Burgess Hill Town 1 Tonbridge 2

Match 16/16/1324 - Tuesday, 16th August 2016 - Ryman Premier

Burgess Hill Town (0) 1 Lee Harding 90+6
Tonbridge (1) 2 Wheeler 23, Fortnum-Tomlinson 86
Attendance: 387

Entrance: £6 Senior
Programme: £2
Mileage: 100/1,693
New Ground: 293

The hideously named Green Elephants Stadium is situated in a residential area that necessitates an old school 19:30 kick-off in order that the floodlights don't disturb the neighbours. It also means that the groundstaff are very quick to turn the lights off again once the match has been completed. Steve McKimm's post-match interview was conducted in front of a small emergency light, but it could have been in total darkness and I would have known that the concession of Burgess Hill's consolation goal, 10 seconds from the end, and well past the announced six minutes of added time, would have irked him in the extreme.

In actual fact it was the continuance of Tonbridge's misfortune with injuries that mostly concerned him. What is it with Tonbridge's new signings? Last season it was Tom Phipp, out for the best part of a complete season and this year, Andre McCollin breaks a leg in the opening game; Damian Scannell tweaks a hamstring in the same match and in this one, Ugo Udogi took a tumble 15 minutes from time and dislocated a shoulder.

Leyland's Park, let's dispose of Green Elephants here and now, is a picturesque tree-lined football ground with a grandstand straddling the half-way line that actually looks bigger than a 150-seater and behind the goal there is what appears to be a temporary structure that seats another 50 or so. The pitch appeared a bit on the narrow side, but, at this time of the season, looked in prime condition.

Tonbridge, high on confidence from their opening day 3-0 home victory against Wingate and Finchley, peppered the Burgess Hill goal early on with crosses that led to the frustrated home supporter alongside me pleading with his central defenders to win a cross into the box. Tom Parkinson saw one header bounce of the top of the crossbar and another cleared from the line and these were either side of a Nathan Elder header that the goalkeeper did well to save.

The home side had a period of ten minutes when they got a foothold in the game, largely through the wing play of Pat Harding, who made a couple of half-chances for his brother, Lee. It was also good to see ex-Angel Jack Brivio doing a sterling job in midfield for the home side.

Tonbridge went ahead after 23 minutes when a long ball into the box from Udogi cleared the head of Elder to the waiting Nick Wheeler, who rifled the ball low into the corner.

Scannell was forced from the field straight after the goal and the rest of the half was agony for my neighbour as headers from Elder and Parkinson threatened the Hillians' goal.

The second half was more evenly balanced with Wheeler, Parter and Elder testing the home keeper whilst Lee Harding's shot was saved low by Anthony Di Bernardo.

The game suffered a six minute delay whilst Udogi was attended to and subsequently stretchered from the field.

Four minutes remained when Tonbridge finally put the game to bed. A left-sided cross from Wheeler found Bradley Fortnum-Tomlinson on the right hand side and he took his chance well with a firm shot from the angle of the six-yard box.

The clock had ticked well past the six minutes added when the visitors failed to clear their lines and a cross from the right was touched home from close range by Lee Harding.