Tonbridge 1 Weston-super-Mare 0

Match 67/13/1093 - Saturday, 15th March 2014 - Conference South

Tonbridge (0) 1 Teniola 89
Weston-super-Mare (0) 0
Att. 360

Entrance: £6 Senior
Programme: £2
Mileage: 26/6,594

Match Report

He was the man with no name. As he warmed-up before becoming an 85th minute substitute, quizzical looks were passed towards him generally accompanied by the comment “Who is he”. Within five minutes, our stadium announcer Lorraine Parks was excitedly informing the celebrating supporters that his name was Alex Teniola and he had just scored the 89th minute goal that set Tonbridge on their way to that most precious of commodities, three points.

Still little is known about Teniola, in his Radio Kent interview manager Tommy Warrilow said that he had been picked up playing local football in Essex whilst internet searches located him at Hertford Town or Kingstonian. A few hours later, Big Fat Phil on the Tonbridge forum identified his Essex club as Bowers and Pitsea from the Essex Senior League, good research Phil!

On a warm, bright day that allowed the heavy coats of winter to be discarded, Tonbridge found themselves shorn of several players for reason of injury or suspension and faced a Weston-super-Mare side that were positioned on the edge of the play-off zone with some quite imposing players in terms of height and physical bulk.

The game’s defining moments were set on 23 and 28 minutes when Naby Diallo clashed with Sonny Miles earning two bookings and his dismissal. For the first Diallo was adjudged to have led with an elbow in an aerial clash with Miles and the second, having taken a heavy touch on the ball, was late and high with his tackle on the Tonbridge central defender.

Unfortunately, it set the tone for the game. Weston sought to negate their man disadvantage with cynical time-wasting and stomach-churning screams as players hit the deck following challenges, fair or foul. In fairness, Weston were not alone in this act as, for the first Diallo booking especially, Miles’ loud wail of pain may well have influenced the referee’s decision.

As Weston’s time-wasting began from an early stage, the first half was probably the poorest I have witnessed this season. Whether it is the sudden change in the condition of the pitch from slogging their way through soggy mud baths to one that has quickly dried and become hard on top that was the root cause of player’s miscontrol, passes overhit or misplaced, the game was devoid of any quality.

Nathaniel Pinney is at least starting to look the player that Warrilow thought he had put under contract at the beginning of the season and sent through on goal by Lee Browning, his lob of the keeper was just short of the necessary weight to take it over the line before Dan Gregson managed to clear it away from his goal line.

The second half was more exciting but equally as frustrating. WSM had seemingly given up the ghost of pinching a winner and concentrated on running the clock down at every opportunity whilst Tonbridge didn’t appear to have the nous to break down their resolute defence.

The best chance once more fell to Pinney whose shot was acrobatically turned over the crossbar by the goalkeeper, Lloyd Irish.

With Louis Cumbers and Teniola added to the attack, Tonbridge threw all they had at their opposition and eventually the breakthrough came. Teniola sent Pinney away down the right side and, from his cross, the mystery man had made his way into the six yard box to head down and into the net from close range.

The goal and six minutes of added time gave WSN the impetus to finally throw off the shackles of gamesmanship and chase an equaliser, but justice was served that they were unable to find a way back into the game.

Twelve or so minutes are hardly enough to know whether Tonbridge have unearthed a gem in Alex Teniola, but it was 12 minutes in which his name was put onto the lips of their supporters. Still in dire need of a run of points, Tonbridge have to hope that his name is not forgotten just as quickly.