Staines Town 1 Tonbridge 1

Match 54/11/941 - Tuesday, 13 March 2012 - Conference South

Staines Town (1) 1 Wheeler 22
Tonbridge (1) 1 Schultz 27
Att. 228

Entrance: £6 Senior
Programme: £3.00 (2 progs, one for the postponed fixture)
Mileage: 136/4,160

Match Report

Tonbridge supporters got a bit of a result from tonight’s game at Staines . . . the game was actually played. Two previous postponements of this particular fixture, two wasted journeys previously made, so my success rate of games watched at Staines rises to 50%.

Victories in the last two games at Basingstoke and at home to Maidenhead have ensured mid-table safety for Tonbridge in their first Blue Square South season, so the first objective has been achieved. The focus is already swung towards next season with manager Tommy Warrilow signing a new contract and six of this term’s squad are contracted to the club for 2012-13. For Staines the game carried a whole lot more significance, they are desperately fighting relegation and the 1-1 final score line will have to be seen as two points lost rather than one gained.

It wasn’t the best of games, but it was one where the attacking impetus ebbed from one side to the other. Tonbridge began brightly and in the first 20 minutes efforts from Nathan Korantheng, Chris Piper and Miguel Suarez occupied Staines’ keeper Danny Potter, a recent arrival from Newport County. It was, therefore, slightly against the run of the play when Staines took a lead on 22 minutes. David Wheeler picked up a loose ball in midifield and from 25 yards unleashed a shot that flew into the top corner. It was a superb strike, but in truth, I have to imagine it as I was distracted by the mobile phone, lifting my head to see it whistle past Lee Worgan.

The lead lasted five minutes as Ollie Schultz converted a near post corner from Korantheng from the edge of the six yard box for a second goal in successive games. Tonbridge had a bit of a purple patch from that point before the home side finished the half strongly and created a good chance just before the break when Mark Nwokeji combined with Ali Chaaban, whose shot was cleared from the line by Lee Browning.

The second half was once again ebb and flow. Tonbridge had a lot of the early part of the half with Schultz seemingly able to desert his defensive duties and have a couple of decent efforts on goal. Into the last minutes and the impetus switched to the home side, Nwokeji forced Worgan to save with his legs and five minutes from time Chaaban saw a fierce effort blocked by Schultz.

In the final minute of time added on, Tonbridge held onto their point with some desperate defending. Chaaban and Nwokeji, a constant threat all evening, combined to create a chance for the latter that was cleared to the relative safety of a corner, from which Jake Goodman was able to get a shot on goal but to which Worgan was equal.

Tonbridge will be far happier with the point than the home side who remain in the bottom four. Staines would also have been very disappointed with the poor attendance of just 228, of which it was estimated around 70 would have travelled from Tonbridge.