HORSHAM 0 TONBRIDGE ANGELS 1
Ethan Sutcliffe struck late to give Angels a win which all but guarantees National South football again next season.
Angels boss Alan Dunne made five changes from the team beaten at Dover in midweek.
The game started tightly with neither side really testing their opponent’s goalkeeper. Angels skipper Scott Wagstaff was cautioned for a foul in the 14th minute which sparked the hosts into life, with Greg Luer placing several good crosses into the penalty area which Angels’ keeper Matt Rowley dealt with comfortably.
Tonbridge failed to test former Angel Lewis Carey, the Horsham keeper, for the remainder of the first half with both defensives blocking and deflecting everything that came their way.
The start of the second half saw Dunne make a couple of substitutions at the break with Frankie Baker and Bradley Williams coming on for Marcus Sablier and Sean Shields which livened up the Angels attack.
Angels began to apply more pressure on the home defence with Baker and Alfie Pavey both forcing Carey into saves, albeit comfortable ones. A stoppage in play with 15 minutes to go when Horsham captain Jack Brivio – another ex Angel – went down with a head injury after a clash with Pavey. This unfortunate injury saw Brivio replaced as well as Horsham boss Dominic Di Paola sent off for refusing to leave the pitch.
In the aftermath of the incident, Horsham struggled to regain any composure and with 12 minutes additional time, Tonbridge continued to press.
That pressure paid off when Sutcliffe headed in the deflected winning goal from the middle of the penalty area after an Akehurst corner.
Horsham went looking for an equaliser but the Angels defence held out to secure the points which – while not mathematically certain – all but guarantees National League South football next season.
After the game Dunne said: “It was a difficult game, a scratchy game. There was very little in it and I thought one goal would win it, which it did. In the end, overall, I think we deserved it.”
Tonbridge Angels: Rowley, Wagstaff (cap) (Warren), Sutcliffe, Korboa, Sablier (Williams), Babajide (Leahy), Omole, Thompson, Shields (Baker), Akehurst, Pavey
Subs not used: West-Astuti, McCann, Bakrin
Report by Charlie Cole
