals Tunbridge Wells where every player on the pitch (barring the goalkeeper) got a rating of 7.00+ and the 2-4 over Basingstoke, where we went 2-0 down in the first 5 minutes before rallying in the second half to come back to win. From pre-season it is already apparent that the key players for the Angels will be Frannie Collin with 6 goals in 7 games, Franck Atangana with 3 in 7 and a good number of assists, George Purcell with an average rating of 6.90 and Yann Nsaku with an average rating of 7.10 over the 7 games. Unfortunately pre-season took its toll on the players, with Collin, Lyons and Tsovolos all getting injuries leaving them all sidelined for at least a month into the new season.

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Loan Signings

Both on season long loans

The Season Kicks Off!

August

Tonbridge Angels 2 - 2 Truro City

Lyons, Antangana
Atangana - 8.10

Nsaku
Lyons (Pulled Hamstring)

Both Lyons and Atangana getting debut goals which is pleasing to see however, this game was disappointing on the whole. We bossed the first half completely but the second half we just didn't turn up at all and let Truro come right back at us, allowing Yetton to score a brace and level the game. However there were promising performances from Antangana, Lyons (8.00) (before going off injured) and Yann Nsaku (8.10), which is good to see as they are all new signings. Purcell's performance however was very disappointing and got a rating of 5.70, his game was plagued with mistakes missing two unbelievable chances and mis placing a 5 yard pass which was eventually punished by Yetton. 3 points thrown away Im afraid.







Dover Athletic 1 - 1 Tonbridge Angels

Suarez
Suarez - 7.50

Sinclair (Bruised Foot)

Not a bad performance, Dover are a good team in the BSS and being at home were favourites to win, so coming away with a point isn't bad. The strong Spaniard, Mikel Suarez got the equalising goal and his first of the season with a tidy finish from the edge of the box and picked up the man of the match award for and all round solid display. Yann Nsaku yet again put in a good shift and ended with a 7.30 match rating and both the new loanee signings played this game (Woodyard and Sinclair) but Robbie Sinclair managed to get a small injury but should be okay in a few days.





Tonbridge Angels 1 - 1 Boreham Wood FC

Antangana
Schulz - 7.80

Suarez
Koranteng (Dead Arm)

Very, very frustrating draw! We were 1-0 up until the 87th minute before a silly lapse in concentration allowed Boreham Wood to nip in a score a pretty crappy goal. Antangana again scoring, this time powering home a header from a corner (he has surprisingly good heading stats for a winger) and in a good showing for he rest of the match (7.30). Olly Schulz got the MotM award today with a very solid display from centre back and in one instance, made a world class sliding tackle from behind to prevent a one v one opportunity for Boreham Wood. Winger Nathen Koranteng had to come off with a slight injury but will be back with in days. This now makes it 3 draws in 3 games which isn't very good, but on the other hand at least we are ticking some points over on the board.




AFC Hornchruch 1 - 3 Tonbridge Angels

Koranteng, Treleaven (2)
Treleaven - 8.80

Finally! A brilliant performance from the whole team spins the press from 3 draws, 3 games to unbeaten in the league in August. Every player put in a really good shift with the lowest rating being 6.80 which is not too shabby at all! Ross Treleaven got man of the match with two goals and an assist. Treleaven's natural position is right winger, but due to Kornteng's good performance in the last match, he started on the wing and Treleaven partnered Suarez up top to great effect. AFC Hornchurch are definitely the weakest team in the league and are tipped to finish bottom, so this was a game we should be winning, the the whole perfomance was the most pleasing thing in this match. The oppositions goalkeeper certainly helped us out a lot, gifting us two goals from really poor goal keeping mistakes which should be bread and butter stuff for even Sunday Leaguers.

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September







Tonbridge Angels 3 - 1 Bromley

Antangana, Suarez, Koranteng
Muggeridge - 7.80

Nsaku, Piper

Very exciting game for the fans at Longmead! Muggeridge started things off with a nice cross from the right which was thunderously volleyed home by Atangana. Bromley then levelled the game up and then threatened to take the lead as they hit the inside of the post after some quality build up play. But straight from this Muggeridge picked up the ball and set Treleaven away, who got to the by line a set Suarez up for possibly the easiest goal in his life. Koranteng finished the scoring with a scrappy goal from a free kick delivered by Muggeridge. Frannie Collin made his return from injury with a 10 minute cameo and nearly put the sheen on the score line as he hit the bar from 20 yards. Henry Muggeridge picked up the MotM award with his two assists and an all round solid display.





