Tonbridge Angels 0 Maidstone United 1

Match 75/21/1939 - Sunday, 26th December 2021 - National League South

Tonbridge Angels (0) 0
Maidstone United (1) 1 Phillips 18
Attendance: 1,669

Admission: Season Ticket
Programme: £3
Mileage: 38/4,142

It had to happen sometime, for the first time since 2007, Maidstone United have beaten their neighbours in a league fixture. It’s not quite such an impressive unbeaten run for Tonbridge as it sounds, there are many years in between when the clubs have been in different divisions and Maidstone have also won the odd Kent Senior Cup encounter. But it is a defeat against the most deadly of rivals and one that it is hoped that the pain will only last for a matter of a week as the clubs meet again at the Gallagher on 2nd January.

The weather, hardly Christmasy, mild, dank and miserably wet, along with the present Covid worries might have taken a few off of the attendance but a bumper Longmead crowd of 1,669 was still in attendance for a encounter that has failed to take place during the last two pandemic-affected seasons.

Steve McKimm opted to go for Ibrahim Olutade, fresh from his winner as a substitute against Torquay United and a first start for Adam Coombes.

At the final whistle, neither goalkeeper had had an afternoon in which they were overly employed and the result came down to the visitors taking one of very few opportunities and the Angels failing to find the target from their only real chance.

Although Joe Turner shot narrowly wide on six minutes, Maidstone dominated possession during the majority of the first period and took the lead on 18 minutes. Adam Lovatt looked to have extricated himself from an awkward position but then had his pocket picked, perhaps unfairly, and when the ball fell at the feet of Michael Phillips he picked his spot in the top corner and executed his finish perfectly.

With Maidstone holding the momentum, it was felt that Tonbridge needed to get to the break without further damage and for McKimm to inject some belief into his side. This they did, without Jonny Henly making a serious save, and within a minute of the restart, Coombes found himself one on one with the Stones’ keeper Tom Hadler, but the striker didn’t seem to have clarity of thought on the finish to be applied and Hadler was able to smother at his feet. On the sidelines with the benefit of hindsight, a clip over the goalkeeper was needed as Hadler went to ground early.

It was a big moment and given that the home side enjoyed the best of the second half by a clear margin had they equalised at that moment they might well have gone on to win the game.

But Maidstone resolutely defended and Tonbridge just didn’t have the nous to break them down and real chances were thin on the ground. Substitute Tommy Wood had a header that drifted wide on 73 minutes and Jake Embery saw his effort deflected safely into the hands of Hadler in time added.

On the day, there wasn’t 15 places between the sides, so hopefully we can look forward to another competitive encounter in a week’s time.