Opposition Lowdown: Tonbridge Angels By Jack Foulger
Exactly one month into the season and with five wins from their opening seven fixtures, Maidstone United find themselves at the National League South summit for the time being. This Tuesday sees Craig Fagan’s side travel to Longmead as they renew their rivalry with Tonbridge Angels in the A26 Derby.
HISTORY
Initially formed in 1947, Tonbridge (who didn’t officially adopt the “Angels” name until the 1990s) have enjoyed a mostly stable and smooth ride for much of their existence, comfortably hovering around the Southern Leagues for all but four seasons up until the millennium.
Following another 11 years mainly spent in the seventh tier, the Angels finally made their debut in the Conference South where they would subsequently remain for a further three seasons before eventually falling short of the dotted line in the 2013/14 campaign, six points adrift of safety.
A further five seasons in the Isthmian League would follow in the wake of the Angels’ relegation. However, this would emphatically culminate in a dramatic ending to the 2018/19 season which saw Tonbridge defeat Metropolitan Police 3-2 after extra time in the Step 3 Super Play-off Final and return to the NL South (coincidentally becoming the only side to ever achieve promotion in such a way following the expansion of Step 2 to 48 teams in 2022).
Ever since their NLS return, the Angels have remained an ever-present in the midtable pack with an average finish of 14th in the five seasons they have completed in full. Last campaign saw them finish in that exact position after successfully recovering from a rocky start that resulted in a managerial change just one month in.
THE SQUAD
Of the 18 players named in the squad for Saturday’s victory over Farnborough, a third have also featured in black and amber this decade, with four of those representing Maidstone as recently as last season.
Most notably, former skipper and club legend Sam Corne looks poised to start against his former club, having made over 200 appearances across his seven years at ME14 between 2019 and 2026. That period saw him play an instrumental role in numerous major successes ranging from promotion to a historic FA Cup run, where he famously scored the decisive goal in that 2-1 victory at Portman Road.
Also making the short move south includes defender Lexus Beeden and winger Jephte Tanga, who both played key roles in George Elokobi’s final campaign at the helm, making a combined 73 appearances last season with the latter also chipping in with seven goals.
Elsewhere, striker Frankie Baker returns to Longmead once again this season following a successful loan spell under the watch of boss Alan Dunne last campaign. The former Millwall man enters the derby with three goals to his name already this season, most recently netting the opener in Saturday’s 4-0 away thumping of Farnborough.
THE GAFFER
Embarking on his first full season as a manager, Irish-born defender Alan Dunne will hope to see the Angels rise to new heights this time out. The 44-year old took over from outgoing boss Craig Nelson last September before guiding his side to a 14th-place finish, 17 points above the dropzone.
Prior to coaching, Dunne enjoyed a two-decade long spell as a senior player where he made over 400 appearances and scored 23 goals, featuring in every division from the Championship down to the National League. 15 of those years were spent at South London side Millwall, where he established himself as an ever-present in the Lions’ backline whilst winning their Player of the Season award in the 2009/10 season.
FORM
Tonbridge enter Tuesday’s derby currently sat third in the NL South table, their best position after seven games since promotion from Step 3 back in 2019 following four wins, a draw and two defeats.
Most recently, the Angels travelled to Hampshire to face Farnborough, emphatically dismantling their hosts 4-0 in a complete away performance that saw Ethan Sutcliffe, Ricky Korboa and Frankie Baker all on the scoresheet whilst also overtaking the Stones as the division’s top scorers in the process.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Since 2019, the A26 Derby has been notorious for producing cagey and low-scoring games with just two goals being the largest winning margin for either side during the nine meetings in that period.
Although the Stones boast the overall superior record with four wins in that time, recent league meetings have started to shift in favour of their neighbours with the Angels currently unbeaten in their previous three league fixtures against Maidstone. Last season saw them win the derby for the first time in 11 years as a last minute smash-and-grab goal from midfielder Sean Shields saw Tonbridge leave the county town with all three points in a 2-1 victory.
Most recently, the two sides faced off at Priestfield Stadium in last season’s Kent Senior Cup Final. Second half goals from Hamzad Kargbo and Riley Court were enough to see the Stones win the competition for the 20th time in a match marred by a controversial incident at full time, which saw Angels forward Alfie Pavey apparently headbutt former Stones ‘keeper and current teammate Nathan Harness, subsequently resulting in a heated confrontation between both sets of players and club representatives.
THE STADIUM
Ever since 1980, Longmead Stadium has been the permanent home of the blue and white army following their eviction from the subsequently demolished Angel Ground just three years earlier. Situated just over a mile outside the town centre, the council-built site boasts a total capacity of 3000 spectators, of which 720 are seated within the covered main stand spanning the western length of the pitch.
Other points of interest include the ground’s numerous bar and social facilities, specifically the Angels Sports Bar (adjacent to the main home turnstiles) and the Meadow Tree Marquee (situated behind the North Stand). Both venues collectively enable both sets of supporters a dedicated space to congregate and socialise on matchdays whilst also allowing for private events and gatherings to be hosted throughout the week.
