Tonbridge (2) 2 Folkes 25, Allen 38
Leiston (0) 2 Heath 48, Blake 68
Attendance: 497
Entrance: £6 Senior
Programme: £2.50
Mileage: 38/2,691
Match Report
At the end of the evening, both teams that had begun the game with unbeaten records emerged with that particular statistic remaining in place. It is easy to get carried away with the top-of-the-table clash scenario and first versus second doesn't tell a lie, but with only seven games played the importance of this match will not be known for several months and by that time, they would have met again. The other billing was to be the most prolific attack in the division against the meanest defence.
Tonbridge started marginally the brighter of the two teams and twice in the opening 10 minutes the Leiston goalkeeper, Leon Ottley-Gooch spilt the ball from crosses to offer some further encouragement. After 15 minutes Tommy Parkinson produced one of his trademark headers from a corner at the far post but this was blocked on the line and cleared. At the other end, Matt Blake served notice as to why he has scored six goals already this season with two efforts in the space of a minute that were narrowly wide.
However, it was the home side that took the lead after 25 minutes from the unlikely source of James Folkes, whose cross-cum-shot towards the far post sailed straight in. Did he mean it? Of course he did!
Anthony Di Bernardo was called into action after 36 minutes when the ball fell kindly in the box for Gareth Heath whose shot was saved at the close range.
Two minutes later and Luke Allen produced his contender for goal of the season. Folkes passed the ball inside to Allen who started his run from inside the centre circle in his own half. He surged into the space in front of him; as two defenders sought to close him down he rounded them to unleash a shot from 20 yards that sailed past Ottley-Gooch.
Cliche alert and we all know the importance of the third goal in any football match. Whether Leiston had a flea in their ear from their manager, but whatever had been said, the visitors flew out of the traps and halved the deficit within two minutes of the restart with a good strike from the edge of the box from Heath.
Leiston's tails were now up and they pushed on in search of an equaliser. A free kick into the box led to a scramble and Blake pounced to poke the ball home. Offside claims led to the referee consulting the linesman but the goal was allowed to stand.
Chances came and went for both sides in the remaining minutes before the referee brought the game to a close with both sides deserving of something out of the game.
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