Tonbridge 4 Canvey Island 1

Match 22/14/1131 - Tuesday, 9th September 2014 - Ryman Premier

Tonbridge (1) 4 Medlock 26,90 Okojie 45, Tweddell 53
Canvey Island (1) 1 Osubo 22
Att. 343

Entrance: £6 Senior
Programme: £2
Mileage: 34/1,634

Match Report

A corner has been turned . . . they were the words I used on Twitter after this exhilarating performance from Tonbridge Angels, a team that are not suddenly going to take the Ryman Premier League by a storm, but are showing a steady improvement with every game played.

If there has been one player that has caught the eye more than most it would be Dee Okojie. The fleet-footed winger has delighted and frustrated in equal measure, but a stunning goal and an energetic display would have won over some of his harsher critics frustrated at his lack of an end product. It was rumoured, that from the touchline, the Canvey Island manager offered him a substantial amount to sign for the Essex club, a figure that went up every time he turned one of his defenders inside-out.

After a quiet opening period, the Islanders opened the scoring after 22 minutes in which Tonbridge had just about held sway. A Tonbridge corner was cleared and with a single pass, Victor Osubo rounded Kyle Merson to score into an empty net. With the benefit of hindsight, the Tonbridge ‘keeper should almost certainly have stayed at home, but faced with the one-on-one situation it was a decision he had to make.

Tonbridge hit back quickly, Okojie scampering down the right, crossed for Billy Medlock to steady himself before shooting past the Canvey keeper.

On the stroke of half-time, Okojie produced a moment of magic that will live long in the memory of the Tonbridge faithful. Seizing upon a loose ball in midfield, he danced past a couple of tackles before, from 25 yards, let fly with a shot into the top corner.

After six minutes of the second period, Danzelle St Louis-Hamilton was asked the same question as Merson had been asked in the first half. He, also, made the choice of leaving his line but this time with no chance of getting to the ball before Harrison Tweddell, who lifted the ball over the keeper and into the unguarded net.

Tonbridge were now in complete control and Medlock was denied after an exciting run and pass from full back Jack Parter, but the in-form striker was on hand to touch home his second of the game and fifth in three games to complete an impressive performance from Steve McKimm’s side in the final minute.

I’m off to Barcelona in the morning, I wonder if Lionel Messi has the tricks of Dee Okojie?