Tonbridge 1 Kingstonian 1

Match 33/15/1238 - Saturday, 17th October 2015 - Ryman League Premier

Tonbridge (1) 1 Elder 45+1
Kingstonian (1) 1 Kempton 28
Attendance: 545

Entrance: £10
Programme: £2.50
Mileage: 36/1,997

Match Report

If you are under the age 34, you will know no different other than the points system that awards three points for a win. The reward for winning games was increased from two to three in 1981 in order to devalue the 0-0 draw away from home that was stagnating the game. Over the years it has largely been considered a success, although, evidently, statistics show there are no less draws per season than there was back then. A draw at home, therefore, is almost always considered two points lost rather than one gained, but there are days when you look back and think to yourself, I'll take that.

Over the course of 90 minutes Tonbridge edged this game and if one team deserved the spoils then it was them, but prior to kick-off I had a gut feeling that I might have to be satisfied with a point and there were periods in the first half when I was definitely settling for a draw.

Kingstonian, who came into the game on the back of an unbeaten run of eight games, but were also on a run of drawn games with three consecutively, started brightly and there was an early scare for the hosts as a corner flashed across the face of goal and ended with an agricultural blast high and wide from Alan Inns.

Jake Kempton, irritating and admirable in equal measure throughout the game, managed an eventful opening ten minutes, firstly latching on to a huge punt from K’s goalkeeper, Rob Tolfrey but firing hopelessly off target and then picking up an eighth minute yellow card for a poor challenge.

Tonbridge started to work their way into the game and a free kick from Mitchell Pinnock found its way to Nick Wheeler, whose shot sailed over the bar. This was quickly followed by a blinding save from Tolfrey, who clawed a Nathan Elder header out of the top corner.

The end-to-end nature of the game continued when Dan Bennett struck a post and Luke Blewden drove in a shot that was deflected wide. The match had set itself for an intriguing muscular battle between the Tonbridge front pairing of Elder and Blewden and the mountainous, solid defensive duo of Inns and Sam Page and when the attack won the day, there was the excellent goalkeeping of Tolfrey to come to the Kings aid.

Kingstonian eventually opened the scoring after 28 minutes. A driving run from Bennett ended with a one-two and a shot that could only be parried by Anthony Di Barnardo into the path of Kempton who was left with an easy touch home.

Tonbridge responded immediately but a poor finish from Elder was scant reward for the driving run of Jack Parter.

On the stroke of half-time, a long ball into the channel was chased down by Blewden and his dragged back pass to the edge of the box brought a clinical finish from Elder.

The second half saw a complete change in the momentum of the game. It was as if the Kingstonian half-time team talk had taken the course of “we have a point, let’s keep it” and they went into a defensive shell, rarely threatening the Tonbridge goal in a one-way second half.

The wave after wave of Tonbridge attacks foundered ultimately on the agility of Tolfrey. The goalkeeper comfortably saved an Elder header, but his plunging save to deny a close range shot from Elder was brilliant.

James Folkes, who had another good afternoon, ended a mazy run with a shot that was touched over by Tolfrey before the Elder-Tolfrey competition ended with the goalkeeper coming out on top once more with a diving save.

Kingstonian are in the last throes of losing their home ground at Kingsmeadow, but the constant bad natured, verbal abuse of an obviously old adversary in Steve McKimm from the visiting support made it very hard to engender sympathy for their plight.

Points lost, or one gained depends on the old glass half full attitude. A point won, from a highly entertaining game, would be my take.