Worthing 1 Tonbridge Angels 1

Match 61/18/1654 - Tuesday, 20th November 2018 - Velocity Cup 2R

Worthing (0) 1 Rents 68
Tonbridge Angels (1) 1 King 38
Worthing won on penalties 3-2
Attendance: 296

Admission: £5 Senior
Programme: £2
Mileage: 124/4,102

My experience of playing the lottery is that, if nothing else, you win the odd tenner. So when the old cliche is trotted out about penalty shootouts and lotteries, why is it we seemingly never win the tenner? Not exactly true, two years ago we disposed of Romford via the spot-kick raffle but that was the exception to prove the rule.

After a closely contested tie, with Tonbridge Angels showing a distinct improvement on Saturday’s defeat at Harlow, it came down once again to spot kicks. As the process unfolded with Worthing proving almost as inept as Tonbridge, we dared to think that perhaps this might be our lucky day. Sonny Miles, possibly taking a penalty for the first-ever time, saw his attempt saved low to his left by Kleton Perntreou but Worthing’s Callum Kealy replicated with Henly saving. Alex Read scored for the Angels, but so did Rhyle Ovenden. Tom Beere saw his shot saved but a controversial double save from Henly (did it cross the line?) saw Reece Meekums effort fail. Joe Turner scored and Sam Rents did likewise. As Jared Small stepped up, his reluctant trudge to the box told a story and he blazed high over the bar only for Isaac Newton to do the self same thing. I had more faith in Tommy Whitnell but his shot was saved leaving Alex Parsons to end the contest in favour of the home side.

It was a bitterly cold evening and the journey down to the West Sussex coast had been far from an easy one with supporters and the Tonbridge physio caught up in traffic incidents. But a quick walk after finding a parking space in a nearby street, left me puffing my way into the Bibby Financial Services Stadium with a couple of minutes to spare. Another 3G surface, but this one looked from the outset to play a lot better than Harlow.

The early pace was set by the home side with the closest effort being a header from Kealy that went over following a Meekums free kick. Tonbridge’s first foray brought a powerfully driven effort from Turner that Perntreou didn’t completely deal with, parrying the ball in front of him before it was cleared to safety.

Worthing were set up defensively narrow that offered the Angels’ wide men, Adem Ramadan and Small almost the freedom of the flanks with the former causing the home side a lot of difficulty down the left side.

Henly made a couple of saves from Meekums and Parsons before Ramadan made use of the space being offered to waltz his way in from the left touchline before crossing low to Liam King, who turned the ball into the bottom corner to give the Angels a 38th minute lead that they took into the break.

Despite Tonbridge creating early chances in the second period with a Miles header from a Turner corner going wide and a Liam Smith drive going over, it was obvious that the Worthing half-time talk had been to tighten the reins on Ramadan and Small.

The equaliser came after 67 minutes when Miles’ headed clearance found ex-Angel Sam Rents who drove into the bottom corner from the left hand angle of the box.

Tonbridge almost immediately had a response and when Turner was sent clear he should have done better than a rising shot over the bar.

Worthing substitute David Abijiye saw his shot beaten away at the near post by Henly and as the clock ticked down and the hosts pressed for a winner, I indulged in the thought that it might be worth taking our chances in the shootout, a mad thought for a Tonbridge supporter that, of course, proved to be just that.