Greens are second best

Ryman League Premier Division . . .

Hendon had to give second best to a powerful Tonbridge Angels team, who, having scored in the first four minutes, never really looked like relinquishing a strangle-hold on the game.

Their relentless efficiency, not only with the ball, but in stopping Hendon when they had possession, ensured the Greens were always second best.

James Bent’s injury at Ramsgate meant that Charlie Mapes got the start in an otherwise unchanged starting line-up, though there were welcome returns to the substitutes’ bench for both Sam Byfield and Danny Dyer after absences of two months and six weeks, respectively.

The Greens’ problems started from the third minute when a poor clearance from Richard Wilmot was brought down by Tommy Tyne, whose pass released Carl Rook. As Hendon players vainly appealed for offside (Marc Leach had played him on) Rook continued and, when Wilmot came off his line, he delicately lifted the ball over the goalkeeper.

Tonbridge played with great confidence and Ade Olorunda was not only an excellent foil for Rook, but was a handful in his own right. But the real damage to Hendon was done in midfield where neither Lee O’Leary, Mapes nor Kevin Maclaren were given any space to work. In fact, James Burgess saw more of the ball than his three midfield colleagues and then it was in altogether more defensive situations.

Up front, Harry Hunt and Brian Haule were well shackled by Leon Legge and Scott Gooding, not always legally, but very efficiently. On one occasion, when Hunt broke clear, he was pulled back by the shirt, but the referee tried to play an advantage – even though it was right on the edge of the penalty area. In rugby union, referees are given almost limitless time for an advantage to run, but it’s not the case in football and, when none accrued to Hendon on this occasion, the referee could only apologise for not awarding the free-kick.

Having got that advantage wrong, the match official didn’t allow any more chances for a similar situation, the result being a match with 42 fouls and ever-growing frustration for concerned – except, of course, Tonbridge who were happy to let the game become totally disjointed.

That said, they were still the more likely team to score. Wilmot saved well from Rook and then watched in relief as a deflected effort drifted inches wide of his far post. He then had to get down smartly as another deflected shot spun goalwards.

Hendon’s only effort of note in the first half was a snapshot from Hunt, hit very early, but Lee Worgan cleanly caught the ball above his head.

In the 38th minute, Craig Vargas was tripped as he brought the ball out of defence. He tried to keep his feet but stumbled clumsily into Tyne. How much he could have avoided contact is hard to know, but Tyne felt it was deliberate and reacted to the contact with a slap on Vargas. The players circled around each other and the referee cautioned the two players.

Three minutes later, another lunge by Tyne, this time on O’Leary, brought what appeared to be a final warning for Tyne, but it wasn’t. There was still time before the break for Tyne to swing and miss with another tackle. Maybe if the Hendon player had gone down, the Angels would have had to face the second half with ten men.

For the second half, Hendon brought on Glen Garner for Vargas, with Burgess moving to left back. The Greens started the period very well and spent the first four minutes camped around the Tonbridge goal. They didn’t manage any shots on target, though Legge did make one excellent block on a Garner shot.

One of the facets of Tonbridge’s domination was the way they blocked Jamie Turley out of the game. The loanee from Wycombe rarely got the chance to deliver a telling ball as he had the previous week and two or three rushed crosses sailed harmlessly out of play.

Gradually the Angels re-exerted their first-half control and it was no surprise when they extended their advantage midway through the second half. The attack started down the left flank, but when the ball was passed out to the right Olorunda crossed just too high for Rook to reach. However, Fraser Logan got to the loose ball as James Parker went out to cover the danger. When Logan crossed to the far post, no one was around to deny Jamie Cade a free header and he duly headed the ball into the net from close range.

If that wasn’t the killer blow, the Angels’ third goal, four minutes later, certainly was. It came from a Hendon corner, hit to beyond the far post. Turley reached the ball first, heard Garner scream for the ball and passed to him.

Unfortunately for the Greens, Phil Starkey had spotted the danger and nipped in front of Garner. He quickly released Anthony Storey, who ran towards the half-way line. Nobody tracked the run of Cade, who was found with an inch-perfect pass and he took a few strides forward before shooting past Wilmot.

Both teams made two changes in the final 15 minutes, Byfield and Lubo Guentchev replacing Mapes and Turley for Hendon, while Tonbridge introduced John Westcott for Ade Olorunda and Tim Olorunda took over from Storey.

Hendon’s packed midfield, combined with Tonbridge’s comfortable lead, meant that most of the remaining action took place in the middle of the field. But it was Hendon who had the final word, scoring an excellent consolation goal.

Hunt chipped the ball forward and Garner, running intelligently into space, lost his marker. The ball sat up perfectly, but it still needed a fine shot to score and Garner provided it, a first-time low drive that was taken so early, Worgan never had a chance to get his feet right to save at his near post.

Last season, Hendon scored late, and did so three times to shock the Angels. This year they were mindful of this and kept possession so well it never looked likely that history would repeat itself.

“Tonbridge deserved to win today,” admitted Hendon manager Gary McCann. “We didn’t bring our A game today and we had to have it against a team such as Tonbridge.”

HENDON: Wilmot, Turley (Guentchev, 77), Vargas (Garner, HT), Leach, Parker, Burgess, K. Maclaren, O’Leary, Haule, Hunt, Mapes (Byfield, 77). Unused subs: Dyer, Viner (gk).

DAVID BALLHEIMER