Welling 1 - 1 Tonbridge Angels

Treleaven

Schulz - 7.40

Davis, Piper

A largely uneventful game. Absolutely no highlights in the first half and then second half only got going in the 82nd minute when the Angels fans must have feared the worst when Welling took the lead. But no more then 2 minutes later Atangana pick up the ball on the left, turned, beat his man, cut inside and slid the ball into Treleaven who had split the centre backs and smashed the ball into the bottom right corner from 20 yards out. A very tidy finish from the winger/striker. Olly Schulz picked up the MotM with a consummate centre back

performance.





Farnborough 2 - 0 Tonbridge Angels

Davis, Piper, Atangana, Woodyard
Piper

First defeat of the season and the defeat that ended our record breaking unbeaten record and what a dismal display. The Farnborough goalkeeper was having non of it today he saved everything we threw at him with the highlight of his match being an outstanding triple save denying Atangana, Treleaven and Davis all in the space of about 5 seconds of play. We did eventually score with Woodyard slipping in Koranteng for a smart goal but this was wrongly disallowed! Replays showed that Koranteng was played onside by the Farnborough full back. Henry Muggeridge was very poor today receiving a rating of 5.60 but Piper's completely compounded an all round poor display from the whole team. We will try move on quickly.





Weston Super Mare 3 - 3 Tonbridge Angels

Nsaku, Collin (2)
Collin - 8.80

A real game of two halves 0-2 in the first half with Nsaku heading home a corner and Collin snatching a defensive error and slotting home and in the second half with WSM pegging back to 2-2. We then took the lead again when Collin headed home a Muggeridge cross, but WSM scored in the 88th minute to salvage a point. 3 points thrown away really, but at least Muggeridge turned up this match (7.30) with two assists and Nsaku and Collin with good displays (8.30. 8.80).



2nd Round




Tonbridge Angels 1 - 0 Eastbourne Borough

Koranteng
Koranteng - 7.40

Piper
Treleaven (Stubbed Toe), Schulz (Bruised Arm)

Never have I ever seen a more uneventful game on my whole football managing career. The only highlight for the entire match was Koranteng's 83rd minute deflected strike after picking up the ball on the edge of the area from a cleared corner. Treleaven and Schulz were both injured early on however they are minor injuries, and should be available for the next game. At the very least though we are through to the next round and first clean sheet of the season too.






Tonbridge Angels 3 - 0 Havant and Waterlooville

Antangana, O.G., Collin
Antangana - 7.90

Back to winning ways! And the first clean sheet in the league of the season (back to back clean sheets woop!). A fantastic team performance saw Antangana opened the scoring with a tidy placed finish. Purcell was then involved in the bizarre second goal where he controlled the ball an was about to slot past the keeper when he was fouled with a slide tackle from behind which saw the ball the trickle into the goal. Frannie Collin finished the scoring with a headed goal from a Muggeridge corner. Lyons also made his return to football after injury.




Tonbridge Angels 3 - 2 Staines Town

Atangana, Treleaven, Piper
Treleaven - 7.80

An quiet first half gave way to a mental second half which saw five goals. Atangana carried on his brilliant form with a poachers goal after Woodyard's 25 yard strike was parried and the keeper also parried Atangana's follow up allowing him a second bite of the cherry which he took. This was followed by Collins brilliant diagonal ball assist which was scored by Treleaven. Staines Town's Garrod then almost single handedly brought his team back level however, Atangana then turned assistant laying off Piper to smash home for the win.




End of September League Table and Top Performers

League



Top Performers

Frannie Collin - 7.46

Yann Nsaku - 7.18

Franck Atangana - 7.10

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October


​3rd Qualifying Round



Tonbridge Angels 4 - 0 Whyteleafe

Koranteng, Suarez (2), Lyons
Suarez - 9.10

Piper, Schulz

Not as one sided as the score line would suggest... Not at all! On another day Whyteleafe could have scored 3 goals. They hit the bar and post twice and put one shot a whisker wide of the post all at only 1-0 down. All the goals came in the second half (aside from Woodyard's incorrectly disallowed goal in the first half). Lyons opened the scoring, only to have the second disallowed goal of the game for being adjudged to have fouled the goalkeeper. Koranteng set us away with a neat finish and MotM Suarez settled the nerves by firstly rounding the stranded keeper and poking into an empty net and then heading home from a corner. Lyons got his goal in the last few minutes of the game with a great run from the halfway line, beating two defenders and slotting it low and into the corner. Suarez was simply faultless today, he really stepped up and put Whyteleafe to the sword with 2 goals and 2 assists. Tonbridge Angels progress to the next round!







