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Leyton Orient midfielder Charlie Pegrum rejoins Tonbridge Angels on loan while manager Jay Saunders steps up striker search

Charlie Pegrum has rejoined Tonbridge Angels on loan from League 1 club Leyton Orient.

The 20-year-old impressed Angels boss Jay Saunders last season and he’s taken the chance to bring him back.

Tonbridge Angels manager Jay Saunders. Picture: Keith Gillard
Tonbridge Angels manager Jay Saunders. Picture: Keith Gillard

Pegrum, who plays in a variety of roles, had been on loan at fellow National League South club Welling.

“I’m pleased we’ve got Charlie back because I think he can play a number of positions and he was doing really well for us before he left last year and got called back into the first team at Orient,” said Saunders.

“I tried to take him during the off-season but the timing wasn’t right and I re-signed Jeremy Santos, which meant I didn’t need the extra body in midfield.

“But when I heard his loan was up at Welling, I thought it was a good opportunity and he was really keen to come back and they were keen to get him to us.

“He can play out wide, wing-back, central in the 10 and he’s a good lad who fitted in well last time.”

Saunders remains keen to strengthen in attack but that’s easier said than done.

He wants to get more goals in the team after a return of 18 from 14 league games.

“I’m not going to lie, we are looking to strengthen in the forward areas but it’s always a tough one,” said the manager.

“I’ve spoken to a few and we’ve been close here and there but there seems to be so many clubs with injuries at the moment.

“You think you’ve agreed something with a club and then all of a sudden they get an injury and it changes.

“I’m conscious, if I can, that I want to get a couple of permanents as well.

“We’re exploring both markets - loan and permanent - and we’ll see how this week goes.

“I feel we’re at a stage where it’s OK saying we’ve had a great start to the season, and there’s no doubt we have.

“If you look, it’s one of the best starts the club’s had at this level, and it’s only the second time they’ve got to the first round of the FA Cup in the last 50-odd years.

“We’ve kept nine or 10 clean sheets, so there’s been lots of positives, I just feel we need to improve in certain areas and sometimes you need to freshen it up.

“It’s not a case of let’s rip the squad apart because if we win our games in hand, we’re in a good position.”

Tonbridge claimed a creditable goalless draw at National League South big guns Torquay on Saturday.

It was their first game since losing 4-1 to lower-league Harborough in the FA Cup first round.

“It was a good point,” said Saunders, whose side visit Gosport Borough in the FA Trophy second round this Saturday (3pm).

“After the week before, the performance and the result, I think everyone was down and it was important we got a reaction.

“It’s a tough place to go. You’re going to a full-time club, there’s a lot of pressure on, there’s big crowds where they’re going well, but we responded.

“To be honest, they started the first 10 minutes like a house on fire and I thought it could be a difficult afternoon.

“I was worried after last week would we go in our shell but we didn’t, we rode the first 10 or 15 minutes out and then we had a really good spell.

“Jamie Fielding had a header just wide and we had some good opportunities but at the moment we’re lacking in the final third a little bit.

“In a way, I think it helped having the away trip and being together on the coach.

“We left at 6am, so it was a long old day, but it maybe got them together and took the pressure off.

“It was a long trip but a good trip and we deserved a point.”

Tonbridge beat Beckenham 6-1 at home in the Kent Senior Cup second round on Tuesday night.

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