Tonbridge 1 Havant & Waterlooville 1

Match 99/16/1406 - Tuesday, 28th February 2017 - Ryman Premier

Tonbridge (1) 1 Akrofi 13
Havant & Waterlooville (0) 1 Prior 82
Attendance: 408

Entrance: £6 Senior
Programme: £2.50
Mileage: 38/6,912

Match Report

It is not an unnatural thought of many that the three games in the next week would prove to be a pivotal point in Tonbridge Angels’ season. This game against second placed Havant & Waterlooville is to be followed by third placed (at kick-off time) Needham Market on Saturday and, next Tuesday, a visit to sixth placed Leiston. The schedule provokes a discussion on the definition of a “must win” game, in my opinion, on the last day of February, perhaps not. Nonetheless, this was a game of significance.

At the final whistle we then enter the age-old argument of a point gained or two lost after the visitors had found an equaliser in the 82nd minute courtesy of their goal machine Jason Prior.

The game was a credit to the Ryman League, the officiating was a tad erratic but, thankfully, didn’t have a great deal of bearing on the final result.

Mitchell Nelson remained suspended, so the makeshift pairing of Ugo Udoji and Tommy Parkinson were required to blunt the prolific partnership of Prior and Alfie Rutherford.

A shooting opportunity for both sides arrived in the first five minutes, Tom Phipp for the Angels and Rory Williams for the visitors but the opening period was cat and mouse with both sides largely cancelling each other out.

After 12 minutes Tonbridge could have taken the lead when Nick Wheeler’s cross was met with a goalbound header from Nathan Elder, but his effort was denied by a brilliant diving save from Ryan Young.

Havant’s reprieve was only momentary and a minute later a sublime through ball from Phipp found Alex Akrofi, who had a lot of time to think about where he was about to put the ball but he kept his nerve and slotted past the advancing Young.

The Wheeler-Elder combination might have given the Angels a two goal advantage before the break but the big man steered his header wide.

Tonbridge breathed a sigh of relief in the 39th minute when they managed to shepherd the ball to safety after Anthony Di Bernardo had initially parried a close range shot with a few seconds of pin ball ensuing.

The second half followed the pattern of the first with neither side gaining ascendancy and chances that stretched either goalkeeper were few and far between, but that is not to say that it wasn’t a fascinating encounter.

Di Bernardo made a smart save at his near post after 57 minutes and a minute later Havant struck a post but a linesman’s flag was already raised.

The Tonbridge team, to a man, had put in a shift and into the last ten minutes it was obvious that some were running on empty and finally their defence was breached with eight minutes remaining. A needless free kick given away was floated to the far post reaching Di Bernardo without a touch and when the goalkeeper scooped the ball away it was only to the feet of Prior who had a tap-in.

Overall, this was a fair result. If Tonbridge were to back it up with a win against Needham Market then we can look back and say this was a good point that was enough to see them climb above Saturday’s opponents and into third place.