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Tonbridge Angels looking to get off the mark at home to Dover Athletic in National League South

07:57, 15 August 2023

Tonbridge are looking for their first points of the season at home to Dover tonight.

Angels have started the National South campaign with successive 1-0 defeats, at the hands of Worthing and Weston.

Tonbridge Angels manager Jay Saunders. Picture: Randolph File
Tonbridge Angels manager Jay Saunders. Picture: Randolph File

Whites, on the other hand, have put a troubled pre-season behind them, taking four points from their first two games.

They held much-fancied Torquay 2-2 at Crabble on the opening day and won 2-1 at Slough on Saturday.

Tonbridge did the double over Dover last season, winning 2-1 at Crabble and 4-0 at Longmead, and are out to end Whites’ unbeaten start to the campaign.

The two managers get on well, with Angels boss Jay Saunders pleased to see opposite number Mitch Brundle pick up some early results after a difficult summer rebuild.

“I’m pleased for Mitch,” said Saunders. “He’s someone I get on well with.

“He’s taken a lot of stick over the summer but I’ve got a lot of time for him and I’m pleased he’s done well but hopefully that ends on Tuesday night and I’ll be telling him that.

“They’ve signed some good players, a lot of players I know.

“When you get a new group together, they’re enthusiastic and he’s got a lot of young lads who have jumped up a level and fair play to them.

“They’ve had a good start to the season but I’m just concentrating on us and getting everyone available to put out what I think is my strongest team.

“I don’t read too much into the league table early on because we had a great start last year (seven points from the first three games) and kind of fell away a bit.

“I think you really get an idea after five or six games where you need to improve or what needs to be better.

“You want three points on the board as soon as you can - everyone does - but it’s fine margins in this league.”

Centre-back Kodi Lyons-Foster is available after serving a one-match ban and could replace Ben Swift, who went off on Saturday with suspected concussion.

Angels have exciting options up top in Ibby Akanbi and Stefan Payne but they have so far been used from the bench while they work their way towards full fitness.

Saunders said: “We’ll get Kodi back and if we get a settled back four or back three - whatever we decide to play - it gives us options. It’s the same up front.

“Payney and Ibby aren’t fully ready and it might be we give one so many minutes and this and that but we’ll work that out as we go.

“They’re good players and that’s why we brought them in.

“We’ve got good depth to the squad and we’ll make decisions as we see fit.”

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