Gillingham (0) 2 Freiter 65, Webster 83
Tonbridge (0) 0
Att. 250-ish
Entrance: £5 Senior
Programme: Free
Mileage: 54/4,392
Match Report
Back in 1974, FA Cup giant killers Hereford United had made their way into the Football League and their visit to Kent took me to Gillingham for the first time. One of the best games, to this day, that I have seen at Priestfield ensued and a dual allegiance to Gillingham and Tonbridge was born.
As Tonbridge Football Club fell into liquidation, relegation and an ultimately losing battle with Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council to retain their Angel Ground, I was worn down by the ongoing turmoil and Gillingham took an ever greater prominence in my football watching life.
Once the new Tonbridge Angels emerged at Longmead, my interest in the club was rekindled and the two clubs sat happily alongside each other in my affections whilst never the twain shall meet.
As so it was for 20 years before a Kent Senior Cup tie brought the sides together at Longmead leaving me with the quandary of not quite knowing what to wish for in terms of an outcome.
But they say you never forget your first love and by the time this season’s Kent Senior Cup draw pitched to two clubs together, at Priestfield, for the first time in 53 years, my colours were going to be fixed firmly to the Tonbridge mast.
It was a strange experience, even in a low key competition, and one which I don’t think I would enjoy if they were ever to meet in the FA Cup for instance.
Gillingham fielded a stronger than expected team with first teamers, Leon Legge playing against his old club, Joe Martin starting and up front the pairing of Luke Norris and Antonio German offered the opportunity of a starting role in the JPT Area Final at Bristol City on Tuesday with the ineligibility of on-loan John Marquis.
Tonbridge for their part were left with a weakened team with three fringe players and two reserves in their starting eleven.
Tonbridge actually made a good fist of this game and by half-time had enjoyed the lion’s share of possession but lacked any sort of belief in front of goal. Meanwhile Norris and German were labouring upfront, neither doing themselves any favours in regards to potential selection on Thursday.
Gillingham, perhaps with a flea in the ear from Mark Patterson, opened the second with a little bit more intensity and after 10 minutes fashioned the best chance so far when Norris went sent through on goal by Michael Freiter, but embarrassingly lobbed the ball waist height into the arms of Kyle Merson.
After 65 minutes, Gillingham did finally break the deadlock when Charlie Webster crossed to the near post and the deftest of touches from Freiter steered the ball between Merson and the post.
Tonbridge’s best chance, so far, came almost immediately when a cross from the left found Flavio Tavares with space to fire in a shot that brought a good save out of Glenn Morris.
With 15 minutes remaining, Tonbridge brought their support to its feet with a header that appeared goal-bound only to be denied by an acrobatic clear from Norris, perhaps staking a claim for a place as a defender at Bristol City. It was a shame, it would have been nice, and even deserved, to put a name on the scoresheet.
The tie was wrapped up seven minutes from time when Webster converted at the far post with a close range header to confirm a semi-final place for the Gills.
It had been an admirable performance from the Angels and Patterson was magnanimous in his praise for their effort in which he acknowledged that for the first half at least Tonbridge had been the better side.
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