Tonbridge Angels (0) 2 Wood 53 Olutade 90+4
Dartford (2) 3 Leonard 13,20 Jebb 86
Attendance: 1,205
Admission: Season Ticket
Programme: £3
Mileage: 38/4,883
A poor first half display left Tonbridge with the proverbial mountain and despite a much improved second period that it could be argued deserved some reward, they just fell short.
Steve McKimm welcomed back Luke Jenkins to the starting eleven with Sonny Miles unavailable on what would have been his 377th start for the club, this eclipsing the total of Danny Tingley. Up front, Adam Coombes formed a two man strike force with loanee James Taylor dropping to the bench.
Three minutes after the start, Dartford’s Danny Leonard went down to receive treatment, nothing much significant in this except it set the tone for the afternoon as the female physio from the visitors spent as much time on the pitch as some of the players.
Dartford dominated, or should I say were allowed to dominate the first half as it seemed the Angels paid them too much respect and missed Miles’ authority and voice at the back.
Dartford took the lead after 13 minutes when a straightforward channel ball down the right from Keiran Murtagh found Leonard who cut in and fired home a shot into the far corner.
On 20 minutes, Dartford doubled their lead and it looked like a very long afternoon was on the cards for Tonbridge and, once again, it was all too easy. The goalkeeper’s punt downfield was won by Ade Azeez, a pass this time found Leonard clear in the left channel to round Jonny Henly and finish to the delight of the big Dartford following in the large crowd of 1,205.
Whilst the Angels front two fed off scraps, Dartford could have added to their total with a couple more chances but the game deteriorated as play was continually stopped by a whistle happy referee and the regular appearance of the female physio.
McKimm needed to change something at the break and injected some pace into his side with the introduction of Aaron Smith-Joseph and James Taylor and, in truth, it worked. The big, but slow Dartford back line became a little more stretched and less comfortable.
It took just one minute of the second period for the Dartford physio to make a further appearance, if she was on TV she would be challenging Alex Scott for screen time!
The Angels were right back in the game on 53 minutes when Tommy Wood scored. Pace down the left stretched the Darts and when Joe Turner fed the ball to Wood, he was the man over on the right and finished well into the bottom corner.
The Angels gained the ascendancy and Dartford were really holding on but attempts from Turner and Taylor were just comfortable saves for Dan Wilks and it took a brilliant save at the other end from Henly to deny Azeez.
Ibrahim Olutade came on for Adam Coombes with 20 minutes to go and within a couple he had a clear chance but his shot didn’t carry any venom and Wilks saved easily.
The game was put to bed in the space of 10 minutes, six of which were spent, yet again, with the Dartford physio going about her duties as ward sister. But, whilst in defeat, there is no hiding place behind the referee, but Paul Johnson was integral in those moments. He might well have got the decision right but it was the handling of those situations that didn’t feel right.
On 76 minutes, Wood was brought down in the Dartford penalty area but appeals for a penalty were waved away. Then, on the 80th minute, at the other Dartford were awarded a free kick on the edge of the box following a coming together of Craig Braham-Barrett, who was absurdly booked, and Leonard. The long stoppage got even more confusing as Dartford took the opportunity of making substitutions. The referee then gave Jack Jebb a very generous 10 yards to ball and the Dartford midfielder has the ability to take full advantage and he did with a beautifully placed shot into the top corner.
Tonbridge’s second half fighting spirit saw Olutade bring the score back to 3-2 with a glancing header from a Tom Beere free kick and another chance that was cleared from the line and, lo and behold, there was still time for another appearance from the Dartford physio, what a shift that young lady had put in!
Spirited, but ultimately you cannot give top six teams a two goal start and expect a result, in fact you cannot do that with any National League South side.
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