Hastings United (1) 5 Eldridge 42, Ray 52, Phillips 61,89, Adams 85
Tonbridge (0) 1 Cade 75
Att. 720
Entrance: £9
Programme: £2
Mileage: 264/4,752
Match Report
The observant among you will notice that 264 miles have been registered on the mileage clock for a journey that is in fact a mere 49 mile round trip.Today was FA Cup Third Round day and at 8 o’clock we set out for Gillingham’s tie at Accrington Stanley. We had known for the past five days that the weather was going to pose a real problem for the game going ahead on schedule. Overnight temperatures in the north-west had been as low as minus 6degC since New Year’s Eve when the pitch was covered to combat the frost.
On Friday a local referee deemed that the pitch was playable at that particular time but a further inspection was planned for 10 a.m. on Saturday morning, unfortunately too late for any delay in departure. So we hatched a plan that would at least minimise the travelling should we have to abort the journey.
We gently made our way to Oxford Services on the M40 arriving at around the time the referee was making his inspection at Accrington and over a cup of tea we waited his decision. Sadly, as Bonnie Tyler once sang, Turn Around. As it turned out it was not the frost that beat the ground staff but a heavy fall of snow that began just as we were leaving home.
Meanwhile, Tonbridge’s game at Hastings United had survived its own pitch inspection and off we trundled down to the Pilot Field to salvage something from the day. Our reward for our earnest endeavours was a truly horror show from Tonbridge.
My brother who has seen Tonbridge play about three times in his life, and each time has managed to witness a horrendous display, once again was true to form as a decent Hastings side took Tonbridge apart in the second half.
For the majority of the first half it was an evenly contested contest on a pitch that was snow covered on the grandstand side. Hastings eventually took the lead three minutes before half time when ex-Angel, Ade Olorunda was allowed to run into the box without a meaningful challenge. When a tackle was finally made the ball rebounded kindly into the path of the impressive Russell Eldridge, who made no mistake from 12 yards.
When Sean Ray, a burly centre half and a Hastings legend, powered in a 52nd minute header from a corner the towel was well and truly thrown in by the visitors. Another ex-Angel, Michael Phillips provided the finish to a fine move for a third as the home side began to run riot.
A possible way back into the contest for Tonbridge was offered by Jamie Cade as the substitute pulled a goal back but it was a short-lived respite for the Tonbridge faithful. Five minutes from time, and like a knife through butter, Sam Adams was on the end of a move to seal the game conclusively.
The cold, the length of the day and the sheer woefulness of Tonbridge spelt enough is enough and as we headed back to the warmth of the car the cheers signalled yet another Hastings goal and further questioned our sanity.
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