Tonbridge Angels 6 Steyning Town Community 1

Match 24/25/2367 - Tuesday, 16th September 2025 - FA Cup 2QR Replay

Tonbridge Angels (3) 6
Steyning Town Community (0) 1
Attendance: 413
Admission: Pass
Mileage: 38/1,683

After the nervy finish in west Sussex on Saturday, the Angels eased into the FA Cup Third Qualifying Round with an emphatic replay win over Steyning Town Community on Tuesday evening to set up an intriguing tie with Steve McKimm’s Cray Valley Paper Mills.

Two early goals from Brody Peart and Bobby Unwin followed by a third before the half-time break from Arthur Penney set the scene for a comfortable evening at the Yeomans Community Stadium.

Answering the question that “we put on a bit of show”, Craig Nelson commented: “That’s what we should have been looking to replicate in the first game, so it is a shame that we have had to come and do it on a Tuesday night, but there’s nothing better than doing it in front of our own fans. I’m really happy with tonight’s performance.”

On a mild evening, Craig made three changes from Saturday’s starting XI with Alfie Allen, Ben Mundele and Peart coming in for Scott Wagstaff, Bailey Akehurst and Martell Taylor-Crossdale, each of whom dropping to the bench.

In the opening minutes the long throw of Harry Heath, much in evidence for Steyning on Saturday, was hurled into the box, but without the concern that it caused at The Shooting Ground as it sailed out of play.

On seven minutes the Angels hit the front when a long ball punted forward by Nazir Bakrin was controlled as it came out of the night sky with Peart’s first touch taking him inside the defender giving him the space to pick out the far corner of the net.

The lead was doubled on 16 minutes when, from the half-way line, Marcus Sablier sent Unwin clear to roll the ball past Mitch Bromage.

Bromage made a superb save on 36 minutes to turn over the crossbar a rising shot from Allen, after the ball had broken loose on the edge of the box. But the reprieve was only momentary as, from the resultant corner, Penney moved into space, unchallenged, to bury a header from six yards.

Steyning came out for the second period with attacking intent and Heath brought a low save from Jacob Adams on 57 minutes, and a minute later they scored, following a free kick into the box that was only headed into the path of Tad Bromage, who swept the ball home.

Any worries of a Saturday-type comeback were quickly put to bed, after 65 minutes, when Unwin cut in from the right to curl a shot into the far corner from just inside the 18 yard box.

Just two minutes had elapsed when Peart took a clearance from Adams to go forward a few yards, shake off a challenge and unleash a shot from 30 yards that found its way to the net under the body of the sprawling Bromage.

The evening was wrapped up with three minutes remaining as Mackenzie Richardson turned the ball back from the byeline for substitute Bumni Babajide to slide in and touch home at the near post.