Tonbridge (0) 2 Akrofi 51, Blewden 66
Metropolitan Police (1) 1 Macklin 38
Attendance: 420
Entrance: £6 Senior
Programme: £2.50
Mileage: 38/5,400
The month didn’t start well with a Bank Holiday Tuesday defeat at their bogey ground of Billericay with two late, late goals grabbing defeat from the jaws of a first-ever victory at New Lodge Lane.
There is also the three match suspension of Nick Wheeler to be worked around following his sending-off at Worthing. Added to Wheeler’s suspension was the one game ban for Ugo Udogi which meant a recall to the starting line-up against the Metropolitan Police for James Folkes. Tom Phipp and Damian Scannell had places in the starting line-up with Luke Blewden dropping to the bench.
On a grey, murky afternoon the home side opened well with Phipp at the centre of everything, spraying passes left and right. He had an early shot blocked in what became a foretaste of the afternoon to come as the Met bravely put bodies on the line to frustrate their hosts.
A shot from Scannell brought a good, low save from Billy Bishop, who had kept goal for Tonbridge during 2014.
Although they were being forced to defend in numbers, the Met gave a few warnings to the Angels with the wing play of Mekhail McLaughlin and the very lively Roman Michael-Percil.
Tonbridge continued to create shooting chances, almost too many to mention, but the Plod stood firm and suckered the Angels in the 38th minute with a goal from Lloyd Macklin after Tonbridge made a mess of clearing a cross into the box.
The visitors could have doubled their advantage before the break when Macklin was sent clear but he made a complete mess of an attempted lob and Anthony Di Bernardo was allowed a comfortable catch.
Luke Blewden was introduced at the beginning of the second half for George Beavan, who had climbed out of his sickbed to play.
Six minutes into the half the hosts were level when a fine cross from Jack Parter was converted with a header from Alex Akrofi who might be small in stature but has springs in his heels.
Whilst Tonbridge continued to have the better of the game, the Police carved out a couple of good chances, one that brought a save out of Di Bernardo and another that necessitated a goal-line clearance from Phipp.
In the 66th minute, Tonbridge got their noses in front when Akrofi and Parter linked well on the left before the latter’s cross into the box was poorly dealt with; Nathan Elder touching the ball back to Blewden to crash home a shot into the centre of the goal
Tonbridge’s unnerving habit of going into the shells left their supporters with a jittery last 20 minutes as the Police went in search of an equaliser and as the minutes ticked by a sense of deja vu from the reverse fixture when the Police equalised in time added set alarm bells ringing.
Michael-Percil was creating havoc down the left hand side and it took a fine low save to his left from Di Bernardo to deny him and his side a share of the points with four minutes remaining.
This was a long way short of vintage Tonbridge, but if they can huff and puff their way through the cold, dark days of January with similar results they will be set up nicely for the run-in.
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