Tonbridge Angels finished their away campaign in the National League South with a thumping performance in the Hampshire sun.
In a game where neither side had anything to play for, it was the hosts who came out of the blocks quickest and went a goal up inside three minutes, after Nico Lawrence rose highest from the first corner of the game to power a header past Matt Rowley.
Farnborough continued to dominate the early exchanges and Rowley had to be alert to stop Wesley Fonguck doubling the hosts lead. It took until the 15th minute for Angels to have their first effort when Bunmi Babajide shot from the right hand side of the area but it was an easy save for Joe Duncan.
Angels continued to get a foothold in the match and equalised just after the half hour mark when a long Bailey Akehurst free kick was perfectly flighted and Ethan Sutcliffe was on hand to finish into the bottom corner – his fifth of the season and the last four all assisted by Akehurst’s left boot.
The score was only level for a matter of minutes before a mix up at the back led to the ball being cleared to Frankie Baker six yards out who had the simple task of putting the ball into the back of the net. Angels extended their lead a couple of minutes later when Tobi Omole drove through the Farnborough defence, played a one-two with Baker, and calmly slotted the ball across the net to find Babajide who couldn’t miss.
Angels allowed Farnborough to dominate the ball at the start of the second half, content with hitting the Hampshire side on the break. Both managers turned to the bench – Alan Dunne with the aim of preserving the lead, and Spencer Day to find a way for his side to get back into the game; it was one of Dunne’s substitutions who made the difference when Tom Leahy bagged the fourth with a cute finish after being found by Babajide down the right. Four became five as we approached the last 10 minutes when another substitute Naz Bakrin scored with his first touch after an Akehurst free kick fell to Omole whose shot was saved by Duncan but Bakrin was there to smash it home, off the post.
Dunne’s substitutions continued to have an impact and it was time for Marcus Sablier to score the sixth, this time the pick of the bunch as he curled one into the far corner. It was a professional performance by the Angels who now go into Wednesday’s Kent Senior Cup Final against Maidstone United full of confidence.
Tonbridge Angels: Rowley; Williams; Sutcliffe; Korboa; Higgs (Warren); Baker (Leahy); Babajide (Mampolo); Omole, Thompson (Bakrin), Akehurst; Pavey (Sablier)
Subs not used: Taylor, Wagstaff
