Tonbridge Angels 3 Chippenham Town 2
National League - South
I had a sudden change of plan on Friday, what with the
unseasonable weather that was suddenly upon us.
You see, I’d got it into my head that the New Year period
was going to be a bit of a wash out, and I guess I could be forgiven for that
on the basis it’s wazzed it down since September on a pretty consistent basis.
But, when I was all set to head to Walton Casuals, it was a
conversation with my mate Dave that convinced me that Saturday 4th
January was not a day to be ‘wasting’ a plastic pitch on. So it made my mind up
for me.
It was either going to be Tonbridge Angels or Havant &
Waterlooville, two of the five grounds I need to complete the National League,
all three divisions of, a goal which I set myself at the start of the season,
and if all goes to plan, I should achieve.
I picked Tonbridge on the basis it was nearer, and of
course, if there was a problem, I could get to a plastic quite easily due to
the proximity of the M25, If I went to Havant I wouldn’t have that luxury.
So, with a change of plan, I’d not really had an awful lot
of time to do my research, so I set off pretty blind, but safe in the knowledge
that both Tonbridge and visiting Chippenham Town were embroiled in a battle to
avoid the drop. The game had something riding on it.
The journey down didn’t go quite to plan with the M1 being
closed due to a fatal accident, so I elected to get off at Northampton, head
over the A43 and continue down to the M25 via the M40. It was to be an
anti-clockwise trip around the orbital and by 12.30 I was driving into the very
nice town of Tonbridge, and out to the North side where the Longmead ground is
located.
Tonbridge is famous for it’s school, one of the leading
independent boys schools in the country, and while I’m no expert having being
schooled at Scumbag College in the art of living by the seat of your pants, I
would imagine it’s not cheap to attend.
Talking of not cheap, it appears the first ever speeding
ticket was issued in the town, but that’s enough of what I can find on
Wkipedia, lets talk about football.
Tonbridge Angels were once known as plain old Tonbridge, playing
at the Angel ground which sat right in the town centre, very close to the railway
station and the River Medway. They joined the Southern League just after the
last War, where they stayed until 1989, when they had a three year spell in the
Kent League.
They returned to the Southern League in 1993, and by 1994-95
season they had added the ‘Angels’ suffix to their name. The old Angel Ground
was vacated in 1980, with a move to Longmead taking place in 1981, and the change
of name reflected that piece of the clubs history.
The long spell in the Southern League came to an end in 2004
when they were moved to the Isthmian League, albeit jumping up a division due
to restructuring, and barring a single season of relegation, that was where
they remained until 2011.
A runners-up place saw them gain promotion to the Conference
South, a league they competed in for three seasons, before relegation back to
the Isthmian befell them. It took them four years and a couple of cracks at the
Play-Offs before they found their way back to Step 2 again, and that came at
the end of last season when they defeated Haringey Borough, Merstham and
finally Metropolitan Police in the first ever Super Play-Off.
This season has not been easy, as I said earlier, they sit
on the fringes of the relegation zone, hence the game against the visitors from
Wiltshire being very much a six pointer.
Longmead is a lovely football ground. Set in a large expanse
of land, on the very edges of the town, entrance is through a tree lined car
park, to the turnstiles which sit on the side opposite the main stand. The main
stand is indeed the focal point of the ground, stretching almost the full
length of the pitch with it’s low roof and blue seats, it was originally in use
at the Angel and transported to the new ground.
Behind both goals are two identical covered terrace areas,
both quite steep but not especially wide, while on the turnstile side a small
directors stand takes its place, along with the clubhouse and a tower that
serves as a PA box and TV gantry. The dressing rooms are in a corner behind the
South goal, while either side of the pitch has it’s own tea bar!
It was a cracking game to be fair.
Tonbridge took a very early lead in the first minute through
a powerful drive from Jason Williams, but Chippenham fought back and equalised
from close range in the 32nd courtesy of Tom Owen-Evans
The hosts regained the lead on the stroke of half time when
D’Sean Theobalds found the bottom corner of the net from just inside the
penalty area after a spell of pressure.
It was 2-2 in the 53rd minute when Karnell
Chambers kept his composure to round the goalkeeper and score, but the lead was
restored on the hour mark when Joe Turner rose to steer a header home following
a cross from the right.
Chippenham had a glimmer of hope soon after the goal when
Angels Harry Donovan was given a deserved red card for a reckless challenge,
but that advantage soon disappeared when Ryan Case got a second yellow for
striking out at the impressive Roberto Ratti, it was ten versus ten!
The closing stages were tense, and with numerous stoppages
in the game, we had a significant amount of added time, but Angels hung on for
a deserved and a vital three points.
I sat in the stand in the second period and noticed that just
in front of me was Mark Bright (ex Palace / Wednesday etc etc). I spotted it
was him when he turned round and asked if he could take a photograph of my team
sheet, which I duly obliged with. We chatted briefly about the red cards,
before he bade farewell as the game came towards its end. It’s good to see a former
Premier League star and now TV pundit supporting non-league football.
So that was Tonbridge, and what a cracking day at a lovely
ground, watching a fantastic game of football. Well worth a visit if you’ve not
been before………I’m glad I gave plastic a swerve, because I’m loving Angels instead!
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