Tonbridge Angels 4 Sittingbourne 1

Match 30/25/2373 - Tuesday, 7th September 2025 - Kent Senior Cup 2R

Tonbridge Angels (2) 4 Simon 22 (pen),25,55 Babajide 78
Sittingbourne (1) 1 Salako 43
Attendance: 239
Admission: Pass
Mileage: 38/2,055

Tonbridge Angels eased their way into the Kent Senior Cup Third Round with a comfortable win over a spirited Sittingbourne side.

A hat-trick for Eddie Simon paved the way, although a Sittingbourne goal just before the break left the game still in the balance.

Alan Dunne gave several players valuable minutes whilst resting others. Goalkeeper Mackenzie Foley and Antonio Morgan were given debuts whilst Mackenzie Richardson, Martell Taylor-Crossdale and Jack Matton made first starts under the new gaffer.

The home dominated the proceedings from the outset with the Sittingbourne goalkeeper, Joe Osaghae saving from Taylor-Crossdale, Bradley Williams and Simon.

The breakthrough came on 22 minutes when Simon converted from the penalty spot after Brandon Pierrick had been brought down.

The Angels quickly doubled their lead, three minutes later, when Bobby Unwin cut in from the right before pulling the ball back from the bye-line for Simon to score from close range between Osaghae and his near post.

Sittingbourne produced a spirited conclusion to the first half with Michael Salako lobbing over the bar; Ivan Balliu shooting wide before Salako pulled a goal back, tucking home the rebound after a shot from Balliu came back from the post and when a poor pass was intercepted leaving Emmanuel Robe to shoot wildly over the bar, perhaps a few alarm bells were ringing.

Jordan Higgs and Naz Bakrin were introduced immediately after the break for Richardson and Arthur Penney as the Angels seized back control of the game and restored their two goal advantage on 55 minutes with a well-worked goal that involved Marcus Sablier and Pierrick who crossed to the far post for Simon to poach his hat-trick goal.

On 78 minutes, a through ball from Taylor-Crossdale was helped into the path of Bunmi Babajide by Luke Woodward who scored past the advancing Osaghae.

Larry McAvoy, taking the post-match interview, commented: “It was a great opportunity for five or six of the boys who haven’t been playing regularly, haven’t got as many minutes as they would have wanted for them to show the manager what they can do. We know, if we are going to be successful this season, we are going to need 18 players. The atmosphere in the dressing room is great, winning again, scoring goals, so tonight we need to maximise what we got out of it and we did that.”

Simon, whose hat-trick was the first by a Tonbridge player since Chinedu McKenzie’s against Harlow in April 2019, added: “Bobby and Brandon put them on a plate for me. I just want to do the same things, over and over, getting myself in the box and hope that another chance comes along. A hat-trick is always nice, I’ve had two goals twice this season, so I wanted to get the third, delighted to have got it.”