Ebbsfleet United (0) 1 Samuel 79
Tonbridge Angels (0) 0
Attendance: 1,695
Admission: Pass
Mileage: 54/2,525
The Angels suffered a Boxing Day defeat at Ebbsfleet United following a 79th minute goal from Dominic Samuel in a game where neither side deserved the full complement of the spoils.
Alan Dunne reflected in his post-match interview: “To come and compete, and in the second half, control the game is something to be proud of. I felt for the boys, they have put so much into the game and the least that we deserved was a draw.”
On a cold lunchtime, with an icy wind penetrating the Angels support on the open, Swanscombe End terrace, the manager selected the same starting XI as began last Saturday’s game with two goalkeepers on the substitute’s bench to bolster the numbers.
The game certainly took its time to warm up with the only goalmouth action in the opening 20 minutes restricted to a shot from Tom Leahy that brought a save from the home custodian, Matt Hall.
The Angels suffered a scare of their own doing after 27 minutes when an under-hit back pass from Ethan Sutcliffe was intercepted by Samuel, but the striker was denied as the Angels goalkeeper, Laurie Shala, plunged at his feet to smother the ball.
Bunmi Babajide tested Hall just before the half-hour, but perhaps took his shot too early after intercepting a misplaced pass before Ebbsfleet began to dominate the closing moments of the half with a well worked move that offered Lennon Peake an opportunity that went narrowly wide and, on the cusp of the break, Josh Coley missed the target when it seemed easier to score.
The second period started brightly for the Angels with a run and cross from Kyle Smith that eluded Ricky Korboa at the far post by millimetres.
Unfortunately, for the Angels, just as they were getting on top with efforts on goal from Korboa and Sean Shields, the latter sat down in the middle of the field with an injury that forced him from the field and that hard won momentum was lost.
Whilst the attacking threat from the visitors was diminished with Shields departure, at the other end, the Ebbsfleet threat was being relatively easily contained.
That was until 11 minutes from time, when Samuel, who had enraged the Tonbridge support in the first half with an outrageous dive in the penalty area, latched onto a loose ball on the right hand edge of the 18-yard box to clinically pick his spot into the far, bottom corner.
Ebbsfleet did what they had to do in the final 10 minutes, knocking the ball into the corners and competently seeing out time without alarm.
Dunney concluded: “There were positives, we are making strides, we will win games and lose games, but people are talking about Tonbridge Angels as a well-structured side with pace on the break. We looked dangerous every time going forward, but it came down to little margins that money can buy, Ebbsfleet are a huge club and they have those resources and they are the differences that I cannot find at the present time.”
