Tonbridge Angels Academy (2) 8 Woodhouse (pen) 23 Twist 28 Wootton 49,55 Nicholls 64,76 Hermitage 81 Saunders 84
Whitstable Town (0) 0
Headcount: 12
Admission: Free
Programme: None
Mileage: 32/7,376
Despite being reduced to 10 men for the entire second half following Fin Hartley’s sending-off for a second yellow card offence, the Academy cruised to a comfortable victory that leaves them a single win away from the League title.
Manager Tommy Parkinson will be hoping to clinch the title at K Sports next Monday, thus avoiding the final game against Bromley becoming a decider.
There was not really the indication of what was to come in the early period of the first half, although the traffic was pretty much one way. Hartley tested the Whitstable goalkeeper twice in the first five minutes and Cameron Wootton was off target before, after 23 minutes, he was clumsily brought down for a penalty which was duly converted by Luca Woodhouse.
Sam Grant fired over on 27 minutes before setting up Ben Twist with a straightforward finish a minute later.
The two goals deflated the visitors and it was only a matter of some decent goalkeeping and some wayward finishing that kept Whitstable in the game before the break.
Any thoughts that the man disadvantage might offer Whitstable a route back into the game were quickly dispelled when Wootton finished into the bottom corner from 10 yards following a Grant cross four minutes into the half.
Wootton struck a post after 52 minutes but was the beneficiary of some good fortune three minutes later when a wayward clearance from the goalkeeper struck him in the back, rebounding into the goal.
The East Kent coast side’s spirit was well and truly broken now and a fine goal worked between substitutes Will Saunders and Billy Kent set up Mason Nicholls for number five.
Another poor clearance allowed Nicholls to return to ball to an unguarded goal on 76 minutes as the Angels began to break through almost at will.
A cross into the box from Tom Green saw a shot from Kent come back from the post for Ben Hermitage to convert after 81 minutes and three minutes later, Hermitage turned provider as his shot was only parried by the keeper into the path of Saunders for an easy finish.
There was enough time on the clock for Angels’ goalkeeper, Nat Gibb, to show that long periods of inactivity had not dulled his concentration pulling off a fine save to preserve his clean sheet.
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