It is said a week is a long time in politics but, on occasions it seems longer in football. That was the week that was, but now there are games to be played, matches to be won that can still achieve the Angels top 10 finish.

Scott Wagstaff takes interim charge of the team on Saturday and he looks forward to the game with the same anticipation as he would have done wearing the captain’s armband, commenting: “These games are important and we are going to give it a good go for the last five games. I didn't expect to be in this position, but we want to carry on as a tight knit group, for a good set of fans who have supported us through thick and thin. Get behind the boys and let's hope we come off the pitch with the points on Saturday.”

Our visitors, Farnborough, are one of a group of teams in mid-table that are similarly looking towards for a top 10 finish and, for much of the season, they threatened the play-offs. For a while it looked like they might sneak in but, much like ourselves the last month brought an end to those dreams.  

Farnborough currently sit in eleventh place, only behind the Angels on goal difference, having won more games but lost more; scored more goals but conceded more than us.

Recent season’s results suggest that if you win the first game of this fixture, you win both of them. Two seasons ago Tonbridge did the double over Farnborough and last year they did the double over the Angels. The reverse fixture, back in late August, brought one of the more memorable away trips this season as the Angels produced a near perfect performance to win the game with two goals from Sean Shields.

Farnborough’s position in the table comes courtesy of their home form as only three of their 16 wins have come on their travels. They won at Chippenham Town on the opening day, Chelmsford City in October and impressively at Worthing in February.

Spencer Day is one of the longest serving managers in National League South and has been in charge since 2011. He secured Conference South safety in the penultimate game of his first season, despite a five-point deduction for financial irregularities. Further punishments led to the club being relegated in successive seasons, eventually to Southern League Division One Central, but were promoted in 2017 and returned to National League South in 2022. Spencer, previously known as Spencer Trethewy, also managed, and owned, Chertsey Town.

Never one to mince his words, the Farnborough manager remarked after successive defeats at Eastbourne Borough and St Albans City: “Massive apology to our fans for the first half. We managed to lose the game to one attempt on goal in the whole game which was a gift. We haven't got the quality at the moment to score goals.  I've got a few who are going through the motions at the moment. I don't care that the season's over. The situation in the summer is very easy at the moment, we're not good enough."

Of the trip to the Halcyon Wealth Longmead Stadium, Day said:  "It's one of the best 4Gs in the league. That'll suit us, but that's the embarrassing thing, we’ve got players who only like to play on nice pitches.”

Jack Turner is one of the most consistent and experienced goalkeepers in the league. He signed for Farnborough in 2021 after a brief spell with Cray Wanderers, but has played against the Angels several times whilst at Slough Town.

In midfield, Aaron Kuhl is a recognisable figure, previously with Slough Town and Dorking Wanderers. He re-joined Farnborough from Dorking in October.  

Often out wide, the versatile Richard Chin is a former Charlton Athletic player who had a recent spell with Dartford, and the only former Tonbridge player in the Farnborough squad is Matty Macarthur, an Australian, who had a loan spell with the Angels from Gillingham last season. Jonny Stuttle, is the club’s leading goalscorer with seven goals. He has scored all his goals since Christmas following a loan move from AFC Bournemouth.

Admission prices for Saturday’s game are: Adults £17; Concessions £14; Youths £7 and Under-12’s free with accompanying adult with tickets available HERE.

Gates open at 1 pm with the Sports Bar and Marquee Bar open from the outset with special offers of two pints of Staropramen for £8 or two pints of Salt Alpacalypse IPA for £9. The Tea Hut serving burgers, hot dogs, butties, hot and cold drinks and Fries Like An Angel, serving all your favourite loaded chips are also open from 1 pm. The Pie Shack opens from 1.30 pm. After the game, the Sports Bar will be open including the Happy Hour, with £1 off all pints of draught lagers and ciders with the special offer drinks price continuing.

Saturday’s sponsors are Yeomans and we hope that club director Phil Broad and his guests enjoy their day.

The final word goes to Scott Wagstaff: “I know the boys and the dressing room and I know how they work. They will run through brick walls for me and I would do the same for them, so it's a good fit. On Tuesday I took training. Jay came in and said his farewells, with Blacky and Parky.  It was nice of them to do it, they could have just left but they felt it was important to do that, which shows their characters as people. It was all a bit of a shock. He said he appreciated all our efforts over the season. It's never nice to see the manager leave who brought you to the club and to lose all three of them is upsetting, but that’s football, we've all just got to get on with it and crack on for these five really important games.”

Enjoy the game!