Tonbridge (3) 4 Olorunda 12, Walder 22, 44 (pen)
Lowestoft Town (1) 3 Mitchell 31, Cave-Brown 48, Guentchev 77
Att. 2,411
Entrance: £10
Programme: £2
Mileage: 26/9,696
Match Report
It maybe Old Trafford that is labelled the Theatre of Dreams, but for myself and the majority of the record-breaking 2,411 attendance, humble Longmead Stadium took on the title as Tonbridge edged their way to history following a match that will live long in the memory.Gillingham still harboured play-off dreams of their own and the week had begun with a ticket in hand for their final encounter of the season at champions-elect Chesterfield’s new B2net Stadium, but following Tuesday night’s epic victory over Harrow Borough there was only ever going to be once place for me to spend my Saturday afternoon.
Any normal Saturday at Longmead would have seen me parking my car ten minutes before kick off leaving ample of time to take up my usual position, but on this occasion an hour earlier arrival time left me searching for a place in the car park.
Inside the ground there were plenty of Lowestoft fans that had made the three hour journey down from the Suffolk coast and a friendly bunch they were. Nerves were already quite taut and it was going to be an afternoon where the mobile phone was going to play its part to keep in touch with Gillingham’s fate.
Nothing was more incredible than carbon copy of Tuesday’s first 20 minutes. Tonbridge raced into a two goal lead with goals from Ade Olorunda and Danny Walder, both benefitting from the fortune of deflections. After 12 minutes, following a corner from Lee Browning, a shot from Scott Kinch was deflected into the path of Olorunda who scored from close range. On 22 minutes, exactly the same time as Tuesday, a free kick from Walder was hideously deflected giving the Trawlerboys’ keeper very little chance.
Meanwhile, no goals from Chesterfield, but a goal against Torquay has lifted Gillingham into a play-off position, could it be double delight.
Two goals adrift, Lowestoft were not going to go down without a fight. Lee Worgan was forced to push a shot onto the bar and Jon Heath blocked the rebound. But the Suffolk side were not to be denied when they reduced the deficit in the 31st minute with a close range header.
Torquay equalise at Rotherham and Gills slip back out of the play-off places.
Three minutes remained in the first half at Longmead when Tonbridge are awarded a penalty. Olorunda was allowed to travel across the face of the box before being brought down and Walder kept his cool to score from the spot to give the Angels a 3-1 advantage at the half-time whistle.
The half time scores from League Two are in Gillingham’s favour and their goalless half at Chesterfield continues to reward them with a play-off spot.
The nerves are twisted again at the beginning of the second half at Longmead when Lowestoft once again reduced the deficit to one when Cave-Brown scores from the edge of the six yard box.
The Trawlerboys sensed that at comeback akin to their November exploits when they recovered a three goal deficit to earn a draw when all seemed lost and pile the pressure on their hosts.
Ping goes the mobile; Gillingham have conceded at Chesterfield and are now out of the top seven.
That mobile call seems to signal that this afternoon could go very pear-shaped and the initiative at Longmead has very firmly swung Lowestoft’s way.
Cody McDonald has scored at Chesterfield and with Bury taking the lead at Stevenage, Gillingham move up to the lofty heights of sixth.
In the space of a minute, the apprehension that this afternoon could go wrong becomes very real. Tonbridge, who had been conceding free kicks in dangerous positions for the previous ten minutes, cleared another only as far as Lubo Guentchev, whose shot whistled into the top corner from around 25 yards. Guentchev is the son of the ex-Ipswich player Boncho and a cousin of the British tennis player, Elena Baltacha (just for information!). Whilst the Lowestoft fans and staff were celebrating the mobile buzzes and Chesterfield have retaken the lead and Gillingham are back out of the play-offs, its double despair!
That despair turned to delight in this corner of Kent within three minutes. Lewis Taylor collected a pass from Kinch and waltzed into the Lowestoft box and buried a shot into the bottom corner of the net to the absolute delight of the massed Tonbridge support behind the goal. At this point it almost seems irrelevant to receive a text from the sister-in-law that Gillingham have conceded a third and they are now on their way home.
Five minutes of extra-time added to the drama, Frannie Collin struck a post and at the other end, Lee Worgan comfortably fielded a last gasp effort before the referee signalled the historic ascent of Tonbridge to the Blue Square South.
It was hardly a surprise that pleas for the pitch to be kept clear were not heeded and a mass invasion allowed only an obscured view of the presentation of the trophy. No matter, on the day my heart wept for Gillingham, but I had the massive consolation of having made the right choice and being at Longmead for this momentous occasion.
To my friend that doesn’t get the play-offs . . .
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