Tonbridge Angels Academy 3 Dover Athletic Academy 1

Match 101/21/1965 - Wednesday, 2nd March 2022 - National Under-19 Alliance

Tonbridge Angels (2) 3 Hartley 22 McArthur 38 Barden 66
Dover Athletic (0) 1
Headcount: 20
Admission: Free
Programme: None
Mileage: 32/5,633

Despite what Academy manager Tommy Parkinson described as a “a poor performance that lacked energy and quality”, the Academy cruised to a relatively comfortable victory that returned them to the top of the National League Alliance.

Early opportunities on a damp, miserable lunchtime at King’s Hill fell to Fin Hartley, who linked well with Ben Hermitage and a shot from Luca Woodhouse that stretched the visiting Dover Athletic goalkeeper.

Dover were being forced to defend for long periods and, on 21 minutes a Hartley header was cleared from the line but Dover’s relief was only to last a minute when the striker glanced a header from a Woodhouse free kick into the bottom corner.

With Hermitage and Hartley combining well, chances fell for Hartley who narrowly missed with a touch at the near post and forcing the goalkeeper into a decent save on the half hour.

Tonbridge doubled their lead after 38 minutes when a superb through ball from Hermitage sent Josh McArthur clear to produce a composed finish past the advancing keeper.

Dover asked a question of Tonbridge goalkeeper, Nat Gibb, for the first time just prior to the break but the home side were good value for their two goal lead at half-time.

The Academy had chances to put the game to bed in the opening quarter hour before Gibb allowed a free kick to evade his grasp and drop into the net at this right hand post.

But no sooner had the visitors found their way back into the game, they gifted Tonbridge a goal to restore their two goal advantage. A poor clearance landed straight at Hartley’s feet and he sent substitute Isaac Barden clear to finish well.

Eight minutes remained when central defender Tom Green strode forward to crack in a 30 yard pile driver that crashed down from the underside of the crossbar before being cleared to safety.

Tom Parkinson commented after the game: “A poor performance from the squad today that lacked energy and quality. Credit to Dover who played well in the game. We need to be a lot better as a team in future games.”