Billericay 1 - 2 Tonbridge Angels

Schulz, Suarez
Schulz - 7.90

Schulz
Davis Nsaku

Another nice win on the road for the Angels. Schulz started of his man of the match display with the simplest of tap ins after Collin's header from a Muggeridge corner, was blocked on the line. Suarez then put day light between the two teams with a delightful goal, as he spun his marker and slammed the ball into the top corner from 20 yards out, hitting the post before going in. Billericay started a late revival scoring in the 71st minute, then setting away a one v one in the 74th minute which saw Yann Nsaku take one for the team and cynically brought down the player and was sent off. Davis was then given his marching orders in added time what a stupid, unnecessary foul which saw him get his second yellow.





Tonbridge Angels 2 - 1 Chelmsford City

Collin, Suarez
Suarez - 7.40

Muggeridge, Piper
Treleaven (Minor Injury)

​Another win takes that to 6 in a row! A very nice run indeed. Chelmsford got the first goal after Sonny Miles was beaten on the wing allowing the cross to be whipped in low and tucked away. But the Angels fought back an equalised 10 minutes later after Collin turned and ran at his marker, beating him and rounding the keeper to finish. Suarez then put us ahead in added time in the first half with a lovely volleyed goal. Olly Schulz narrowly missed out on the MotM award with another solid defensive show and an assist.



4th Qualifying Round






Tonbridge Angels 2 - 0 Dover Athletic

Suarez, Collin Collin - 7.50

Nsaku, Miles, Davis


Tonbridge progress another step further in the FA Cup with a good win over Dover. Dover have conceded the least amount of goals in the league so a 2-0 over them is a good result. Suarez and Collin continued their great striking partnership with a goal and an assist each. A nice performance, lets see who we get in the next stage.








Tonbridge Angels 3 - 2 Eastleigh F.C.

Suarez, Treleaven, Collin Suarez - 8.30

Tsovolos (Minor Injury)

What a vital, vital win! Tonbridge take the top spot with this win, replacing Eastleigh at the top of the table! A very even game saw the scoring go back and forth between the two teams. Suarez continued this months dazzling form by opening the scoring with a real poachers effort after the goalkeeper spilled a shot from Atangana, Eastleigh then equalised 15 minutes later with a nice team goal. Treleaven then restored the lead with a nice finish after a lovely passing move from the Angels which saw Schulz clip a beautifully placed 50 yard pass to set Treleaven in. Eastleigh then equalized in the 70th minute and the game slowed from there before Collin broke the away fans hearts with when Eastleigh were undone when Nsaku played a simple ball over the top which Collin brought down well and rounded the keeper before tapping it in.





Bath City 0 - 2 Tonbridge Angels



Collin (2)

Collin - 8.90

Suarez

100% month in October. You simply cannot ask for more than that! The month was rounded off with a consummate away win vs Bath and a clean sheet. Suarez yet again was brilliant narrowly missing out on the MotM award and picked up two assists feeding Collin through twice with cutting passes for him to finish. Collin scored a brace, but was unusually wasteful a could in all honesty have had 5 goals to his name but put two shots straight at the keeper and cracked the post with a lovely curled 25 yard effort. All in all this match was a very good display. We played Bath City off of the park with 68% possession in the match and restricted them to only 4 shots in the entire game.



End Of October

Mikel Suarez Wins BSS Player of the Month October


(7.93 and 3 League Goals)

Daniel Hardie Wins Manager on the Month Award for BSS



Hardie has been awarded the manager of the month award for October after guiding his team to 4 wins out of 4 in the league and breaking the Tonbridge Angels record for most game won on the trot. The angels dispatched of Billericay, Chelmsford, Bath City and title contenders Eastleigh scoring 9 goals and conceding 4. Tonbridge are playing way above their seasons expectations so far in this season and find themselves top of the pile and 1 point clear of Eastleigh.





League Table and Top Performers

League Table



Top Performers

Mikel Suarez - 7.93

Frannie Collin - 7.54

Olly Schulz - 7.28




Comments are more than welcome guys. Any suggestions for the layout etc, feel free. Thanks.

