Tonbridge (0) 1 Elder 78
Billericay Town (0) 0
Attendance: 628
Entrance: £6 Senior
Programme: £2.50
Mileage: 38/2,269
Match Report
All clubs have a bogey team that, whatever form that opposition might be in, you know that they are going to make life difficult. Tonbridge have one such team in Billericay Town. Events seem to happen against the Essex side that just don't happen against other clubs. Saturday, 18th April 2015 is a case in point, a game that is etched into the memory of Angels' fans, for not the right reasons. The hoodoo was already in place, but with six minutes remaining, Dee Okojie scored to put the Angels 3-0 up at New Lodge. Surely, once and for all the jinx had been exorcised. None of it, Billericay fought back scoring three times in 10 minutes to force a draw. Even then, Tonbridge had the opportunity to steal the points when they were awarded a penalty, but Mitchell Pinnock saw his shot saved by the goalkeeper.
It was thought that Billericay might struggle this season having lost a number of players including their captain George Beaven, who lined up for the home side. But the 'Ricay manager, Craig Edwards, has a happy knack of turning up another player or two and always managing to put out a competitive team.
A bumper Bank Holiday crowd of 628 was assembled and an entertaining contest ensued.
One such player that Edwards has introduced this season is the lively Josh Oyinsan and within the first ten minutes the twice threatened the home side's goal. His first effort on four minutes saved at the near post and after eight minutes his header from a Junior Luke cross was deflected wide. Billericay continued to take the game to their hosts and Anthony Di Bernardo needed to be at his best to save low to his right at shot from Quentin Monville.
The Tonbridge goalkeeper produced an even better save after 20 minutes when Oyinsan curled a shot towards the top corner for Di Bernardo to claw away. From the resulting corner, Jack Parter was called upon to clear the ball away from the line as the ball had been poked towards the goal.
Tonbridge's first threatening moment came from a dead ball situation when Nick Wheeler's free kick was steered wide by Tommy Parkinson's header, this was quickly followed by a good move that ended with Nathan Elder heading wide.
Into the second half, and with we could suspect some choice words ringing in their ears, Tonbridge set about imposing themselves on the game. The immense Ricky Sappleton, a centre forward being used as a centre half, fought a super heavyweight battle with Elder with no quarters asked to given.
Luke Blewden was introduced early in the second period for Tommy Whitnell and his direct running caused a new set of problems for Sappleton and his back line.
After 70 minutes, Tom Phipp's re-introduction continued with his substitution appearance for the strangely quiet Luke Allen and he produced a 20 minute cameo that suggested he will be pivotal to Tonbridge's season.
A minute later, a Wheeler cross was met with an Elder header that brought an absolutely wonderful save, low to his left, from Jack Giddens.
The hosts were knocking on the door and it was finally pushed open with a superb move that was started with Phipp finding Damian Scannell, who in turn, fed the overlapping James Folkes. The full back's cross was a peach and found the diving head of Elder, who had the net bulging with a powerful header.
Billericay rallied for a grandstand finish but efforts were relatively easily dealt with by a solid back line or comfortably saved.
For once, the jinx has been put to bed.
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