Match Report:
Tonbridge Angels 4 AFC Totton 1
A huge crowd, boosted by Tonbridge Angels’ Schools Partners Day, left the Yeomans Community Stadium in a celebratory mood as they saw home success in National League South for the first time since October and for only the second time this season.
A delighted Alan Dunne said in his post-match interview: “It’s been coming (a home win) and the scoreline was about right, if anything we deserved a couple more goals. The first half was tough, they are a big team and I thought we might struggle physically but we got to half-time, staying strong. We got a lot right today, I’m really pleased with that.“
On a mild day, with many happy, young faces ready for their afternoon’s entertainment, the manager made three changes from the side that brought a point back from Enfield Town with Bradley Williams, Frankie Baker and Marcus Sablier starting for Bunmi Babajide, Alfie Pavey who took places on the bench alongside Scott Wagstaff, who featured despite dislocating a shoulder last Saturday.
There was little evidence of the second half that would unfold with three goals for the hosts after an opening 45 minutes in which AFC Totton were marginally the better side with their direct style placing pressure on the Angels back line.
After an opening quarter-hour when the half-chances had fallen to the visitors, Tonbridge took the lead on 27 minutes with a fine team goal that ended with Marcus Sablier scoring with a close range finish at the far post after an slick interchange between Tom Leahy and Frankie Baker.
The lead was only to last three minutes when Charlie Osborne released Ash Clarke to squeeze a shot between Laurie Shala and his near post from the edge of the box and, subsequently, the Hampshire side enjoyed the better of the possession for the remainder of the half but without seriously threatening Shala’s goal.
The Angels regained their lead five minutes into the second half when Baker executed a cool finish for his first senior goal after being sent clear to go one-on-one with Totton’s goalkeeper, Jacob Knightbridge.
Totton responded with an effort from Ralph Vigrass but the introduction of Babajide, adding direct pace, on 57 minutes, wrested the initiative back in favour of the Angels.
Tonbridge thought they had doubled their advantage on 66 minutes when Ricky Korboa saw his effort disallowed for offside, but the disappointment was only to last a couple of minutes when Korboa laid in Babajide to lash the ball home from 12 yards and Korboa went from provider to scorer just three minutes later when a defence splitting pass from Sablier allowed Korboa to angle a shot into the far corner to put the game beyond Totton.
Despite being rampant in the closing minutes, it took a superb save by Shala, acrobatically turning over a shot from Osborne to retain their three goal advantage and see the game out as comfortable winners.
Alan Dunne concluded: “It was good to give something back to the fans, it has been a while coming and they deserve that. We stood up today, as men despite being a young group, against possibly the biggest, most physical side in the league and it showed how far we have come as a group.”
Pictures: David Couldridge
