Taunton Town (2) 4 Braham-Barrett (o.g.) 2, Jarvis 45, Smith 75, Chamberlain 88
Tonbridge Angels (1) 1 Gavin 28
Attendance: 872
New Ground: 352
Admission: Pass
Programme: None purchased
Mileage: 382/3,042
If on Tuesday, I was scrapping myself off the ceiling; four days later I’m picking myself off the floor, such is football.
The longest trip of the season had begun with a 6 o’clock alarm call and a notification that my booked rail journey from Paddington to Taunton had been cancelled. Perhaps the story of the day was already being written.
The cancellation had little effect, an earlier train out of Staplehurst allowed me to catch the 10:04 from Paddington that thankfully had spare seats.
With plenty of time to spare, the 1.5 miles from station to the Cygnet Stadium was walked through a town that, it has to be said, had very few redeeming features.
The Cygnet Stadium is a pleasant ground that in places shows its age, opened in 1953, but has all the necessary attributes and I will admit to a little terrace envy.
Behind both goals there is full width terracing with covered accommodation directly behind the goals. There is a main covered seating stand which holds the best part of 300 seats housing also an area of terracing whilst opposite there is a smaller seating stand. Brand new terracing, installed for their FA Cup tie against Yeovil (which Taunton won) is alongside, this the reason for my terrace envy! The grass pitch was in great shape, well cut and no need for Binfield moans!
News had filtered through on the train down that neither Jonny Henly (illness) or Lewis Gard (injury) had travelled, so the team showed two changes, Kevin Manuel in goal and TQ Addy for the influential Gard.
Tonbridge fell behind in the second minute when a cross from the left by Zak Smith travelled a long way to the far post from where Craig Braham-Barrett in attempting to head the ball away for a corner inexplicably turned it into his own net.
During the opening 15 minutes the Angels defence were asked a lot of questions and were struggling to contain their hosts but having survived this period they started to take control of the game and after 19 minutes a tempting cross from TQ Addy was deflected over his own bar by Dan Ball. The subsequent corner was met by a towering header from Joe Tyrie that only narrowly cleared the bar.
Set piece deliveries into the box were continuing to cause problems and one such in the 26th minute required Addy to clear from his line.
But, two minutes later, the Angels were on level terms as Dylan Gavin, who lost his footing while taking his shot from 25 yards, found the net with goalkeeper Jack Bycroft surely disappointed to be beaten from that range and a shot that didn’t particularly carry too much venom.
Bycroft had another scare just past the half-hour when a low cross from Ruben Soares-Junior went straight under his body before being hoofed to safety.
Certainly at this point, Tonbridge were enjoying the better of the game forcing several corners but, as the half entered its added time, a right sided corner was met with a powerful header from Nat Jarvis to give the hosts the lead at the break.
Into the second half, which frankly was a disarrrster as Craig on Strictly would say!
An early shot from Soares-Junior was spilt by Bycroft and hacked to safety and that was about as good as it got.
On 75 minutes, Taunton as good as put the game to bed when a cross from Ollie Chamberlain from the right found Smith unmarked around the penalty spot with time and space to bury a shot past Manuel.
The icing was most certainly put on Taunton’s cake with two minutes remaining when from the right side of the box, Chamberlain drove an angled shot into the roof of the net past Manuel positioned at his near post.
The good people of Taunton were certainly hospitable and none more so than the group that stood and applauded the Tonbridge players from the pitch. It was such an act of sportsmanship that I felt the need to ask one of them if they were just being sarcastic. He assured me they were not!
As with all these long journeys that end in defeat, it was a long ride home even if the train was taking the strain and running to time. But, if you want evenings like Tuesday, you have to take Saturdays like this one.
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