Hollands and Blair U23 (1) 5 Byrne 17 Arnott 60 Reid 78,87,89 (pen)
Tonbridge Angels U19 (2) 2 Fincham 11 Richardson 22
Estimated Attendance: 250
Admission: £5
Mileage: 34/5,096
U18's WEEK OF DISAPPOINTMENT
It’s been a week of disappointment for Tonbridge Angels Under-18’s but this shouldn’t be allowed to cloud a season of achievement including retaining their Isthmiam Youth League title.
Ultimately, in this Kent Intermediate Cup Final, the physicality of an older age group told its tale but, as has been the case throughout the season, Dom Welsh’s youngsters tried to play their game, but there is more than one way to win a game of football and Hollands and Blair’s direct style was effective and deserving of their win.
The Kent Intermediate Cup is a strangely mixed competition, that Tonbridge have actually won more than any other club. As one supporter said last night that it hardly seems fair, but it is a competition for reserve teams of clubs that compete in the Senior Cup and Trophy with Under-23 and Under-21 teams allowed to enter where there is no reserve team. That some clubs, such as Tonbridge Angels, enter their Under-18’s is their choice.
Tonbridge’s journey to the Final has seen them despatch Under-23 sides but Blair were an altogether tougher ask.
The Angels could not have got off to a worse, or better start, conceding a penalty within two minutes and scoring after 11 minutes, with Callum Fincham involved at both ends of the pitch.
Fincham’s tackle on Jack Shepherd saw the referee point to the spot but Owen Edwards’ penalty was saved by the trailing leg of Jacob Hunt with the ball rebounding off the underside of the crossbar back into the keeper’s grateful hands.
Tonbridge went ahead when a raking crossfield pass from Noah Millis was received by Fincham, who with a couple of strides, took aim to angle a driven shot into the far corner off the right hand post.
Blair were quick to respond and were level on 17 minutes following a left-sided corner that was headed from the far post back to George Byrne to head home.
A frantic opening 20 minutes was completed when Mackenzie Richardson let fly from 25 yards into the top corner with the Blair goalkeeper, Mackenzie Porter, grasping at thin air.
Both sides had further chances in an entertaining first half, with Porter saving from Fincham and Hunt brilliantly turning over a Morgan Arnott header before the break.
The Angels started the second period strongly and had they managed a third goal, who knows, but Fincham’s fizzed effort was inches wide and Robert Penman brought a good save from Porter before, on the hour, Hollands and Blair equalised when Arnott converted a cross from eight yards.
On 78 minutes, Blair hit the front for the first time when substitute Lennon Reid finished a right wing cross at the near post and the game was finished as a contest with Reid poaching an 87th minute goal after the Angels defence had failed to clear their lines.
The Angels had one final flurry with Richardson’s shot parried by Porter back to Kyler Barton, but the last say went to Reid, who completed a 16 minute hat-trick from the spot to give a 5-2 scoreline that didn’t reflect the competitive nature of the game.
Our U18’s reform next season, as with all age group football, many of the squad become over age, but the beauty of the Angels newly (finally!) formed pathway is that some of the successful U16’s squad now progress into the higher age group and the process starts all over again!
NB: For supporters of a Gillingham persuasion, in the Blair squad were Morgan Arnott, son of Andy and Zach Tydeman, son of Sam and grandson of the legend that was Dick Tydeman.
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