Tonbridge Angels (0) 2 Turner 84, McCollin 90
Brightlingsea Regent (0) 0
Attendance: 484
Entrance: £6 Senior
Programme: £2.50
Mileage: 38/1,324
One strange anomaly to each of the games played is that a below par first half has been followed by a better second period. Perhaps this is a testament to levels of fitness that is outlasting their opponents, but the fear is that sometime soon these slow starts might leave a half-time deficit that cannot be recovered.
This was a first-ever meeting between the clubs. Brightlingsea Regent, a club formed out of a merger between Brightlingsea United and Regent Park Rangers in 2005, were promoted from Ryman North last season after amassing 103 points, 114 goals, winning the league by a clear 12 points.
Regent opened the game on the front foot and their small but vocal following thought they had something to celebrate after 14 minutes when they had the ball in the net but this was disallowed for a foul on Jonny Henly.
Tonbridge simply failed to get going in the first half with a Sonny Miles header being only effort forcing the visiting goalkeeper, Sam Cowler, in a meaningful save.
Tonbridge were forced into a half-time substitution with Luke Blewden feeling unwell, Tom Beere his replacement. The Hampton loanee added a dynamism in midfield that had been lacking in the first half. An early chance fell to Beere but his effort was blocked on the line.
A fine cross from Jey Siva found the head of Nathan Elder whose steered his header wide and Henly saved low to his right to deny Phil Kelly as chances for both sides continued to be short in supply.
The game was to open up after 70 minutes when the visitor’s Josh Gould was sent off for a second bookable offence.
Dan Thompson blasted narrowly over the bar after being set up by substitute Andre McCollin whilst, at the other end, Aaron Condon put a free header over the crossbar.
As Regent began to tire more chances fell, but to their credit, they were willing to put their bodies on line as goal-saving blocks were made to deny Thompson, Chris Kinnear and McCollin. When a corner was met by George Beaven who headed the ball into the ground and over the crossbar from close range, it seemed that the breakthrough was not to come.
But, with six minutes remaining, it did come. Good work led to Craig Stone producing a pinpoint cross to the far post for Turner to bury a header.
On the cusp of the game entering time added, McCollin produced a fine finish from 15 yards into the bottom corner to make the game safe for the Angels.
There remained time for Siva to see an effort cleared from the line before the referee’s final whistle confirmed the Angel’s unbeaten start to the season.
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