Tonbridge Angels 1 v Horsham 4
Saturday 16th December 2006
Ryman League Premier Division

reporter: Jim Bravery

With Christmas just around the corner, Horsham boss John Maggs took his assorted wise men East to Tonbridge whereupon he found Angels bearing gifts – four of them – as his side bounced back in style after last weekend’s mauling at the hands of Margate. To suggest that the goals were gift-wrapped would be a little harsh on the home side, and uncomplimentary to the visitors whose incisive passing and movement gave their Kent hosts plenty to think about, but as early Christmas presents go, a trip to the Longmead Stadium would have been high on Maggs’ wish list as his team looked to maintain the pressure at the top of the Ryman Premier Division Christmas tree. Back in the top division after just a season’s absence, Tonbridge had begun the new campaign in style, winning six of their opening eight games to help them into third in the table but a growing injury list had resulted in a loss of form and a poor run of results that had seen them slip down to eleventh place. In a bid to bolster his squad, and help prevent a fourth successive defeat, boss Tony Dolby brought in former Angels player Nick Barnes from Dartford and Lewes’ Anthony Storey on a month’s loan while much rested on the shoulders of striker Jon Main, scorer of a dozen league goals this season. Horsham’s own problems lie in attack where, stripped of the services of nineteen goal forward line Jamie Taylor and Carl Rook, the side had fallen to a disappointing 4-0 defeat against Margate the week before but, with Ryan Rummery having opened his account on his return to Queen Street during the week, the Hornets travelled to Kent in determined mood and eager to record a third successive victory over last season’s promotion rivals. Two single goal wins had prompted some less than complimentary remarks on Tonbridge supporters’ forum prior to the game and Horsham’s followers, if not the players, would have taken great pleasure in setting the record straight with this comprehensive victory.

On a bright and sunny afternoon, Horsham lined up with Lee Carney partnering Rummery in attack, to compensate for the absent Rook who was serving the last of his three match suspension, while Gary Charman was available once again after missing the Senior Cup defeat of Arundel. The opening stages saw both teams trying to settle on a soggy surface that made turning difficult but, after just eleven minutes, the visitors were ahead. In only their second attack, a good break out of defence saw Carney pick up the ball midway inside the Angels half and he dissected the home defence with a good pass out to Charman who took the ball to the edge of the box before pulling it back towards the penalty spot for the unmarked Jacob Mingle to drive home for his first league goal for the Hornets. If the home supporters were unhappy at the marking for the opening goal, they would have been apoplectic when Carney chased an underhit back pass that goalkeeper Aaron Kerr thudded into the back of the Horsham man before dropping wide of the unattended goal. Barnes might have marked his return with a goal on sixteen minutes but he got too much elevation on his shot and it cleared Alan Mansfield’s goal by some distance. However, the incident seemed to inspire the hosts and they proceeded to put the Horsham defence under pressure for eight or nine minutes during which time Mansfield hung on to a back header from Main and Charman was forced to concede a corner from Barnes’ dangerous cross.

Horsham needed to relieve the pressure on their overworked defence and John Westcott sent in a delightful cross towards the far post, causing confusion between Ray Powell and Kerr before the defender hooked the ball in to touch and the long throw by Stuart Myall was headed out as far as Mingle whose volley went the wrong side of the post with Kerr well beaten. The lead was doubled, rather fortuitously, after twenty-six minutes when Nigel Brake sent in a curling left-wing cross that eluded Kerr’s outstretched hands before dropping into the far corner of the net to give the travelling support further reason to cheer. Main showed flashes of brilliance as he sought to halve the deficit, expertly chipping Mansfield but also the crossbar and then turning the visitors’ defence inside out, beating three players as he cut across the edge of the area, before unleashing a shot that found Mansfield well placed to save. Lewis Taylor was able to continue after treatment for a head injury as Horsham controlled the closing ten minutes of the half. Carney collected Myall’s forty yard cross field pass and cut inside to hit a typical thunderbolt that flew over Kerr’s goal and the home ‘keeper made a good save from Charman when the Horsham man was set up by Mingle’s exquisite pass, six minutes from the break. Westcott sent a couple of efforts wide before Powell’s sorry strike hit the roof of the south stand to bring the half to an end.

The second period began with Horsham showing clear signs that they weren’t prepared to sit on their lead and it took just three minutes for them to increase their advantage. Mingle, who together with the lively Taylor was running the midfield, hit a sublime through ball for the willing Rummery to run on to and he cut in from the right hand side of the penalty area to nonchalantly clip the ball past the advancing ‘keeper for his second goal in five days. The Hornets’ tails were well and truly up and they went in search of more goals but Carney was denied by a wall of defenders after being picked out by Rummery. The same player then clipped an inviting ball across the face of goal but, this time, Kerr got down well to prevent further damage but it was only a brief respite as the ball was in the back of the net for a fourth time, just minutes later, when Eddie French met Carney’s inch perfect free-kick with a bullet header that gave the home custodian no chance.

Mansfield was well positioned to field a long range effort from Storey in Tonbridge’s first purposeful attack of the half and, moments later, Fraser Logan’s wild shot almost hit the corner flag to sum up the home side’s display. Back at the other end, Mingle had a good chance to bag his second of the afternoon but he headed Westcott’s cross wide of the target and another good interchange of passes between Myall and Mingle took the full back into the opposing penalty area before squaring his pass to Carney whose shot was blocked and cleared. A double substitution by Dolby saw the introduction of Luke Piscina and Ian Parkes for Mike Power and Ryan Maxwell, with twenty five minutes remaining, and the lively Piscina was immediately in the action, inspiring his side to their best spell of the game. However, the Horsham defence, led by the outstanding French, stood firm and by the time Andy Martin became the third replacement with a little under quarter of an hour remaining, the large crowd were already leaving the ground in numbers, disenchanted at another dismal defeat. Those who elected to stay would have witnessed the Angels’ best move of the match that saw Mansfield save well from Piscina but Barnes was guilty of another wild punt that went high over the bar. With time running out, Myall conceded a corner from which the resulting shot just missed the upright but the hosts were able to claim a late consolation when Piscina was rewarded for his efforts by hitting a good low shot into the bottom corner of the net that was met with huge indifference by what appeared to be just Horsham fans inside the ground.

The final whistle heralded the continuation of Horsham’s excellent away record that had seen them defeated just once on their league travels, albeit against a shadow of the team that had caused them problems last season, and moved them up a place to third in the table. The team continues to exceed expectations, performing admirably against the promotion contenders, but Maggs will need to press home the importance of not underestimating the teams towards the bottom of the league if they are to maintain the momentum into the New Year.

Tonbridge Angels: 1.Aaron Kerr 2.Ray Powell 3.Mark Green 4.Ryan Maxwell (Parkes) 5.Steve Aris 6.John Beales 7.Barnes 8.Storey 9.Michael Power (Piscina) 10.Jon Main 11.Fraser Logan  (Martin) Substitutes: 12.Luke Piscina 14.Ian Parkes 15.Michael Cramp 16.Tony Dolby 17.Andy Martin

Horsham: 1.Alan Mansfield 2.Stuart Myall 3.Nigel Brake 4.Eddie French 5.Kevin Hemsley 6.Jacob Mingle 7.Lewis Taylor 8.John Westcott 9.Ryan Rummery 10.Lee Carney 11.Gary Charman Substitutes: 12.Jose Goncalves 14.Tom Graves 15.Matt Geard 16.Dan Rice 17.Rob Frankland

Goalscorers

Tonbridge Angels: Piscina (90 +3)

Horsham: Mingle (11), Brake (26), Rummery (48), French (55)

Attendance: 521