Tonbridge 1 Staines Town 2

Match 64/16/1371 - Saturday, 10th December 2016 - Ryman Premier

Tonbridge (0) 1 Allen 75
Staines Town (1) 2 Worsfold 22,64
Attendance: 461

Entrance: £6 Senior
Programme: £2.50
Mileage: 38/4,828

It has certainly been a strange week at Longmead. A week ago Bognor Regis Town, the league leaders came calling and were sent on their way with a comprehensive 4-1 beating. On to Tuesday evening, albeit with a side that wasn’t at full strength, Tonbridge struggled to get past a Romford side that sat towards to the lower reaches of Ryman North and only managed that by virtue of a first-ever penalty shoot-out victory. Returning to league action, Staines Town arrive on the back of four straight defeats and bar a spirited last 20 minutes, Tonbridge have not turned up and ended up on the wrong end of a 2-1 defeat.

It is a lack of consistency that must drive Steve McKimm mad; it certainly does the humble supporters.

Both sides had an early opportunity, Tonbridge’s a long throw from Luke Blewden was headed on by Nathan Elder to his strike partner Alex Akrofi who steered his header into the goalkeeper’s arms before, albeit after just 15 minutes of the game, there was probably a major turning point when Elder was forced out of the match with a hamstring strain.

Elder is the focal point of Tonbridge’s attack and, whilst he has his detractors, he becomes a better player with every minute that he doesn’t play.

Staines took the lead after 22 minutes of an evenly contested game. A punt forward found the head of James Folkes as George Beavan was set to clear. Folkes’ header was badly judged and the ball skimmed off his head into the path of Max Worsfold who ran clear to side-foot past Anthony Di Bernardo.

Within four minutes, Tom Parkinson saw his header cleared from the line by Wadar Ahmidi, but the visitors tails were up and Di Bernardo made comfortable saves from Ahmidi and Adrian Clifton and a last ditch challenge from Beavan denied Mohamed Bettamer.

Parkinson once more had a goalbound header cleared from the line by Ahmidi and Mitchell Nelson also went close following a cross from Folkes.

Seventeen minutes into the second period saw the visitors double their advantage when a long cross from Sam Barratt was misjudged at the right hand side of the box by Folkes and Worsfold ghosted in behind to bury his header.

A double substitution for the Angels saw Damian Scannell and Luke Allen replace Folkes and Akrofi and Allen’s energy brought an instant impact. A long throw from Blewden was headed clear by Afolabi Coker back to Blewden whose cushioned cross found Allen who scored from six yards.

The home side had the lifeline and seemed intent on grasping it. Allen blasted over and following a poor goal kick from Staines’ Jack Turner direct to Blewden but his cross to Bradley Fortnam-Tomlinson saw the goalkeeper smother at his feet.

Blewden’s throws were causing confusion and with seven minutes remaining another one into the box eventually ended with Allen being bundled over and the referee awarding a penalty. In the aftermath, Staines’ captain Tommy Brewer was shown the red card, probably for something he said. Allen stepped up to take the spot kick, but his shot low to Turner’s left was saved.

Turner was to become the Swans’ hero when, in added time, he spectacularly clawed Nick Wheeler’s shot out of the top corner to preserve the points.

Picture: Wes Flitness