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Tonbridge boss Steve McKimm will focus only on results, not the National League South table

Tonbridge are out of the National League South relegation zone but Steve McKimm is in no rush to look at the table.

Ben Greenhalgh marked his debut with a stunning free-kick and Khale Da Costa added the second, against his old club, as Angels beat fellow strugglers St Albans 2-1 on Saturday.

Tonbridge boss Steve McKimm Picture: Andy Payton
Tonbridge boss Steve McKimm Picture: Andy Payton

The visitors replied in the last minute but Tonbridge climbed off the foot at the visitors’ expense and are up to 20th place.

Manager McKimm said: “It was us or them, and fortunately we won.

“We’re unbeaten in two, which doesn’t sound like much, but when you’re down there you need to build momentum and that’s four points from the last six.

“Supporters probably look at the table in detail but we just need to win as many games as we can.

“We don’t want to be relying on other teams to drop points, you start that at the back end of the season when you’re thinking, ‘if they lose there and we win, it can do this for us’.

“That’s later in the season, when you’re desperate, but I’m hoping we’re not in that situation.

“At this moment we’re just ticking the games off and trying to get as many points as we can.”

Greenhalgh, whose loan signing from Dartford was made possible by Angels’ 12th man scheme, made an instant impact with his free-kick.

Twenty yards out, and with little room to play with, he feathered the ball up and over the wall and back down.

“There’s no pace on it at all,” said McKimm. “If he tries to whip it in from there, it isn’t happening.

“It was a big moment in the game for us.

“His ability to get the ball up and down from there was worth its weight in gold.”

McKimm was also pleased for Da Costa, who capped a fine afternoon with the winner.

He added: “Khale’s against his old club and sometimes you can try to over-impress but he stuck to his game and did what we asked him to do. He caused lots of problems and deserved his goal.”

Tonbridge host Bognor Regis in the FA Trophy third qualifying round this Saturday.

The Rocks play a level below Angels in the Isthmian Premier but arrive in good form after winning seven of their past eight games.

McKimm said: “We’ve had them watched, we know about them but it’s cup football, it’s who turns up on the day, takes their chances and defends better.

“We’re wary of them because they’ve hit a bit of form and they will come here thinking they can beat us.

“We’re in different leagues but on league placings we’re not a million miles apart.”

Read more: All the latest sports news in Kent

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