Tonbridge Angels (0) 0
Slough Town (0) 0
Attendance: 1,061
Admission: Season Ticket
Mileage: 38/553
A banner unfurled by young supporters in front of the North Stand said it all, A New Era Begins.
Craig Nelson said of the atmosphere: “It was excellent, the young fans told me a couple of weeks ago that they were doing something for me and it was really breathtaking. I didn’t expect it, they wanted to celebrate a new beginning. I was really honoured and proud to step out and manage our first game, it was really humbling.”
It was a hot afternoon that greeted Pitts’ first competitive fixture, hot enough to warrant water breaks in each half, and an attendance in excess of four figures arrived with all the expectation that a new season brings.
Ultimately, the goalless draw against Slough Town might not have been the desired result but a resolute performance at the back brought a point against a side that were dominant in the match for long periods.
“Taking the positives out of the game, we were very good defensively, we didn’t fold under the pressure and we didn’t concede. So, a point and a clean sheet is something to build on, but none of the boys will be happy with the performance,” remarked Craig in his post-match interview.
Tonbridge began the game brightly with a move down the left side between Brandon Pierrick and Scott Wagstaff that opened up a sniff of a chance for Eddie Simon that was smothered.
Following the early raid on their goal, Slough settled into the game and, on six minutes, Jared Myers got free down the right and his shot across the face of goal rebounded off the far post. Three minutes later, the right hand post was also struck as Myers, a handful throughout the first half, pulled a pass back for ex-Angel Jordan Greenidge to find the woodwork from close range.
The visitors were dominating with Reiss Greenidge heading over from a corner before the first half drinks break brought an opportunity for Craig Nelson to get some instruction into his team and this almost brought instant reward as a fine move involving Marcus Sablier and Brody Peart ended with a Simon shot that was repelled by a Slough block with Jordan Higgs firing over the rebound.
Peart was now emerging as the Angels most dangerous outlet and another surge down the right and a laid back pass for Matt Warren whose cross was comfortably collected by Adam Desbois.
The visitors regained the momentum in the closing moment of the half with Jordan Greenidge tamely shooting at Jacob Adams, who calmly held on to the effort.
The half-time break saw the Angels with significantly more forward momentum but it remained Slough that were creating the better chances, no more so than just past the hour, when Jordan Greenidge fed with a pass from his brother Reiss, found himself at the near post, six yards out with only Adams to beat but he didn’t ask a question of the keeper as he shot wide.
Adams was asked a serious question though, on 69 minutes, when Jaiden Drakes-Thomas unleashed a powerful shot from the edge of the box that was pushed to safety with a superb low save.
Perhaps it was the heat, perhaps the desire of both sides to avoid an opening day defeat, but the game rather petered out in the last 20 minutes that also brought the usual cluster of substitutions.
Craig reflected: “The boys did well in the second half, nullified their threats but we just needed to be better on the ball. If we were, we got into some nice spaces but that final bit of detail was just missing today. So if we get that right, there are loads of positives to take out of that because the boys are in the right areas, now it is just about the quality in those moments.”
