TT REVIEW

Dan – @dan_torquay_man

Dan reports back from Tonbridge

TONBRIDGE ANGELS 1-2 TORQUAY UNITED – 15.08.2026

SUMMARY

After a summer to remember, once again on Friday a ⚠️ Yellow Warning ⚠️ was issued across the southern part of the UK.

Usually you would expect this to be a result of extreme heat on the way, however after dropping points at home on the opening day, this felt like it was a signal to advise that TUFC were on their way to Kent……..and they mean business.

I’m sure it’s one of those “rules in football” that you would “take a point” on the opening day of a season, but with the standards so high now and the squad we have, it felt like a point wasn’t enough from the opening day?

Harsh? But fair?

If we back it up with a win a point doesn’t seem so bad.

Making our way to Kent which is a pain to anyone that doesn’t live in Kent due to the M25 and the Dartford Tunnel we were trying to process what to expect not only from us but also the opposition.

The Angels took all 3 points on the opening day.

So are they good? Are we good?

Nobody knows…… it’s far too early!

Our tradition which is has been for many years now is to have The National Obsession in the car on to pass the time.

When all the latest episodes are used up, we dig deep into the library and pull out an old episode to listen back too.

That lovely blend of comedy and then the pain with one of our latest dismal results works perfectly for getting us in the right frame of mind before we rock up at whichever ground we are heading to that day.

It is time to disrespect the level.

The ground we were heading to today was The Yeomans Community Stadium @ Meadowbank.

I can honestly say, one of my favourite away days.

The car park is something Center Parcs would be proud of, the people at Tonbridge are always so welcoming and kind, the PA System at the ground works and every time we are there they always have some live music element post game in the venue after.

The only negative side to the car park is that it’s so lovely there are not many spaces due to the forest still taking up most of the ground, and quite rightly so.

So as we cleared off to a local housing estate to dump the car off (not in front of anyone’s driveway) we headed back and into the ground.

I don’t know why as I should know better by now, but I am always blown away with the volume of TUFC Fans we have at away games.

As you walked in there was just a sea of yellow across all sides of the ground.

Also may I add due to the great work done by VX3, Matchwinner, Nike and others in the past there was a beautiful spectrum of kits both past and present on display from the Yellow Army.

At one point a group of us were all stood chatting, reminiscing about games gone by, debating if games are better in the cold or the heat and then Kirsty beautifully spotted every single one of us had a different TUFC shirt on.

In that selection was some absolutely stunning shirts. The 1991 Home Matchwinner is my all time favourite shirt.

Constant battle with the calories to be able to squeeze into it nowadays!!!

Full Dad Bod Mode!

With the beautiful weather, the warm welcome, great company and football shirt attire, I briefly forgot that there was a game to be played.

With so many new faces in the team, no form to go off, no momentum to reference. I didn’t have a clue on predicting the game or any outcome.

It felt like a scouting mission to see what we have for the season ahead and try to top up the tan at the same time.

As we made our way down with the rest of the Yellow Army to The Bob Steele Stand we noticed the coin toss had commenced meaning there was no change of ends, so we could find a spot (at least for the first half) and the game would be getting under way.

KICK OFF

As always the Yellow Army were in full voice getting behind the team.

The shape, formation and tactics I wasn’t deep diving into as for the first part of the game I was trying to work out who all the bleddy players were (well the new faces that is)

Whilst doing that you could see straight off the bat that there was a nice balance in the team.

Looked solid at the back, pace down the wings, creativity in midfield and we had two strikers up top that had a nice mix of pace and power that were proving to be a handful.

As the opening exchanges happened in the game it was clear to see that we were not going to be bullied off the ball, we had pace and creativity and when we got the ball there were spaces in the back for us to expose.

Even with the extreme heat and the plastic pitch, we looked on it.

With 17 mins on the clock we were awarded our first corner. It seemed to to take an age to take with all the grappling in the box.

Jenkins was stood patiently waiting to take the corner with Dylan Morgan stood alongside to support.

As the corner was about to be taken Morgan said to Jenkins “Now”………….

The ball got whipped in and before we knew it….. it was in the back of the net for a goal and all the TUFC players were running to the corner to celebrate!

Once the celebrations had died down, the questions started

Did that go straight in?

Did he mean to do that?

When Morgan said “Now” did he clock something?

Was this pre planned?

Did they see something midweek on tape and then used it?

So many questions, no answers required.

