Tonbridge 1 Bishops Stortford 2

Match 31/11/918 - Tuesday, 29 November 2011 - FA Trophy 3QR Replay

Tonbridge (1) 1 Browning 8
Bishops Stortford (1) 2 Subuola 29 Gayle 75
Att. 274

Entrance: £6 Senior
Programme: £2.00
Mileage: 26/2,138

Match Report

An FA Trophy Third Qualifying Round exit for Tonbridge comes as very little surprise as their record in this particular competition is pretty poor. Since Tommy Warrilow took charge in 2008 there have been defeats in the Trophy at the point of entry twice, whilst the year he took over from Tony Dolby he also lost at his first hurdle. The draw on most occasions has been unkind, but on this occasion having done what might have been considered the hard part and bringing Conference North side Bishop’s Stortford back to Longmead, there was an opportunity to progress with Ryman Premier club Carshalton the hosts awaiting the winners of this replay.

Tonbridge started well, were a goal to the good in seven minutes, quickly saw another chance go by and then their challenge evaporated to the dismay of the paltry attendance of 274, perhaps the stayaways knew something we didn’t.

It all looked fine and dandy after seven minutes when a ball over the top from Scott Kinch found Frannie Collin in space on the left hand side who then stood up the perfect cross for Lee Browning to head home from close range. Within two minutes of the goal, Collin was sent clear again but the pace of the Bishop’s Dave Adepipe was enough to deny the striker a clear run on goal.

The early inroads conspired to produce complacency and slowly the visitors gained a foothold in the game before their equaliser in the 29th minute. Adepipe slipped a pass to Danny Subuola whose shot from 20 yards found the bottom right hand corner of Lee Worgan’s net.

The game sprang to life after 25 minutes of the second half when a Danny Walder shot was beaten away by young Spurs’ loanee keeper Jordan Archer, in the resulting melee Kinch had two attempts to force the ball home but the Bishops stood firm. Whilst Tonbridge were in ascendancy with regards to possession they were getting regularly caught on the break by their visitors and Worgan was forced to make a diving save at his near post. The warning signs were not observed and when three successive corners were conceded it culminated in Dwight Gayle heading in from close range.

Tonbridge finally mustered a grandstand finish but on the night Archer, already a Scotland Under-18 international, showed that he is a fine prospect and repelled Collin with a fine save.

Tonbridge and cup competitions do not sit easily with one another and the £4,000 prize money on offer last night would have been useful money to fund some second half of the season strengthening that might well be needed when the Bristol Rovers loan pair return to their parent club.