Tonbridge 2 Horsham 0

Match 15/10/833 - Saturday, 4th September 2010 - Ryman Premier

Tonbridge (0) 2 Stanley 64, Collin 85 (pen)
Horsham (0) 0
Att. 435

Entrance: £10
Programme: £2
Mileage: 26/1712

Following a late night at Wembley and with a road trip to Switzerland on Monday, we decided that a trip to Bury was a journey too far, so it was back to Longmead to see if Tonbridge could break their season’s duck against bottom of the table Horsham.

On a warm day it was a good opportunity to put the scarves to the test and see if there was a jinx to be exorcised, so the blue and white stayed in the car.

The continuance of Gillingham’s dire away record was being relayed via the mobile and it was not too long before the goals started to rattle in and at 2-0 it didn’t look likely that I was about to miss the end of the wait for an away win.

Meanwhile, in front of me, Tonbridge and Horsham were not exactly serving up a match of captivating interest and at the break the goalless scoreline was appropriate. Whilst the fare was nowhere near as bad as that served up at Folkestone on Bank Holiday Monday, neither side looked to have much in the way of goals in them.

There is something odd, almost a tad unnerving about the enthusiasm in which news of Gillingham’s demise is received. You would expect that Kent’s only football league club would generate goodwill among its non-league counterparts but none of it, and a latest score line of 3-1 down is gleefully despatched. But I’m about to have my turn to smile as the phone pings twice in a minute and the news from Gigg Lane is that Gillingham have drawn level at 3-3.

Meanwhile, a presentable game is beginning to surface here at Longmead. Jake Beecroft, having been the stand-out performer in the first half, is making his influence felt in the second half. Following an effort that was cleared from the goal line on the hour, he made the opening goal for Sherwin Stanley, unselfishly crossing into the path of the striker who could hardly miss from close range.

In the space of 10 minutes, the mobile pinged its news another three times and the score is now incredibly 5-4 to Bury with still the best part of 20 minutes remaining.

Tonbridge wrapped up their first win of the season five minutes before the end from the penalty spot after debutant Sam Jones was felled in the area. Frannie Collin converted, sending the keeper the wrong way.

That little bit of joy was diminished with the news that Gillingham had indeed lost 5-4, just how do you score four goals away from home and still lose? It sounds like a cracker of a game, but it still would have been a long way home with another defeat in our pockets.

Meanwhile, the suspicion of the scarves remains, the blue and white stayed in the car and the Angels have triumphed, I know where the blue and black will reside next Saturday!