Tonbridge (0) 0
Metropolitan Police (1) 1 Smith 26
Attendance: 343
Entrance: £10
Programme: £1.00
Mileage: 36/5,667
Match Report
After the Lord Mayor's Show ...
Tonbridge entered into this match on a wave of exhilaration after their stunning fightback from three down to beat Wingate and Finchley 4-3 at the weekend. But, as it turned out perhaps the adrenaline rush from that performance acted as a drain both emotionally and physically as they produced a weary performance that ended with a surprise defeat against mid-table Metropolitan Police.
The home side started well, created a couple of early chances, but when the goal failed to materialise they run out of ideas and once Leon Smith perfected executed a shot into the far corner after 26 minutes, the Plod didn't so much mount a Thin Blue Line, more like a solid Red Brick Wall.
After three minutes a corner saw a Tom Parkinson header parried by the Met's goalkeeper, Oliver Pain, and follow-up efforts were also blocked before the final shot from Laurence Ball sailed well over the bar.
Tonbridge suffered a set back after a quarter hour when influential midfielder and skipper, Parkinson, took a knock and had to be to replaced by Luke Allen.
Allen was quickly to the fore, breaking clear from midfield, he brought a parrying save from the advancing Pain only to put the rebound over the bar.
After 26 minutes the Police took the lead. A pass found Smith, who advanced to the angle of the penalty area and curled a shot around Anthony Di Bernardo and into the net, to the delight of the one supporter stationed behind that goal. Respect to you, sir for being the Plod's away following.
Tonbridge created chances during the remainder of the half but failed to really trouble the Met's goalkeeper.
The big chance of the second half fell to the Police after 67 minutes when a shot from Ryan James was touched onto the inside of the post by Di Bernardo, who was able to collect the rebound.
At this stage of the season, all the other club's managers would have seen the influence that Nicky Wheeler has on Tonbridge's performances. If you can stop Wheeler, you are blunting the threat and this the Met did to great effect. Tommy Whitnell was a 63rd minute substitute, and as has been the case during his spell on the bench, provided a creativity that Tonbridge had lacked for the best part of the first hour. But, ultimately, the ideas ran out.
Because of the lateness of this posting, it is pleasing to report that Tonbridge bounced straight back with a fine 2-1 win at Leiston to maintain their promotion push.
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