Maidstone United U18 (0) 1 Gavin 74
Tonbridge Angels U18 (1) 2 McLeod 9,48
Attendance: 85
Admission: £2 Senior
Programme: None
Mileage: 20/1,377
The Angels Isthmian Youth League side got off to a winning start at the Gallagher thanks to a brace from Fin McLeod and a stunning penalty save from Matt Larkin.
The duo will take the headlines, but this was a magnificent performance from Dominic Welsh’s team who, after controlling the game for an hour, came under immense pressure in the last 20 minutes as Maidstone fought to salvage something from the game.
The visitors took a ninth lead when Rocky Burke sent in a cross to the far post that was met with a header from McLeod that looped over the Maidstone goalkeeper, Tom Marshall.
Tonbridge created the better of the first half chances with Max Lambert steering a header wide and just failing to get a touch as he slid in to meet a teasing Vowles cross.
The home side had their moments with a shot that went into the side netting and Larkin saving from the livewire Jack Vine.
Tonbridge doubled their lead after just three minutes with a well worked goal that saw Lambert slipping a pass to McLeod to finish past the advancing Marshall.
The game became a backs to the wall effort for the Angels from an hour in after Lambert had been denied by a last ditch tackle.
After 62 minutes, Larkin produced a brilliant save turning away a shot to his left. But, from the resultant corner, the referee adjudged that there was a push and awarded the Stones a penalty. The Maidstone skipper, Joe Terry’s shot was well struck but Larkin read it correctly to make a stunning save.
Maidstone threw everything into the last 20 minutes but dogged Angels defending plus some wild shooting saw them survive until three minutes from time when a corner saw a header from Barney Richard come back from the crossbar with Tyler Jackson-Hunt scoring with a header from the rebound.
A healthy contingent of Angels supporters including a whole row of the Larkin family breathed a sigh of relief as a final header was safely gathered by Matt to herald the final whistle.
A delighted Dom Welsh said after the match: “We asked for grit, desire and determination and got it. It was a fantastic performance from start to finish. Backs against the wall and clinical in transitions, full credit to the boys putting the plan into perfect practice! They stood up and became men tonight.”
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