Ebbsfleet United (0) 1 Monlouis 47
Tonbridge Angels (1) 2 Swift 10 Miles 62
Attendance: 1,507
Admission: Pass
Programme: None purchased
Mileage: 54/3,388
About 200 Angels fans travelled to Ebbsfleet more in hope than any expectation, after all the hosts were top of the league, unbeaten in all competitions, the only club in the pyramid that could make that claim. But, every one of those fans, went home on a high of elation as their team upset the form books to win 2-1.
Captain Fantastic Sonny Miles’ 62nd minute goal (what was he even doing there!) led to a 35 minute assault on the Angels goal but heroic defending, countless blocks as bodies were thrown in front of the ball and superb goalkeeping from Jonny Henly saw Jay Saunders’ team through to a famous victory.
In the relative calm of pre-match, Saunders chose to go with three centre backs, Jamie Fielding alongside Ben Swift and Miles with Tom Parkinson dropping to the bench in favour of Tariq Hinds.
In his Friday Briefing, Saunders said “We are not going to just sit back” and in the opening quarter-hour his team were true to his word as they took the game to their hosts. Dajon Golding was proving a handful leading the line and Tonbridge forced early corners before taking the lead in the 10th minute when a cross from the right was laid back into the path of Swift by Golding and his shot from the edge of the box rocketed into the roof of the net past a helpless Mark Cousins.
Joe Turner was stopped in his tracks by a cynical foul from Ben Chapman and Turner’s effort on 23 minutes needed a good block.
On the half-hour, Ben Swift needed treatment for a cut head that saw him return minutes later, Terry Butcher-like, head swathed in bandages and, no less heroic.
A close range header from Luke O’Neill brought a great save from Henly and whilst Swift was off the field, the Angels goalkeeper made another superb stop to deny Rakish Bingham.
Just prior to the break, Louis Collins was sent clear but his shot was wide of the post.
The league leaders came out for the second half, with probably words from Dennis Kutrieb stinging their ears and they were level within two minutes of the restart when a corner saw Kieran Monlouis rise the highest to head home from a right-sided corner.
The home side should have gone in front when Bingham shot over from right in front of goal but the Angels got their noses back in front on 62 minutes when brilliant persistence from Hinds saw his cross knocked on to the far post by Scott Wagstaff where Miles was positioned to turn the ball in from close range.
The Angels fans were in dreamland but the reality was there was over half-an-hour to play and to defend and to a man, bodies were thrown on the line. Henly saved brilliantly from Dominic Poleon and turned a shot from Shaq Coulthirst away for a corner with a fine low save.
As the clock ticked into an eternally long six minutes of added time, Henly once more came out on top in his contest with Coulthirst and in the third minute substitute Dylan Gavin might have given the Tonbridge supporters a comfortable last couple of minutes when he raced clear only to be denied by a last ditch tackle.
As Henly fell on the ball after yet another corner, referee Callum Walchester brought the curtain down on not only Ebbsfleet’s unbeaten record but a Angels victory that will live long in the memory.
Captain Miles said after the game: “To a man everyone was superb, last ditch tackles, clearances off the line, we took our chances when they came. They are a very, very good team, we did very, very well.” And there is not an Angels supporter tonight that is not echoing those sentiments!
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