Hendon 1 Tonbridge 0

Match 72/14/1181 - Saturday 14th March 2015 - Ryman Premier

Hendon (0) 1 Ibe 57
Tonbridge (0) 0
Att. 191

Entrance: £5 Senior
Programme: £2
Mileage: 160/5,336
(Played at Harrow Borough FC)

Match Report

Football matches are so often decided on the smallest of margins and as we approach the business end of the season the difference between the teams at the top and (towards the) bottom of the table, in terms of both quality and good fortune, were encapsulated in the space of a single minute. On a cabbage patch of a pitch that had made control of the ball difficult for both sides, Tonbridge had more than held their own against the League's third placed team and had deservedly entered the break with the game scoreless.

Ten minutes into the second half, the visitors playing down the significant slope earned a corner and, from Lee Carey's delivery, Simon Cox powered a header towards the bottom corner that Ben McNamara did wonderfully well to turn away for another corner. The resultant corner was hacked forward and as Andre Da Costa broke away, Marvin Williams was forced to concede a foul and earn a booking, one for the team as they say. The free kick was pumped into the Tonbridge box, Tom Hadler appeared to hesitate initially but eventually came to collect with a crowd of players in front of him. Unfortunately, in the midst of the throng, the ball escaped his grasp and his fumble fell at the feet of the best player on the pitch, Kezie Ibe, who placed the ball into the unguarded goal.

It was rough justice on the Angels. Hadler is a fine young keeper and has a great future, doubtless at a much higher level than the Ryman League. But, if there is one position on the field where experience counts it is between those posts and on this occasion his judgement was amiss; it happens with 18-year-olds.

Tonbridge did their best to force an equaliser, but for all their territorial advantage, the failing that has dogged them since the departure of Billy Medlock, a lack of a cutting edge in front of goal, was to haunt them once more. Joe Taylor curled a shot over. but chances were at a premium.

A big plus for the Angels was the return to first team action for Jon Heath, timely with the absence of Laurence Ball, whose facial injury sustained last Saturday will keep him out for at least a fortnight. Heath slotted in alongside Cox and looked like a player that hasn't missed a game.

The one real chance of a first half of very few opportunities fell to Ibe, who carelessly shot over the bar with just Hadler to beat on the stroke of half-time.

Ibe, who looked a class act alongside the sizeable bulk of Aaron Morgan, who held the ball up brilliantly, is a player I remember from his Football League days and a search of his career details produced a player that has had, as they say more clubs than Jack Nicklaus, but in his case you could throw in Arnold Palmer as well, 21 at the last count.

Prior to kick-off I had a conversation with a Hendon supporter about the possibility of the club returning home in the not too distant future. I was told of plans to move to the old Kingsbury Town ground, Silver Jubilee Fields. Evidently, Hendon were due to play there in a London Cup competition, but the ground, at present, is not of Ryman League standard. When I said it would be good to return their own locality, the Hendon fan simply said, anywhere would be better than this dump. A tad harsh, I would say but there are some serious deficiencies in facilities at Harrow Borough's Earlsmead. Apart from the pitch that is suffering from week-in, week-out use, the toilets were virtually a health hazard. The main stand looks in good shape and the length of covered terrace is more than adequate.