Tonbridge Angels (1) 3 Fielding 8 Gard 69,88 (2 pens)
Bath City (2) 2 Cooke 27 Wilson 31
Attendance: 883
Admission: Season Ticket
Mileage: 38/2,556
Weather: 16degC., heavyish showers
One of the great unquantifiables, be that in football or in life, is luck. Over the course of a football season it supposedly evens itself out. If it doesn’t then you are either Manchester City (who don't need it) or destined to finish a distant last in whatever division in which you compete.
Whatever the shade of fortune you endure or enjoy, it isn’t only the fickle finger of the good Lady, much is of your own making but when that rub of the green isn’t going your way there is little you can do until a break comes your way.
In his programme notes, Tonbridge Angels manager, Jay Saunders, bemoaned their rotten luck so far this season and I’m inclined to agree that we deserved a break.
But when Tonbridge, 2-1 down in the closing moments of the first half saw a ball cleared from a couple of yards beyond the goal line it appeared that nothing was about to change anytime soon but Lady Luck was about to have her say. In the midst of the passage of play that led to the goal that wasn’t, Bath City’s goalkeeper, Ollie Wright, suffered a dislocated shoulder that needed hospital treatment and without a keeper on the bench, right back Joe Raynes took the gloves. Bath were not the same side in the second half, the Angels took advantage and the rest is history.
Last week at Weymouth, injuries, suspensions and unavailability led to a selection shorn of any attack; this week roles reversed, no defenders and with Bath carrying one of the more potent strike forces in National League South, the outlook was ominous.
If the theory was that the best form of defence was attack, Tonbridge flew out of the traps and were ahead after just eight minutes when a corner delivered by Sean Shields was met with a towering header from Jamie Fielding that looped over Wright and into the far corner.
Scott Wagstaff, filling in at right back was finding Ewan Clarke a difficult opponent and after 11 minutes Fielding was needed to clear from the line and, on 23 minutes, they were relieved to see a linesman’s flag after Scott Wilson had the ball in the Angels net.
The equaliser that was coming duly arrived four minutes later when Clark delivered a cross to the far post from where Cody Cooke bundled the ball home from close range.
On 31 minutes the visitors were in front when a long clearance saw Tommy Parkinson misjudge a header and with a swivel and a first time shot from 35 yards the ball sailed over a stranded Jonny Henly.
Tonbridge responded and in the second minute of added time Wright did well to claw away a shot from Charlie Pegrum that was heading for the top corner, but from the resultant corner, two shots from Lewis Gard were saved before the ball was bundled over the line with Wright left prostrate as arguments raged around referee Eugene Robinson.
The referee whistled for half-time and almost the entire break was taken treating the Bath goalkeeper before he was ferried to hospital by a Tonbridge official.
The visitors were clearly unsettled by the loss of the keeper and virtually disappeared as an attacking force in the second half. Peppering of the makeshift goalkeeper from the Angels didn’t really materialise and it took until the 68th minute when a low cross into the box from Turner was handled by Jordan Thomas giving Lewis Gard the opportunity to convert from the spot which he did despite the despairing fingertips of Raynes.
With just two minutes remaining, Tonbridge were awarded another penalty, this time for anyone of three offences, which Bath City manager Jerry Gill honestly admitted it was a penalty whichever the offence and Gard stepped up again to score his fourth penalty since taking on the spot kick role. Once again Raynes managed to get something on the ball but failed to keep it out of the net.
So Lady Luck more than had her say, as did some wayward officialdom. It was our day to enjoy her fickle finger.
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