Tonbridge 2 Sittingbourne 0

Match 44/16/1352 - Tuesday, 25th October 2016 - Ryman League Cup

Tonbridge (0) 2 Phipp 50 Allen (pen) 90+2
Sittingbourne (0) 0
Attendance: 260

Entrance: £6 Senior
Programme: £1.50
Mileage: 38/3,593

The highlight of the evening came long after the final whistle. Whilst waiting to give the Press Officer a lift home, the players filed past to enjoy their post-match food. A young lad wandered round slowly to be greeted by his Mum with a hug and a kiss that probably embarrassed him a little. It was a touching moment, one that Liam Smith's Mum deserved as much as her son, who had just completed an impressive 45 minutes as a second half substitute on his first team debut.

Given a different set of circumstances, an indifferent run of form and a heavy defeat on Saturday, I'm sure Steve McKimm would have liked to have given playing time, possibly even starts, to the other youngsters, Tommy Chapman and Callum Adonis-Smith that were named and remained on the bench. But a resolute Sittingbourne refused to give up their place in the Ryman League Cup without a fight until the dying minutes of the game.

In among those players walking/hobbling into the bar was a very glum looking Nathan Elder, whose night it just hadn't been. The big striker got into all the right areas time and again but when it came to the final finish, it just wasn't going to happen for him. Early chances from crosses by Luke Blewden and Tom Phipp were a foretaste of what was to come.

Sittingbourne's Steven Ita was proving a handful, although an early shot that was comfortably saved and one on the half-hour mark was about as much as the visitors could muster.

After 25 minutes, Damian Scannell needed to be replaced by Luke Allen.

Tommy Whitnell's header was narrowly wide after 40 minutes and just on the half-time whistle, Elder directed another wide.

James Folkes' injured groin gave the Smith the opportunity from the start of the second half. The 16-year-old made an early error, but quickly recovered his composure and from that point was not only defensively competent but raided down the right hand side at the every opportunity.

Luke Blewden was presenting cross-after-cross not just to the head of Elder. Jerrome Sobers directing another chance wide of the post.

The opening goal finally came after 50 minutes. I long throw from Blewden was only partially cleared to Whitnell, whose shot was deflected into the path of Phipp, whose close range effort was brilliant saved by Simon Overland but the return fell back at Phipp's feet who blasted a shot from six yards past the despairing goalkeeper.

Tonbridge were now well on top, but it was a night when chances went begging with careless abandon.

Phipp's hamstring strain led to the introduction of Nicky Wheeler.

Smith's raiding very nearly led to a champagne moment with five minutes remaining when his shot from the edge of the box was well saved by Overland but in time added he had a creditable assist when he was brought down in the box allowing Allen to secure the tie from the penalty spot.

In the coming weeks, the Kent Senior Cup gets underway and now there is another round of this competition to look foward to. Hopefully, the senior side's form will allow McKimm the opportunity to have a look at a couple more of the youth team lads.

Pictures courtesy of Dave Couldridge