Tonbridge Angels 1 Maidstone United 0

Match 97/21/1961 - Tuesday, 15th February 2022 - Kent Senior Cup 2R

Tonbridge Angels (1) 1Coombes 45
Maidstone United (0) 0
Attendance: 579

Admission: £5 Senior
Programme: £1
Mileage: 38/5,317

As a historian of Tonbridge Angels and old enough to remember when the Kent Senior Cup was a big deal and, fading memory it might be, when we last won the trophy back in 1975 when John Keirs and George Putman wrote their names into history as tonight’s visitors, Maidstone United, were beaten on their own patch at London Road.

Since that day, just two Final appearances, 15 years ago brought a defeat against Bromley and nine years ago, a particularly embarrassing defeat against Charlton Athletic, who were represented by a second, perhaps even third string squad.

The competition is, sadly, no more than a vehicle for giving fringe players and youngsters game time and this second round tie saw the Angels give first team debuts to Academy skipper Joe Tyrie, Luca Woodhouse and Toby McKimm with Ben Hermitage coming off the bench after just a quarter of an hour and Tom Green getting the last 15 minutes whilst Maidstone United did similarly.

Steve McKimm’s reshuffle also saw Tom Beere take a role at left back.

For the Kent Senior Cup, an impressive attendance of 579 with a healthy, boisterous following from the county town took their places on a damp evening following a day that had brought a lot of rain but the pitch presented no problems that would necessitate a pitch inspection.

The game didn’t exactly start on a high for the Angels with Ibrahim Olutade on the end of a heavy challenge and needing treatment after just three minutes, he returned to the action but after a quarter of an hour he needed to be substituted by Ben Hermitage.

Sadly for the youngster his first challenge saw him booked within about 30 seconds of coming on. Personally, I thought a ticking off would suffice but referee Kirsty Dowle deemed otherwise. But credit to the youngster, he never let the caution affect him.

After 25 minutes, Aaron Smith-Joseph rattled the Maidstone crossbar with a cross-cum-shot and moments later Hermitage brought a save out of the young Maidstone goalkeeper, Harley Earle.

At the other end, Toby McKimm was brought into the action making a double save, first to deny Bivesh Gurung with his feet and then to comfortably save from Jimiel Chikukwa.

Tonbridge were under some pressure at this stage and Jerry O’Sullivan was needed to clear as a cross sailed over the head of the goalkeeper.

But the Angels rode out that little storm and started to make chances of their own again with Woodhouse seeing a shot blocked and Earle dealing with efforts from Adam Coombes, Adam Lovatt and Doug Loft and they were deserving of their lead, right on the break, when Hermitage crossed to the far post for Coombes to score with a stooping header.

Within a couple of minutes of the restart, Gurung received a yellow card when he brought down Hermitage as he broke clear.

Coombes just failed to get on the end of a Smith-Joseph cross and both tested Earle a few minutes later but the Maidstone keeper was equal to the test.

Meanwhile, McKimm was also proving equal to the sporadic attacks of the visitors.

Hermitage sensed a moment of glory with 15 minutes remaining but his shot was sliced and drifted wide and minutes later his shot was well saved by Earle, who also excelled to deny James Taylor.

Tom Green entered the fray and was immediately offered a shooting opportunity from the edge of the box but it was blocked.

The vastly experienced George Elokobi was booked for an ugly lunge on Hermitage, who by now was looking to be having the time of his life!

Time added came and went. It was only the Kent Senior Cup, but any win against Maidstone is to be celebrated and a proud day for the Academy was more than enough reason for further celebration.

Photo: Dave Couldridge