Tonbridge 4 Bognor Regis Town 1

Match 60/16/1367 - Saturday, 3rd December 2016 - Ryman Premier

Tonbridge (3) 4 Elder 13,79 Akrofi 33, Nelson 39
Bognor Regis Town (0) 1 Fraser 69
Attendance: 447

Entrance: £6 Senior
Programme: £2.50
Mileage: 38/4,628

In my younger playing days, I wasn’t particularly good and the teams that I played for reflected my ability, therefore I never experienced the buzz that a performance when everything has gone to plan must bring. I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall of the Tonbridge Angels' dressing room at half-time as Steve McKimm set about the task of scraping his side off the ceiling. He had to send them out for a second half against the division’s leaders with their feet firmly grounded.

For 45 minutes, Tonbridge were truly magnificent. I am not willing to denigrate the display by questioning whether Bognor Regis Town had an off day, as far as I’m concerned they were made to look ordinary.

This was the Tonbridge of early season. Wheeler crosses, Elder scores; Parkinson tidying up behind Phipp, a cavalier in midfield; Parter rampaging from left back; Beavan solid as a rock alongside a new partner, Mitchell Nelson.

It would be grossly unjust to single out a player but I’m convinced that the return of Tom Parkinson was the catalyst for this result.

Tonbridge roared out of the traps stretching the league leaders from the outset. The Nick Wheeler, Nathan Elder combination carved out an opening within the first minute with Elder heading over and after 11 minutes a cross from Luke Blewden found Elder, but his shot, falling backwards, also cleared the bar.

Wheeler was having the time of his life, turning his full back inside out, time and again and after 13 minutes he delivered the perfect cross and Elder’s bullet header did the rest.

Bognor Regis threatened just once in the first half hour, a shot wide right that didn’t threaten Anthony Di Bernardo’s goal.

After 33 minutes, Wheeler’s magic opened up the Rocks defence once more, this time supplying the pass for Alex Akrofi
to ride a couple of challenges before finishing into the bottom corner.

A mazy dribble and shot from Wheeler might have iced the winger’s cake, but his third assist was soon to arrive when his cross, this time from the right, found the head of debutant Nelson who rose to bury his header between Dan Lincoln and his near post.

With, surely, a rocket up their backsides, Bognor made a better fist of the second period without unduly threatening Di Bernardo’s goal for the opening 25 minutes of the half.

A Tom Phipp shot inadvertently fell at the feet of Elder a minute into the second half, but the striker could not get the ball out from under his feet. Akrofi and Phipp had shots that were comfortably dealt with by Lincoln.

Parkinson’s return ended after nearly 70 minutes to be replaced by Luke Allen, but it is mere coincidence that a superb strike from James Fraser from 25 yards gave the Rocks some hope of recovery a minute later.

The goal set up a few nervous moments but these were put to bed with 11 minutes remaining when the old one-two, Wheeler cross, Elder header added a fourth goal.

James Crane hit a post for the visitors and Jimmy Wild brought a save out of Di Bernardo at this near post whilst Bradley Fortnam-Tomlinson might have made it a nap hand for the Angels.

This was the Tonbridge we love; even the moaning minnies of recent weeks must have gone home happy.

Pictures courtesy of Wesley Filtness