Tonbridge Angels (0) 0
Leatherhead (1) 2 Derry 41 Gallagher 62
Attendance: 518
Admission: £6 Senior
Programme: £2.50
Mileage: 38/8,267
Every season, at every club, whether successful or otherwise sees players departing at its end. Nathan Elder has been a wonderful servant to the club over the past three and a bit seasons, scoring 65 goals but his presence offering so much more. It would have been great if a role at the club could have been found but such is the financing at Tonbridge, or most non-league clubs, it was not to be. His substitution with a couple of minutes remaining brought the expected acclaim from the supporters and respect on the pitch from friend and foe alike.
The heartwarming side of the club saw Rob Chick enjoying his day as the Gaffa, a prize Kindly donated by the winner of the competition, David Brown.
There was nothing riding on the game as a midweek defeat for the visitors Leatherhead meant that, all bar mathematical miracles, they could not reach the play-off places. Because of this, manager Sammy Moore gave some of his youngsters a run out, but their football at times still suggested why they had come close to the top five.
A third minute effort from Alexander Akrofi brought a comfortable save out of Manny Agboola, a 19-year-old loanee from Oxford United, who proceeded to have a fine game for the Tanners.
Leatherhead throughout passed the ball with a style that was pleasing on the eye and, after 13 minutes, produced a fine move that ended with Nathan Wood firing narrowly wide.
It began a spell in which Leatherhead were dominant before Tonbridge hit back on the half-hour when Joe Turner and Elder brought saves out of Agboola and the goal that everybody wanted for Elder was ruled out for a push as the striker’s header found the net.
Leatherhead bounced straight back on the offensive when a strike from Sean D’Theobalds crashed against an upright.
The visitors went into a deserved lead four minutes before the break when the impressive Wood set-up Tom Derry for a close range finish.
Agboola preserved that half-time lead when he pushed away a good strike from Sam Bantick.
The second half was four minutes old when a through ball saw Derry through on goal and brought down by Tonbridge goalkeeper, Jonny Henly. However, his spot kick was saved.
Just before the hour Agboola was once more the hero brilliantly saving from Liam Smith before a splendid move involving Calum Davies and Reece Williams-Bowers ended with Dan Gallagher firing past Henly to double the Tanners’ advantage.
Elder had one final chance when a good move between Turner and Bantick opened up an opportunity, but a great block from Jerry Nnamani denied the Big Man.
No one can deny that the season, least of all the management team, has been a disappointment and it is pretty certain that there will be other departures in the close season whether that is the choice of Steve McKimm or the players themselves.
The presentation evening saw Turner pick up the three main gongs with Sonny Miles and Jonny Henly honourable runners-up.
Summer is here, even if the coldest last game of the season I can remember in a long time, made it feel otherwise.
No comments:
Post a Comment