Tonbridge Angels (1) 1 Turner 40
Worthing (0) 2 Crane 50 (pen) Kealy 78
Attendance: 440
Admission: Season Ticket
Programme: £2.50
Mileage: 38/4,094
I would hope that the criticism of a referee is something that is not the norm on these posts. I don’t hide the fact that I support Tonbridge Angels, but always attempt to write a balanced account of the game I had watched. But, on this occasion, the referee spoilt what should have been a really good game between two top four sides.
Mr Elliott Kaye set his stall out early in the game when he booked Arthur Lee for a challenge after just six minutes. It was probably a foul, but hardly a reckless challenge and for a first challenge barely warranted a lecture let alone a card.
Tonbridge had opened the game on the front foot and, after 15 minutes brought Worthing goalkeeper, Kleton Perntreou, into action when he turned away a Joe Turner effort at his near post.
After 20 minutes, a very poor foul on Liam Smith by Ricky Anguiar brought a yellow but could easily have suffered a heavier punishment.
Michael West fired wide before, after 25 minutes, Jared Small was brought down in the box to earn Tonbridge a penalty. Alex Read’s spot kick was too close to Perntreou who dived low to his right to save.
Tonbridge, playing their best football in weeks, were far in the ascendancy with Perntreou saving at the feet of Turner and Tom Beere firing over before they finally made the breakthrough five minutes before the break.
Tom Parkinson fired in a long cross from the right to the left hand angle of the six yard box for Turner to meet on the volley and bury his shot into the bottom corner for a half-time lead that was richly deserved.
The game changed three minutes into the second half, and here I have to admit to the benefit of hindsight and a video viewing. Worthing’s Darren Budd fired in a shot from around 16 yards that was blocked by James Folkes, who was turning his body away from the ball as it struck his elbow. Whether it was a penalty was debatable, that Mr Kaye took the ultimate sanction to send off Folkes for deliberate hand ball is unfathomable. James Crane stroked the ball into the bottom corner, sending Jonny Henly the wrong way to give the visitors parity.
Worthing took control of the game for a period as Tonbridge reshuffled their formation including the substitution of striker Read for Adem Ramadan.
A heavy challenge from Crane on Beere brought a yellow when a red quite easily could have been shown given the referee’s nature.
After 78 minutes, Worthing took the lead when Crane floated in a cross from the left that was met with a glancing header from substitute Callum Kealy.
Kealy was to make for a personally interesting afternoon when he incurred the ire of Mr Kaye a second time to receive his marching orders five minutes from the end.
The referee offered Tonbridge a full eight minutes of time-added to retrieve a point in a 10 against 10 situation but were unable to fashion a chance of any note.
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