Tonbridge Angels (0) 1 Turner 90+4
Enfield Town (1) 2 Blackman 44 Olomowewe 55
Attendance: 490
Admission: Season Ticket
Programme: £2.50
Mileage: 38/3,074
Some theories have lasted the test of time and I can remember them being trotted out at the Angel Ground such as the club doesn’t want promotion, it cannot afford it whilst others such as we suffer from a big game, big crowd syndrome can be researched statistically if you have the time and inclination (I haven’t!). One theory that gave me some thinking time is that our award-winning pitch is actually too good and benefits the likes of Bognor and, in this fixture, Enfield who are looking to play their opposition off the park rather than bludgeon them with a aerial barrage. Through the medium of twittersphere, manager Steve McKimm subscribes to a much simpler theory, if you don’t take your chances, you don’t win games and with the opportunities that went begging, you will be hard put to find a counter argument.
The big crowd syndrome was certainly put to the test as a bumper attendance, for a Tuesday evening, of 490 assembled for top versus third going into the game.
A cagey opening period was only highlighted by a good save, low to his left by Enfield goalkeeper, Joe Wright from Joe Turner before Enfield took on a period of dominance. Sam Youngs warmed the hands of Jonny Henly after 17 minutes and the goalkeeper followed this, a minute later with a good save to deny Lewis Taafe.
Having worked their way through that period, it was the home side’s turn to exert pressure with Wright doing well at his near post to repel a Turner effort and a good combination with Tommy Whitnell and Adem Ramadan saw the latter’s effort safely deflected into the hands of Wright.
The game swung to and fro, until a minute before the break the visitors went in front when both central defenders went for the same ball only for Sonny Miles to head it into the back of Arthur Lee’s head with the ball falling sweetly for Ryan Blackman to rifle it home from the edge of the area.
Ten minutes into the second period the task became ever harder for the Angels when an Enfield corner from the right was met with a late, unchallenged run into the box by Taofiq Olomowewe who powered a header past Henly.
On the hour, a Turner corner was headed goalwards by Miles but cleared from the line at the post and the resultant clearance saw Wright save well from Tommy Parkinson.
A cross from Parkinson from the head of Turner but it was directed wide and a Turner cross was headed in the same direction by Alex Read as Tonbridge sought a way back into the game.
With time running out and Tonbridge gambling on pushing bodies forward, Henly was forced to save at his near post from Aaron Greene and substitute Bandon Adams fired over.
Tonbridge gave themselves something of a lifeline in the fourth minute when a header across the face of goal from Parkinson was headed against a post by Read but from the rebound Turner lashed home a shot, that was to prove only a consolation.
Whatever the theory, despite the Angels remaining at the top of the tree, it is plan to see that the recent hiccups at home are undermining the superb away form.
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