Dartford forward Ben Greenhalgh to remain on loan at National League South rivals Tonbridge Angels for another month
06:00, 13 December 2019
Tonbridge have capped a good week by extending Ben Greenhalgh's loan from Dartford.
Greenhalgh is on board for a second month and he's free to play in this Saturday's FA Trophy first-round home tie against Hampton as his parent club are out of the competition.
The 27-year-old made a big impact at Longmead, scoring a brilliant free-kick on his debut and setting up a goal for Tom Derry as Tonbridge stormed back from 2-0 down at half-time to beat Billericay 3-2 last weekend.
Boss Steve McKimm said: "It's good to have Ben for another month. We've got Dartford in that time (December 28) and he's not allowed to play in that, which I understand, but we still get another five games out of him.
"He's done well and it will only help us having him here. The 12th man fund has helped us out again and it's really come into its own this season."
There's been plenty of drama at Tonbridge this season with comebacks and late goals.
The entertainment continued as Khale da Costa scored either side of Derry's header to stun Billericay and lift Angels out of the National League South's bottom two.
McKimm said: "Billericay had a 25-minute spell in that first half where they were unbelievable.
"They were unplayable – that's how good they were.
"Two-nil down at half-time, it's a case of just go for it, what have we got to lose?
"I let the players have it at half-time but I also praised them because we'd done some good things.
"My last words were the next goal is the winning goal. If Billericay get it we're dead and buried but if we get it we're back in it and they might get nervous.
"You never know how players are going to react. They've got that determination to do well for the team and the club but it doesn't always work like that.
"Sometimes you can throw the kitchen sink at the opposition and they withstand everything and you end up losing or all of a sudden you're back in it.
"We came out and gave everything and there were still 25 minutes to go when we went 3-2 up.
"The boys carried on going for it, we had the momentum to keep going and not sit back.
"We're out of the bottom two again. It's going to be nip and tuck.
"I've said to the boys if we can get a run of three or four games without losing, we might then lose two or three, but maybe we'll then go on another run.
"It was an important game to win because we've got a tough period coming up.
"We're still up against it but when you've got Hemel away, Maidstone home and away, Dartford away, it becomes a tricky spell and you have to work extra hard to get anything."
Former Tonbridge forward Ron Saunders – better known for his exploits as Aston Villa manager – died last week aged 87.
Saunders, who led Villa to the league championship in 1981, scored 39 goals in 53 games for Angels in the 1956-57 season.
