Tonbridge Angels 1 Maidstone United 2

Match 21/17/1471 - Tuesday, 22nd August 2017 - Kent Senior Cup 2R

Tonbridge Angels (0) 1 Elder 57
Maidstone United (2) 2 Hines 25,39 (pen)
Attendance: 706

Entrance: £5 Senior
Programme: £0.50
Mileage: 38/1,362

Match Report

This was a Tale of the Unexpected. The first surprise was the need to search for a parking space in Tonbridge's spacious car park and then a queue at the turnstiles. Hold on, this is a Kent Senior Cup match, a competition that struggles to command attendances of 200. Gone, of course, are the days when Maidstone United were groundsharers at outposts such as Sittingbourne and Ashford, gone are the struggles of 300 diehards watching their Kent League days. Now they are National League, 2,000 per game at the shiny Gallagher and you might imagine that the Kent Senior Cup becomes very small beer, but credit to their support who turned up in large numbers boosting the attendance to the unforeseen 706.

The next surprise was the match itself. Dull, dull, dull usually describes a county cup game, this was nothing of the sort. A game of intensity, especially in the second half when Tonbridge did away with respecting their obviously superior neighbours. It was also a game of quality with Maidstone bringing the best out of the hosts.

Both sides rested players but this ultimately did not detract of the game. One of those fringe players, Tommy Taylor in the Maidstone goal did well to turn away an effort from Joe Turner after nine minutes. Five minutes later, at the other end, Jonny Henly made the first of many good saves, turning away a shot from Harvey Willard destined for the top corner.

Maidstone were the better side of the opening 25 minutes and, as such, deserved to go ahead when Zavon Hines shooting across the face of the goal to nestle in the net at the far post. A desperate effort to clear led to the belief that Callum Adonis-Taylor had deflected the ball into his own net, but the young defender was adamant after the game that he had not touched the ball.

The Stones continued to dominate and Henly continued to deny them saving well from Hines and Delano Sam-Yorke.

Maidstone doubled their advantage after 39 minutes when they were awarded a penalty after Joe Turner was adjudged to have brought down Sam-Yorke. My first instinct was penalty, but players and managers cast doubt on the decision afterwards. Hines successfully converted from the spot.

Tonbridge's best chance of the half came when a cross from the right found the head of Nathan Elder, but his effort cleared the bar.

The home started the second half on the front foot with Andre McCollin shooting over the bar and a well executed move between Jey Siva and Turner set up a header for Elder but it was straight at Taylor.

After 57 minutes, a cross from McCollin once more found the head of Elder but this time the big striker made no mistake as he powered a header past Taylor.

The game took on an end-to-end contest with both sides creating chances aplenty. After 64 minutes, a thunderous free kick from Chris Kinnear crashed against the bar. Kinnear took the kick quickly, catching everybody by surprise, even the referee who appeared not to have whistled for it to be taken, he allowed play to continue but one wonders what his decision might have been had the shot been inches lower.

Taylor plucked a Turner shot out of the top corner before Henly impressed with a double save to deny Willard.

Four minutes later Hines struck the bar with Henly reacting well to save the rebound from Stuart Lewis.

And so it went to the final minutes with the Angels desperately seeking an equaliser. Taylor saved from Akrofi; Stone had a header deflected for a corner; Dom Welsh and Turner both shot over but it was not to come.

It is never nice to go out of a cup competition at the first time of asking, albeit the second round with a bye. But 706 people through the gate equates to going three rounds in previous seasons and we have the satisfaction that we stretched a National League side regardless of the strength of the team it fielded.