Tonbridge Angels Women (1) 2 Mayhead 16 Kemp 79
Tunbridge Wells Foresters Women (1) 4 Stokes 9,73,90+3 Wignall 58
Attendance: 136
Admission: £5
Mileage: 38/6,852
Tonbridge Angels Women departed the KCFA Women’s Plate at the semi-final stage with their heads held high having stretched their Kent Premier Division opponents, Tunbridge Wells Foresters, all the way until an added time goal made the game safe for the visitors.
Whilst congratulating and wishing his opponents good luck in the final, manager Joe Rowe was proud of his team’s performance: “I think all of us come away from today disappointed in the result but proud of our efforts and to get to the semi final. The team gave everything and on another day we may have got the result we wanted but today Foresters were the deserved winners. Our challenge now is to use this feeling as a catalyst to ensure we finish the season strong and have something to show for what has been a very positive opening season for the team.”
An impressive attendance of 136 that had assembled in bright late afternoon sunshine to see these local rivals go head-to-head and they would have left Longmead Stadium having seen a competitive match of great quality.
The Angels enjoyed the better of the opening moments with a Charlotte Cresswell effort clearing the bar before Foresters went ahead after nine minutes when a cross from Adi Stapleton-Berry found its way to the far post from where Annabel Stokes swept the ball home.
Tonbridge responded positively and were level on 16 minutes when a cross from Jade Folkard was fired home by Grace Mayhead.
As the half unfolded, Tonbridge were the equals of their opponents with chances for Cresswell and Mayhead, although the Angels goalkeeper, Ashleigh Rhodes needed to be at her best saving well following a Foresters corner and earlier Stapleton-Berry had an opportunity cleared from the line.
Tunbridge Wells Foresters dominated the opening quarter-hour of the second half and eventually got their reward on 58 minutes when Rona Wignall was sent clear to finish well past Rhodes.
When Stokes added a third on 73 minutes the tie looked all but done but the Angels staged a spirited recovery that saw a free kick from Amanda Beeput recycled from the right into the box for Beth Kemp to volley past the Wells goalkeeper.
The goal set up a grandstand finish that saw chances fall to Aimee Churchill before in the third of five added minutes, a fortunate rebound saw Stokes stride clear to finish clinically and complete her hat trick.
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