Tonbridge Angels 1 Chatham Town 3

Match 31/25/2374 - Saturday, 11th September 2025 - FA Cup 4QR

Tonbridge Angels (1) 1 Sablier 8
Chatham Town (0) 3 Fadahunsi 46 Oldfield 66 (pen) Leathers 90+6
Attendance: 1,250
Admission: Pass
Mileage: 38/2,093

Tonbridge Angels exited the FA Cup at the final qualifying round stage after a defeat at the Yeomans Community Stadium to Kent neighbours Chatham Town, who will enjoy a place in the First Round Proper for the first time in 97 years.

Alan Dunne made one change from the starting XI for last Saturday’s National League South game against Dover Athletic with Brody Peart in for Sam German who took a place on the bench alongside new signing Tobi Omole.

The Angels had gone into the break a goal up following a well-worked goal from Marcus Sablier, albeit that it took a hefty deflection to loop the ball over Henry Molyneux, after a cross from Peart had been laid back by Eddie Simon to Scott Wagstaff, but the scoreline pretty much reflected the pattern of the half.

With Brody Peart exposing Chatham down the right, Tonbridge had chances to extend their lead with Simon’s header being cleared from the line by Reece Butler and having a shot saved low by Molyneux. But going into the break with only a single goal lead was to be their undoing.

Alan Dunne reflected on the first half: “I thought we were excellent in the first half and should have put the game to bed, we had the chances. But coming in at half-time, we said that the next goal would be massive, but they caught us a bit cold and got the goal. After the penalty, we are chasing the game.”

Chatham were on level terms within the first minute of the second period when Kasim Aidoo’s cross from the left was touched on by Sam Sene-Richardson into the path of Tope Fadahunsi who scored from the edge of the six yard box.

Chatham hit the front after 66 minutes when a free kick into the box was only palmed away by Jacob Adams and, as the ball was recycled, Nazir Bakrin was adjudged to have brought down Reece Butler which allowed Stanley Oldfield to convert from the spot.

Tonbridge threw bodies forward in search of an equaliser but, with this, they were vulnerable to the break and, as the clock ticked into the final minute of added time, substitute Dapo Olugbodi broke clear with a scintillating run before setting up Adam Leathers for a simple tap-in to seal the Chats history-making victory.

Dunney summed up: “We are obviously disappointed with the result, congratulations to Chatham. The FA Cup, much as it’s great, is secondary to what we are about this year. There is a real opportunity to do something special, we now need to focus on the league and finish as high as we can. We have to believe we can achieve something special and one result doesn’t define our season.”