Tonbridge Angels 0 St Albans City 0

Match 65/21/1929 - Tuesday, 30th November 2021 - National League South

Tonbridge Angels (0) 0
St Albans City (0) 0
Attendance: 304

Admission: Season Ticket
Programme: £3
Mileage: 38/3,652

Given that Tonbridge Angels were losing 1-0 and had been largely second best in the original game that was abandoned because of a serious injury to St Albans’ Devante Stanley, a point virtue of this goalless draw should be considered one gained. Happily, Devante was in attendance and, whilst still a long while from a return, is hoping for a full recovery.

Tonbridge’s problems in front of goal continue and Jake Embery has been added to the squad, coming in from Horsham. The 21-year-old made his name at Herne Bay where he scored a bucket load of goals before moving to Maidstone, where he had an injury hit spell.

After Saturday’s visit to freezing Canvey, the temperature at Longmead seemed almost balmy.

Embery started from the bench in an unchanged team with Sonny Miles making his 450th appearance.

In all honesty, the first half was a bit of a slog. My half-time comment being that if I stood there long enough a football match might break out.

All the first half chances fell to Tommy Wood, but a header that went over and some good defending brought nil return. Ricky Modeste had a reasonable penalty claim turned away whilst Jonny Henly in the Angels’ goal was largely unemployed.

Thankfully, a game did break out in the second half and the entertainment level rose appreciably. Tonbridge maintained the majority of the forward momentum and put several dangerous crosses into the box, particularly from Modeste, but such is the striker’s lot at present, they were always an inch away from contact.

Wood was replaced by Ibrahim Olutade on 70 minutes and Embery for Aaron Smith-Joseph on 77. Both showed high energy and linked well but still the chances continued to fall into the narrow miss category. Joe Turner, who had a diving header and another effort go wide, ended the game as a passenger as a result of a knock, painfully limping away after the game and as the leading goalscorer it was a worrying sight.