Tonbridge Angels 1 – 2 Ebbsfleet United
Angels failed to recover from two early goals as Ebbsfleet
took the points in a Good Friday derby played before a healthy Bank Holiday
crowd of 1597.
Before Alan Dunne’s side were really out of the blocks, the
visitors had scored twice leaving Angels the proverbial mountain to climb.
The fact they nearly did come back is testament to the
spirit in the Angels squad and shows a refusal to relax despite nothing being
on the game league wise.
Dunne made two changes from the side defeated at Chesham United
bringing in Marcus Sablier and Sean Shields for Naz Bakrin and Alfie Pavey.
Meanwhile Fleet boss Josh Wright left top scorer Dominic
Samuel on the bench.
It was the visitors who started strongly enjoying lengthy spells
of possession in the opening stages and taking the lead after five minutes.
Receiving the ball on the edge of the area, Ben Chapman
picked his spot and produced a fine finish leaving Angels glovesman Matt Rowley
stranded.
Stung into life, Angels responded almost immediately as
Bunmi Babajide got behind Ben Coker and pulled the ball back from the by-line but
Frankie Baker couldn’t profit.
Angels fell two behind on 14 when a Charlie Seaman corner
was met by Toby Edser whose header found Gene Kennedy who appeared to finish
with his head though it later transpired that Kwesi Appiah had got the final touch.
On 20 ex-Fleet man Sean Shields unleashed a fine effort from
the edge of the box which Matt Hall finger-tipped over the bar as Angels strove
to get a foothold in the game.
A bit of nonsense on 27 minutes resulted in both Bradley
Williams and Toby Edser going into the book of referee Samuel Read who was
showing a propensity to blow for fouls against both sides for what looked like
legitimate challenges.
Just after the half hour Hall produced a stunning point-blank
reflex save to keep out a header from Sablier following a ball in from Bailey
Akehurst.
Dunne would later hold his hands up to say he had probably
got his team selection wrong and, on 33 minutes, withdrew Sablier and brought
on Alfie Pavey to get amongst Fleet central defenders Tom Dallison and ex-Angel
Ronny Nelson, who nearly made it three on 35 but his goalbound header was
headed off the line by Pavey.
After the break, Josh Coley broke through only to be
thwarted by a quite wonderful tackle by Ethan Sutcliffe which the defender
timed to perfection.
Shortly after, Dunne threw on Matty Warren and Tom Leahy for
Sean Shields and Frankie Baker to spark some life into an Angels side
struggling to break down the resolute Fleet defence.
Yet it was not until the returning Francis Mampolo came on
for Bradley Williams with 20 to go that Angels started to cause the Fleet backline
problems.
With 12 left, Babajide picked up the ball, found some space
and unleashed a fine swirling effort which Hall did well to parry.
The ball fell to the on-rushing Leahy who netted only for it
to be adjudged the most marginal of offsides.
Mampolo was bringing a new freedom to Angels play and looking
dangerous whenever he got the ball and it was his skill which helped set up the
goal.
Showing silky skills he beat a couple of players before playing
in Babajide whose deft touch found Leahy who finished past Hall to reduce the
deficit.
Dunne threw on Bakrin for Kyle Smith to try and force a late
equaliser but Fleet were able to play out the final minutes to win a precious
three points towards their play-off push.
After the game Dunne said: “I’m disappointed to lose
obviously but I didn’t think we were great today and I take some responsibility
for that because I think I got the team selection wrong plus the tactics in the
first half but credit to Ebbsfleet because they caused us a lot of problems.
“But what I thought was most evident was that it was a full-time
team against a part-time team and that makes such a difference when you get in
so much more extra training and have the resources they have which really dwarfs
ours.
“But it shows where we want to get to. That’s the level in terms
of mentality, physical strength and taking the chances when they come.
“I had one session with my team this week. I’m working with
minimal resources. These are not excuses. They are facts. The gap is so big. We
are closing the gap slowly but it takes time and we go again on Monday.”
