Margate (1) 2 Derry 27 Atkins 75
Tonbridge Angels (0) 3 Trialist12 51 Trialist14 66 Richardson 78
Attendance: 608
Admission: £3
Mileage: 110/110
Craig Nelson’s tenure as Tonbridge Angels’ manager got off to a winning start at Margate with an exciting second half performance that brought three goals as a right-sided trialist caught the eye with a stunning strike and an assist as the visitors rallied from a 1-0 half-time deficit courtesy of a goal from ex-Angels 2019 play-off hero Tom Derry.
Nelson reflected on the performance: “We controlled the game in both halves really well. In the first half, a little bit too slow but the boys are learning something new; they don’t know each other too well either, so they are learning about each other whilst playing a game of football which is not the easiest thing to do. In the second half the guys did really well, they upped the tempo and there were some great finishes, all three goals were well worked and seeing the boys gel with some of the signed players was good.”
On a warm, but thankfully cooler than of late, afternoon, a decent attendance with a healthy following from Tonbridge watched on as Pete Doherty of the Libertines set the game in motion, in his hat and to be almost immediately substituted.
First chance of the afternoon fell to the hosts after nine minutes when a ball into the box from Harrison Hatfull found the head of Sam Blackman, whose effort rebounded from the crossbar.
Tonbridge responded well and, after 15 minutes, they too hit the crossbar with a shot from Nazir Bakrin. This was quickly followed by a good save from Tom Wray as a shot from 20 yards from Jordan Higgs was goal bound.
The Angels fell behind on 27 minutes when a quickly taken free kick sent Derry clear to slot past the advancing Jacob Adams. The Tonbridge goalkeeper was brought into action once more within a couple of minutes denying Derry a second goal.
Another Higgs effort from distance was saved and Bunmi Babajide also tested Wray as the Angels ended the half strongly.
The second half brought a complete change in the Angels line-up and brought to the fore trialist number 12 who made an instant impression that was further enhanced with a stunning strike on 51 minutes into the top corner after he had jinked his way from the right touchline into the box.
The visitors hit the front after 66 minutes when good work down the right from Matty Warren saw the ball met inside the six yard box by trialist number 14 whose crisp half-volley finish gave Wray no chance.
Tonbridge were in full flow as Warren fired over and the trialist 14 forced Wray into a good save and it came as a surprise when, after 75 minutes, a long cross from the left found its way to Louie Atkins who scored at the far post.
The home side’s joy was short-lived as, three minutes later, a drive down the right from trialist 14 followed by a low cross into the box that was finished neatly by Academy player Mackenzie Richardson.
Richardson saw a header turned over the bar and Wray saved well from trialist 17 as the Angels saw out the game well on top.
Nelson added: “We were pleased, all in all, things need to be tweaked, which is absolutely fine, that’s what pre-season is for, but it’s good to get minutes into the legs and also to win the game.”
