Tonbridge Angels (0) 0
AFC Wimbledon (0) 0
Attendance: 246
Entrance: £4 Senior
Team sheet: 10p
Mileage: 38/1,137
Match Report
On a day when temperatures closed in on 30degC, with the referee enforcing mid-half water breaks, both sides did their level best to serve up an entertaining match.
Longmead looked resplendent, a testament to the volunteers who have poured hours of work into the pitch and its surroundings during the summer period.
AFC Wimbledon fielded their Under-21 side but there were some strapping youngsters among their squad. The two centre halves were dominant and their goalkeeper was assured throughout and leading the line their centre forward was also a big lad for his age and a handful.
Tonbridge fielded no trialists, suggesting that the crop from the previous games haven't convinced Steve McKimm that they would improve his squad. George Beavon was on holiday so new signing Ugo Udogi slotted into central defence alongside Sonny Miles.
Tonbridge opened the game on the front foot and created a couple of half chances in the opening minutes with Bradley Fortnam-Tomlinson featuring strongly down the right hand side.
Wimbledon had a sniff of a chance from a corner that was eventually poked wide, whilst Nick Wheeler had a shot on target saved low to his right by the Dons' goalkeeper, Joe McDonnell.
Tommy Whitnell, ultimately getting the full 90 minutes on the pitch, and partnering Luke Allen in the middle of the field pulled a shot narrowly wide after 25 minutes. In Luke Allen, I believe, Tonbridge have someone very special on their hands. Hopefully he will go far with the Angels, but I'm convinced he is destined for a higher grade.
Tonbridge deserved to go into the break with an advantage and, on the stroke of half-time, McDonnell once again thwarted them with a very good save to turn a Luke Blewden shot around his post. From the resultant corner, Nathan Elder failed to get the ball out from under his feet before it was cleared.
The home side picked up the momentum from the outset of the second half, a shot from Fortnam-Tomlinson was parried into the air by the goalkeeper with a defender completing the clearance from behind him and a shot from Allen cleared the bar.
Arguably though, the best chance of the game fell Wimbledon's way just on the hour when Tonbridge failed to clear a free-kick into the box and when the ball fell at the feet of a Wimbledon attacker he lashed it against the underside of the crossbar.
Tonbridge's best chance the win the game in the second period fell to Elder with 12 minutes remaining. Damien Scannell, who had been a early second half substitute for Udogi, served up a pinpoint cross to the head of Elder, who failed to direct his header either side of the goalkeeper.
There was a final chance for another substitute, the youngster Tashi-Jay Kwayie, but he scuffed his shot leaving McDonnell with an comfortable save.
The heat and a resolute, young Wimbledon side had made it a tough workout for Tonbridge, who, despite still seeking their first win of pre-season, are making steady progress towards their first league game on 13 August when they entertain Wingate and Finchley.
N.B. to a Russian page viewer (I am assuming that it is a single viewer) that has amassed over 500 page views in three days, please leave a message. I am fascinated to know of your interest in the lower levels of English football.
No comments:
Post a Comment