Who cares, we are one nil up and we’re going to win the league by Christmas!!!

After scoring you expected the onslaught to come from the Angels……. However (not be disrespectful) but it never really came!!

They had a few corners and half chances but nothing that got you worried.

If anything when we turned over possession and got the ball back we looked dangerous baring down on their goal.

Bernard was bombing forward where we were stood and Morgan on the other side had acres of space on occasions.

We just didn’t seem to carve out many great chances and wasted potential opportunities to have a strike at goal

Great example was when Westendorff broke away on the left hand side, as he was running into the box you expect him to pull the trigger and smash the ball into the back of the net, instead he aimed to square the ball to Moore, the ball doesn’t reach him and the Angels clear their lines.

As Half Time approached (end of the second QTR if you are carrying on still from the World Cup as we had a Hydration Break – that wasn’t brought to us by Powerade) the Angels Backroom Staff congregated next to us before they made their way down the tunnel and they were less than impressed with with their side.

With laptops open, data being tracked in real time, not only were they not complementary about their own teams performance but called out a few individuals in the team, that shall we say “we’re not winning their duals” and were being “left exposed”

That added an extra smile to bring an end of proceedings of the first half (2nd QTR)

As the players headed down the tunnel some of the very observant Yellow Army ran to the ref to protest why “multiball” was not being used to which the ref replied “I’ve noted it and it will go in my report”

I mean fair play to the ref for responding and giving a honest answer.

With the usual change of ends it gave us time to evaluate that first 45 mins, add some extra steps to the count and say hello to other members of The Yellow Army we see on Away Days that we have not seen all summer since…….. well you know when ( don’t want to talk about that)

Anyway with a new place to stand and the PA System banging out The Beach Boys – Good Vibrations- once again massive respect to Tonbridge Angels – such a great set up. It was time to get optimistic about the start of the second half (3rd QTR)

With the players out it was time to top up the tan and get under way.

The second half we came out on fire, literally with the heat coming up off the plastic pitch.

Morgan had acres and I mean acres of space and he was destroying that poor right back each time.

Everyone in the ground could see where the ball was going each time we had it and they couldn’t do anything about it.

Sadly after waves and waves of creating potential opportunities to strike, the final ball let us down.

Nothing to be pessimistic about, it was all extremely positive!

Just needed someone to have a strike.

Then once again Morgan picks up the ball and cuts it back to Morton (who seemed to pop up everywhere) who this time pulled the trigger and fired a shot towards goal that was, what looked like, a shot guaranteed to make the net ripple…….. got tipped onto the post by the keeper who made an outstanding save……. And the ball came flying back out off the post.

That should have been game, set and match right there!

Apologies for the tennis analogy, not even a fan of tennis. It’s the summer vibes right now!

You kind of had that feeling if we don’t take one of these chances we are going to get punished.

What seems like a matter of seconds, which it wasn’t, The Angels were down at the other end shooting towards The Bob Steele Stand and what I thought was a cross looked like it came back off the bar or the post, didn’t look like Savin had saved it, didn’t even think it was a shot.

Either way – alarm bells were not going off but warming up.

The Angels were starting to crank it up now the little devils, and there were starting to launch it and get it in the mixer!

Then, what looked like a long throw in was coming in, was taken short, TUFC players caught sleeping, the ball goes into the mixer, and their big centre half heads into the back of the net.

1-1

Alarm bells were off and sounding loud now!!!

With that in mind, Jimmy looked to the bench and called up his finishers.

One of those to enter the action was Robertson another was Matty Jay.

With the team refreshed and the Angels turning into little devils now, it was all to play for as both sides went for the win!!!

Like Morgan had on the left, Robertson was getting lots of joy on the right and the ball was constantly getting fed over to him with crosses coming in!

Then, with the game entering the remaining minutes the ball gets hooked forward with Deon Moore picking the ball up, feeds it once again to Robertson who cuts the ball back across beautifully into the box and there arrives Matty Jay to sweep the ball home to make it 1-2

SCENES!!!!!

The Yellow Army goes wild, the plates go wild, we go wild and all of a sudden I see Matty running towards me and plants me with a huge high five!!!!!

BOOM

Game Over……. Or was it???

As the Angels look to equalise once again, one of the little devils already on a yellow left his foot on what looked like a very late challenge, resulting in a second Yellow…… Red Card

Game Over…….. Or was it???

