Tonbridge 1 Wingate & Finchley 2

Match 64/14/1173 - Tuesday 10th February 2015 - Ryman Premier

Tonbridge (1) 1 Okojie 31
Wingate & Finchley (2) 2 Tejan-Sie 4, Read 21
Att. 214

Entrance: £6 Senior
Programme: £2
Mileage: 36/4,730

Match Report

Those of us that use the M25 regularly would, at some time or another, sat in three lanes of traffic, probably just before Clacketts Services or the Heathrow junctions. We have all suffered that severe temptation of lane changing and most of would have succumbed to it. The lane outside of the one that you are sitting in appears to be moving just that little bit quicker, so you indicate, move into the lane and, lo and behold, you sprint forward until 100 metres later the red taillights in front indicate that the lane is going to grind to a halt and within the minutes the car that you was following is back in front of you again.

That is Tonbridge Angels’ season in a nutshell. At Canvey Island, 10 days earlier, the wheels were not even going round, stuck on the hard shoulder going nowhere. But, with a quick service, the trip round the M25 to Hampton and Richmond was, reportedly, not without its bumps in the road, but progress was made. But, back on home soil, it was back to red lights once more. Stop, start, stop, start, that is Tonbridge, in a season that now has the admittance of one of transition from the very top of the club.

Losing to Wingate and Finchley is no disgrace, they have been in and around the top six for most of the season and the reverse fixture back in September was very much one-way traffic (to continue the analogy). The home side were given something of a lift on sight of the Wingate team sheet that showed leading scorer Dave Knight an absentee.

After just four minutes the task in hand became an uphill one when a long ball forward, all of 50 yards, was helped into the path of Tommy Tejan-Sie who sprinted between two Tonbridge defenders and kept his composure to shoot past Kyle Merson from around 12 yards.

Joe Taylor headed against the bar from a Dee Okojie cross when it seemed easier to score and the rebound off the woodwork brought a reflex save from the quite diminutive Jack Metcalf, turning over the bar a shot from Mitchell Pinnock, a debutant loanee from Bromley.

After 20 minutes, Taylor got his body shape all wrong in front of goal and his effort cleared the bar by some distance before a minute later, another defensive lapse led to the North London side doubling their lead. Karl Ollyide fired in a shot from 20 yards with brought only a parrying save from Kyle Merson and Jack Read who had begun the move was on hand to touch home the rebound to the delight of the half-dozen visiting supporters who it appeared had brought a flag each.

Tonbridge gave themselves a foothold in the game after 33 minutes when Taylor slid a pass across the edge of the 18 yard box to Okojie who struck a firm right foot shot past Metcalf to reduce the deficit.

The second half was one of almost continual pressure from the home side but the finish that was needed eluded them and the big chance to put the game beyond them fell to Wingate when Rob Laney headed against the post from close range.

Tonbridge’s big chance of an equaliser fell at the feet of defender Charlie Slocombe at the far post but he could only turn his shot across the face of goal.

Tonbridge deserved better on the night than defeat but chances missed and defensive lapses generally only lead to that outcome. Pinnock looks a good addition to the squad and with Simon Cox, another recent signing due back, the squad looks stronger and strong enough to stay clear of the traffic at the very bottom end of the division.