Tonbridge 3 Weston-super-Mare 0

Match 46/11/933 - Saturday, 18 February 2012 - Conference South

Tonbridge (0) 3 Collin 51,71 Main 90+2
Weston-super-Mare (0) 0
Att. 642

Entrance: £6 Senior
Programme: £2.00
Mileage: 26/3,673

Match Report

As I walked away from Longmead this afternoon, the steady rain had saturated my jeans to the point that they were sticking to my legs, I was cold but I was happy and that is the major difference at present between visits to Tonbridge and visits to Gillingham.

Both sit in similar positions in the table, neither are likely to get sucked into a relegation battle and whilst the management at both clubs may make positive noises, it is unlikely that either will challenge for a play-off place. Expectation is the reason for the difference in emotion; consolidation in Blue Square South was the principle ambition for most levelled-headed Tonbridge supporters, so much more was expected from Gillingham. Tonbridge have delivered, Gillingham have not.

It was not the rain but a strong cross-field wind that make the playing conditions difficult in a first half that failed to deflect attention from the cold and the rain. Tonbridge had a couple of reasonable penalty shouts turned away, after 10 minutes Frannie Collin was felled in the area and this was quickly followed by an appeal for hand ball both of which failed to convince the referee. When the first 45 minutes had elapsed it wasn’t hard to come to the conclusion that it had been dull, in fact, very dull.

The second period was a far more entertaining affair with chances aplenty for both sides. Weston-super-Mare opened with a good chance wasted after Ben Judge was caught in possession before Tonbridge took the lead on 51 minutes. This goal was the inspiration of a fellow Angels supporter, Tim Balsdon. Tonbridge were awarded a free kick some distance from the goal, upwards of 40 yards. Tim’s opinion was that a shot was in order given the conditions, swirling wind, wet ball, it was just worth a punt and that is exactly what happened. Collin struck the ball hard and true, it flew directly at WsM’s keeper, Lloyd Irish, who allowed the ball to squirm from his hands and into the net. Poor goalkeeping, great punditry!

Weston-super-Mare went in search of an equaliser and chance after chance went begging by reason of bad finishing and some last-ditch defending. The visitors paid for the profligacy after 73 minutes when Collin showed why he is such a highly rated striker. Rory Hill and Chris Piper carved open a chance for Collin to drive an angled shot into the bottom left hand corner from 20 yards.

Frannie Collin was withdrawn with five minutes remaining and he must have privately cursed his manager for depriving him of a hat-trick when Sonny Miles was brought down in the box to allow Collin’s replacement, Jon Main, to score from the spot.

Gillingham slumped to a sixth successive defeat at Port Vale, but my afternoon’s drenching had been worthwhile.