Then yet another long throw in was taken, this time it went into the mixer and with a couple of flick ones what looked like guaranteed equaliser as the ball was heading into the goal was denied by Savin who flew across his goal and plucked the ball out of the air and pushed it around for a corner.

That was a goal saving save by Savin!

Game Over……. Or was it?

Resulting corner, kepper comes up, I mean fair play…….. ball gets whipped in, play breaks down, TUFC clear it away, ball drops to Robertson to had the chance to slot it away and end the game, as he got his shot away their keeper makes a save outside his box 35 yards out and keeps its at 1-2

Game Over……or was it?

Another long throw in goes into the box and this time Savin comes rishon out to claim the ball.

Game Over……. Or was it?

Yeah that was Game Over…… keeper holds the ball, ref blows his whistle…… GAME OVER!

What a game.

First 3 points of the season , first away win and first goal for Jenkins for TUFC.

PLAYER RATINGS

1. Toby Savin – 8 – Toby didn’t have much to do but that save was incredible and made sure we got the 3 points.

2. Dom Bernard – 7 – Did well going up and down the flank, looked positive and didn’t stop running.

16. Jake Wannell – 7 – Solid as a rock, worked well with Dryer dealing with all balls coming into the box.

5. Sam Dreyer – 7 – Class as always at the back, loved his impression of “paint me like you do all your French girls Jack” off Titanic late in the second half. Game of football being played and he is laying down chilling in the box!

15. Kian Jenkins – 8 – Not only played really well but got his goal. Ran his socks off and was a bundle of energy on the pitch. Excellent performance. Reminded me of Finn Tonks who we had on loan from Bournemouth, both great footballers!

6. Munashe Sundire – 7 – Does his role with enhusiasm and does it so well. Broke the play up when he needed to, started attacks and covered that midfield beautifully!

18. Matt Worthington (c) – 7 – Hope he is ok. Was great while on the pitch, can see why he is the skipper, drove the team on the actions and how he plays. Really like him.

11. Dylan Morgan – 8 – Ran riot. Caused them so many problems during the game and was a real threat and out ball.

39. Callum Morton – 8 – Rate him big time, what a great player and performance. Just seems to pop up everywhere, wanted the ball, retained possession and if his strike goes in that would have been a peach of a goal.

14. Deon Moore – 7 – Played well and was busy all game. Linked up with all the front players and caused problems for the whole game.

19. Isaac Westendorf – 8 – Did a great job up top with Moore. Caused so many problems during the game and should have scored when he ran in on goal in the first half.

SUBS

3. Tyler Hill – N/A – Late sub as we looked to hold onto the lead.

10. Sonny Blu Lo-Everton – 6 – Came on and did what he needed to do with the clock running down.

27. Matt Jay – 7 – Came on and got his goal. Right place and the right time.

23. Sean Robertson – 8 – Came on and was a handful, really impacted the game and should have scored. Got his assist which he did beautifully to square the ball to Matty Jay

20. Dan Hayfield – 7 – Half time sub and did what he does so well……got around the pitch and kept the ball moving

TUFC PLAYER RATINGS VOTE – Tonbridge (a) – TORQUAYTALK

PLAYER OF THE MATCH – CALLUM MORTON

I thought Callum was terrific and was everywhere yesterday. So many TUFC games I’ve been to for so many years and there is no midfield, this boy was everywhere. Class on the ball, linking up play and should have had a goal.

HONOURABLE MENTIONS

Dylan Morgan – ran riot during the game

Toby Savin – what a save

Matty Jay – great goal and great player

TACTICS

I could be wrong here but it felt very much like a good old 4-4-2.

Now it could have been 4-1-3-2 with Sundrie putting out fires while Worthington and Morton cracked on and with Bernard and Jenkins bombing forward, as we were not shy pushing players forward.

THE OPPOSITION

Expected more from them. I think we were to good for them today. The long throw in will help them get the lots of goals this season.

THE OFFICIALS

Nothing major to report, could have penalised Westendorf for a foul on the keeper when Jenkins’ goal went in, but let it go. Just want to know if the multi-ball went into his match report!

CONCLUSION

Three points on the board away from home and a win that was well-deserved. Great team performance with some outstanding individual performances also. The team team looks strong going forward and I feel having two main strikers upfront is exactly what we need to get through this season. What stands out to me is the options we have amongst the squad, and we’ve still got Youngy and Dennis to come in (if selected!). Jay and Robertson gave us something different from the bench, just a shame that Robbo picked up a knock. Roll on Tuesday. COYY.