Tonbridge (0) 1 Collin 85
Sutton United (2) 4 Beautyman 7, Orilonishe 15,79, Riviere 86
Att. 683
Entrance: £6 Senior Citizen
Programme: £2.00
Mileage: 26/638
Match Report
Reality can bite back and it when it does, it can really hurt.
Sutton United’s heavy defeat at the hands of Woking and the Angels comprehensive win at Maidenhead should not have led to any complacency and on the pitch there was no evidence that it did, but the events of the evening led to a severe wake-up call for one and all.
The Tonbridge back line that had looked assured on Saturday was led a merry dance by Leroy Griffiths, a striker who was completely out of his depth during his spell at Gillingham, and the very impressive Fola Orilonishe, whilst the home front line was easily controlled by Karim El-Salahi and Sam Page, a powerful central defensive pairing.
Tonbridge endured a nightmare start to the game and struggled to gain a foothold from that early period. With just seven minutes on the clock, an under hit back pass from Jon Heath allowed Harry Beautyman a one-on-one with Lee Worgan; the keeper managed to parry at the feet of the Sutton striker but the rebound allowed an open goal to tap into.
After 14 minutes, Griffiths set up Orilonishe, once again Worgan parried the first effort but the ball fell kindly and the Sutton No. 4 was able to score with covering defenders unable to make a challenge. At this point, with Tonbridge being opened up almost at will, a long evening looked as though it would ensue. To a certain extent the home side responded and Jon Main had an attempt that was wide and Ade Olorunda had a goal disallowed for a push, but the whistle had long since sounded.
Just prior to half time the Angels defence once again went to sleep and it took a fine double stop from Worgan to thwart Griffiths and Beautyman’s follow-up was kept out by Sonny Miles. Sutton had looked two yards quicker throughout a one-sided first period.
Tonbridge made a better fist of the second half without imposing much of a threat before 15 minutes from time Sutton made the game safe. Griffiths was once again the provider as his right wing pass found substitute Ramone McCrea, whose shot was parried by Worgan into the path for Orilonshe to tap in front close range. Sympathy has to go to the Tonbridge keeper who managed to get something onto every one of the goals but only managed to find the eventual scorer.
Frannie Collin, on as substitute for Main, scored a consolation goal with eight minutes remaining before Anthony Riviere scored the goal of the match a minute later with a magnificent shot curled into the far corner from 20 yards, this time giving Worgan no chance.
Hopefully an encouraging attendance of 683 will not be too disheartened by this opening Blue Square Conference South fixture and will return in similar numbers in the future, but next time there will be no false illusions as to the task that faces Tommy Warrilow and his troops in the coming weeks.
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