K Sports (1) 3 18, 75, 79
Tonbridge Angels Academy (1) 1 Velvick 31
Headcount: 20
Admission: Free
Programme: None
Mileage: 26/2,660
The Academy produced a disappointing performance at K Sports and paid the price with a second round exit from the National Youth Alliance League Cup.
Shorn of several key players, Tonbridge struggled to find any real momentum on a difficult pitch outside of the stadium at Cobdown, where the 3G was unavailable.
Hayden Velvick, with 12 goals to his name already this season, had the Angels’ first chance of the game after seven minutes with the K Sports goalkeeper saving at his feet and his strike partner, Ben Hermitage pulled a shot wide before the home side took the lead after 18 minutes.
A K Sports free kick from wide on the right was allowed to travel all the way to the far post from where the K’s number 11 was positioned to score from close range.
Stung into action by the goal, the Angels summoned a bit more energy with a Hermitage free kick palmed away by the keeper, who then saved well from Josh Tobin.
But, in the 31st minute, Hermitage managed to wriggle his way to the right byeline before pulling the ball back to Velvick who scored from the edge of the six yard box.
Both sides had a chance to go into the break in front with Hermitage testing the goalkeeper late on, but the pitch certainly wasn’t helping the game in terms of quality.
Into the second half and with the Angels coming out on the front foot, firstly a shot from Kian Austin cleared the bar before Ben Hermitage was denied a goal having been victim of a very poor offside decision from the linesman.
But K Sports, now kicking down the slope, built momentum and, following a free kick into the box that had proved a frailty for the Angels back line, a scramble in the box ended with the right hand post being struck.
So it was no great surprise when K Sports took the lead with 15 minutes remaining when a cross from the right was not dealt with properly leaving a close range strike to put them 2-1 up.
Sadly, no lessons were learned and four minutes later another cross into the box once again led to a scramble and a shot stabbed home.
Tonbridge put together a spirited last 10 minutes but created very little in terms of real opportunities as the home side managed the game well to book their place in the third round.
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