Dover Athletic (1) 2 Kingsford 12 (pen) Kattch 60
Tonbridge Angels (0) 2 Babayale 54 (pen) Bartlett 75
Headcount: 21
Admission: Free
Programme: None
Mileage: 90/1,542
Tonbridge Angels Academy, playing their first competitive match since their reformation, survived a first half onslaught to regroup during the break and come away from Dover Athletic’s Crabble with a hard-earned point.
Dover, last season’s champions and fielding Marshall Wratton and Felix Mesquila, both of whom have appeared for Margate from the bench in the Bostik Premier this season, started on the front foot and continued their pressure throughout a one-sided first half that the Angels’ youngsters did well to keep the scoreline down to a single goal with some stout defending, good goalkeeping, and, in truth, some woeful finishing from the hosts.
Dover set the tone in the eighth minute when Ryan Kingsford struck the right hand post and two minutes later Joe Roberts made his first stop of the afternoon denying Mesquila with a diving save low to his left.
Wratton was especially influential down the left and Tyler Richardson had the most difficult job on the pitch in trying to contain him.
Dover’s Jack Smith, joining the attack from full back saw Roberts tip his shot over the bar and Kingsford fired wastefully over before the pressure finally told on the Angels’ back line.
Wratton teased Richardson once too often and, although the contact was minimal, the winger was brought down for the referee to point to the spot. Kingsford safely converted from the spot.
Dover’s dominance was almost total and it took the Angels 35 minutes to register their first meaningful attack with goalkeeper Harry Earls saving at the feet of Samuel Babayale.
The Angels got through to the break just the goal down thanks to the agility of Roberts and the bravery of his defenders.
Richardson had to give way to injury and Regan Bowden slotted into the unenviable task of containing Wratton with Joel Banks entering the fray.
Tonbridge emerged from their dressing room break a different side with more confidence going forward. Ned Lewis started to run the giant central defensive pairing and when, after 54 minutes, he slid a pass through to Babayale, a clumsy challenge brought a penalty which Sam Slipper planted into the top corner to level the score.
The visitor’s joy was short-lived though and, on the hour, Dwayne Kattch made himself a yard of space on the edge of the box before curling a shot into the far corner to restore Dover’s lead.
Manager Tom Parkinson introduced Zac Wolvey and Rhys Bartlett and this was to bring a dividend 15 minutes from time when a corner was headed against the bar by Harry Hudson with the rebound struck home by Bartlett.
A nerve-wracking final 15 minutes ensued as Dover threw everything forward in search of a winner. Roberts saved well and a goalmouth scramble from three yards in front of the line somehow saw the ball to safety.
One final chance, in five minutes of added time, saw a snatched shot go wide before we all breathed a sigh of relief at the final whistle.
The Academy side should take great heart and no little credit for this gutsy, hard-working performance against a side that will undoubtedly be challenging for the title yet again.
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