Tonbridge Angels 5 Walton & Hersham 1
Angels turned on the Bank Holiday style to hit five past beleagured Walton and Hersham – and could have scored more.
Profligacy in the first ten minutes – when no fewer than four gilt-edged chances went begging – turned to clinicality thereafter as Angels put The Swans to the sword.
Cynical observers might have pondered whether it was going to be ‘one of those days’ when a crazy opening ten minutes spawned a succession of chances for Alan Dunne’s men which were somehow not converted.
The signs were there in the opening ten seconds when Lamar Reynolds found himself in on goal after Frankie Baker’s flick on but Reynolds – given a start ahead of Alfie Pavey – was ruled just offside.
Making his 100th appearance in an Angels shirt, Ethan Sutcliffe then made a trademark charge upfield before playing in Ricky Korboa whose shot was blocked.
There had only been four minutes when an almighty goalmouth scramble culminated in a fine point-blank save by Swans ‘keeper Tommy Reid from Jordon Thompson.
The chances continued to come and Baker will never know how he didn’t open the scoring on eight when his effort was blocked on the line.
An even better chance came on ten minutes when Reynolds slipped in Baker who did all the hard work by coolly rounding Reid but then looked on disbelievingly – as did the vast majority of the 1218 crowd – as his angled shot towards an open goal, struck a post.
When the visitors gained a brief foothold, it looked like Angels might pay for the wasted chances but any doubts were dispelled on 19 with another fine finish by a man very much in form.
Ricky Korboa played in Jephte Tanga and the jet-heeled wideman finished with laser precision past Reid to notch his fifth goal of the season.
Tanga had a hand in Angels second three minutes later. Following his own air-shot, he won the ball back brilliantly and found the unlikely figure of Lexus Beeden on the left wing. Beeden supplied a low cross and this time Baker made no mistake finishing from seven yards.
With Sam Corne – making his first full start of the season – again, like at Billericay, orchestrating play from midfield, the floodgates threatened to open as the newly-promoted Swans struggled to contain Angels and Korboa, Tanga and Reynolds all went close.
It was the wand-like left-foot of Bailey Akehurst which supplied Angels third on 38. Any goal direct from a corner is generally deemed as fortunate but such was the accuracy of Akehurst’s delivery that he deserved the plaudits he received. It was – new word alert – un-keep-out-able.
The visitors hardly knew what had hit them but they did at last have an effort just before the break with a sharp shot from Junior Dixon drawing a save from Nathan Harness.
Harry Gardner replaced Korboa at half-time and shortly after cries for a penalty – after Swans skipper Sam German tangled with Baker in the box – were turned down, Angels made it four.
Akehurst whipped in another pearler, Reid fumbled, and the ball fell to the waiting Reynolds who finished with ease for a classic poacher’s goal.
With Dunne looking to preserve legs, Corne and Thompson were replaced by Jaden Brown and Harvey Lintott, and Miller McDonald came on for the impressive Tanga.
Perhaps inevitably, the changes stalled Angels’ momentum and the visitors finally strung some passes together and were rewarded with a goal on 75 when Matas Skarna finished beautifully from distance.
With 12 on the clock, Reynolds gave way to Pavey who did not take long to get on the scoresheet himself.
This time it was Gardner’s turn to supply an exquisite delivery from a corner. The ball evaded the despairing arm of Reid and landed perfectly for Pavey to cushion a header home from two yards.
There was still time for McDonald to produce a weaving run and shot which Reid did well to save.
Referee Steven Hughes’ final whistle signalled the end of a match dominated by Angels from start to finish. There will be sterner tests this season but Angels can be thoroughly satisfied with a fine afternoon’s work, a point made by assistant manager Larry McAvoy afterwards:
“Really, really pleased with that. To score five goals – and it could have been more – is obviously very pleasing. We are disappointed not to get the clean sheet but overall I thought we were excellent, in and out of possession and controlled the game well.
“We started how we finished against Billericay on Saturday and we showed real personality on the ball and you saw today that we can do a bit of everything. We can press, we can drop off, we can counter attack and score goals from set pieces and open play so really delighted.”
Angels: 4-4-2: Harness; Sutcliffe, Thompson (Lintott), Beeden, Akehurst; Bullas, Corne (cap) (Brown), Tanga (McDonald) Korboa (Gardner); Baker, Reynolds (Pavey)
Subs not used: Burford.
Photographs: Dave Couldridge
