Eastbourne Borough (2) 3Hutchinson 9 Kendall 45+2 Rollinson 90+3
Tonbridge Angels (1) 1 Coombes 4
Attendance: 710
Admission: £9 Senior
Programme: £2
Mileage: 66/5,165
Why Tonbridge lost is no mystery, at least two of the three Eastbourne goals were avoidable to be kind or absolute gifts in harsher terms. The first Eastbourne goal will have to wait for the video because nobody I spoke to had a clue how the ball ended in the net.
Following Saturday’s epic result at Dorking, Steve McKimm shuffled his pack, resting some players who are carrying injuries and giving game time to others. Aaron Smith-Joseph came back into the starting 11 and gave the manager a hefty prod with a view to Saturday’s FA Trophy game against Bromley.
Tonbridge could not have got off to a better start and were ahead in the fourth minute when Ibrahim Olutade stretched the home defence running on to a ball pumped into the left channel before crossing into the path of Adam Coombes who finished with a well struck shot into the bottom corner giving ex-Angel Lee Worgan no chance between the home sticks.
Eastbourne were level five minutes later, as said how is a mystery. Perhaps the home side’s Twitter had a view, so here is their post: “Finding the ball out wide on the left, [Dom] Hutchinson never gave up on the cause, kept the ball alive and from the narrowest of angles somehow lifts the ball over Henly and into the net!”
Tonbridge recovered from the set back and largely dominated play with Smith-Joseph’s pace causing the home defence great concern but, in turn, they were not seriously troubling Worgan who saw either his defenders get their bodies in front of efforts on goal or shots go harmlessly wide.
As the clock ticked into the final seconds of two minutes’ first half added time, Tonbridge conceded a goal largely of their own making. In possession of the ball, a pass from Joe Turner was intercepted and the ball fed down their left wing from where Walker sent Charley Kendall through to beat Jonny Henly.
The second half started with a golden chance for the Angels when Sonny Miles met a Tom Beere corner with a firm header but it was narrowly over. The play immediately switched to the other end and this time it was Angels’ supporters breathing a sigh of relief as Henly advanced beyond his penalty area to block as effort from Kendall but the loose ball fell to Hutchinson who sent it goalwards but Harry Hudson was on the line the head clear.
In much the same vein as the first half, Tonbridge, searching for an equaliser, had much of the play but none of the efforts were troubling Worgan.
As Tonbridge gambled, it was almost inevitable that they would get caught on the break and, into the final minute of time added, Chris Whelpdale broke clear and played the ball through to Joel Rollinson who lifted the ball over Henly to secure the points for Eastbourne.
It was one of the games whereby it is hard to criticise the Angels because they played really quite well, but somehow they came away pointless, but thankfully it didn’t take six hour-long episodes to baffle me.
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