[DaniRossoNeri]

November


FA Cup 1st Round



Oxford United 3 - 1 Tonbridge Angels

Collin, Miles (Own Goal)
Worgan - 7.80

Miles, Atangana, Davis

Oh well, not too disappointed about losing to Oxford United who are 2 two leagues above us and getting to the 1st round of the FA cup isnt bad for a Blue Square South side. We certainly gave it a good go as well until Oxford showed their League 2 class to upstage us in the 80th and 86th minute through two well taken goals. The first goal was a bit of a farce really, Oxford danger man winger Bossman cracked a shot against the bar only for it to hit Sonny Miles in the face and roll past the stranded Les Worgan in the dying minutes of the first half. Collin pulled one back for the Angels with our only shot on target, us after Piper won the ball on half way, knocked it to Suarez who put Collin in to finish well. Les Worgan was outstanding in goal and pulled off some great saves through out the game. All in all we put a good shift in against the professional side and gave a good account of ourselves.








Basingstoke 0 - 2 Tonbridge Angels

Schulz, Collin
Schulz - 8.00

Atangana (Twisted Knee), Lyons (Bruised Shin)

Another good away win in the league takes us to 7 straight league wins on the bounce! And another clean sheet, brilliant! Although the performance overall was rather tepid with the two centre backs Olly Schulz and Yann Nsaku (7.30) being the only real contenders for the man of the match award. Schulz beat his centre back partner to the MotM award through his thumping header goal in the first half after a good delivery from Muggeridge. The next highlight of interest came half way through the second half when Basingstoke came back at us which saw Nsaku make two goal line clearances one after the other. The Angels put the result to bed shortly after when Nsaku clipped a ball over the top which Collin managed o put away after the keeper parried his first shot back to his feet.




FA Trophy 3rd Qualifying Round



Leatherhead FC 1 - 1 Tonbridge Angels

Lyons, Treleaven (OG)
Lyons - 7.30

ReplayTonbridge Angels 0 - 0 Leatherhead FC
(7-6 pens)

Nsaku - 7.90
Wow... What an awful display over both of the legs. We were very lucky on the first leg after trailing from Treleaven's unlucky own goal, right up until the 79th minute before the substitute Lyons struck from 30 yards with a brilliant goal to level. We should have battered Leatherhead on the second leg, we managed to hit bar and post a staggering 7 times! We managed to take the win on penalties but not before bottling two chances to win the shoot out before Muggeridge decided the out come with a composed finish after Leatherhead had blazed their then 8th penalty over the bar. Overall we were lucky to progress, but I am glad that we did so.








Dorchester Town 2 - 0 Tonbridge Angels

Tsovolos - 7.20

Piper, Koranteng
Koranteng (Groin Strain)

I can let this one slide the team were very tired after 3 games in under a week (300 minutes of football). It is a shame to see our winning/ unbeaten streak go but this is only our second defeat of the season and we are still top even after this defeat. Tsovolos put in his best performance of the season so far at centre back standing in for the exhausted Nsaku and was solid through out the game and even managed to clip the bar with a headed chance from a whipped in free kick. Im not too worried about this result, the team was allowed very low levels of training after this game to recuperate and regain some energy fro the next game.




The FA Trophy 1st Round



Tonbridge Angels 2 - 1 Ebbsfleet

Collin, Lyons
Piper - 7.30

Yes! A great win over a team a league higher than us. Piper put Collin clean through to see us 1-0 up in the first half and Lyons put day light between the two teams right from the kick off for the second half with a thunderbolt after receiving a pass from Piper, turning, and cracking one from 30 yards out, no less. Right into the top corner. Ebbsfleet pulled one back very late on but never looked threatening through out the entire game we bossed the game from start to finish and ended with 65% possession, which is not to be sniffed at against a team in a higher division!








Tonbridge Angels 2 - 2 Maidenhead

Collin (2)
Collin - 8.80

Piper

Urgh! Three points thrown away 2-0 up an cruising until half way through the second half when Devnye decided that Collin shouldn't have all the glory an got himself a brace of goals as well. After the poor display vs Dorchester in the league too we could have done with bouncing back in the league. Collin picked up the MotM award at this match beating out Maidenhead's Devnye due to the quality of his goals scored. But they all count no matter how they go in.


End Of November


League Table and Top Performers

League Table



Top Performers

Frannie Collin - 7.10

Yann Nsaku - 7.08

Mikel Suarez - 7.00