Tonbridge Angels (0) 2 Parkinson 76 Read 84
Brightlingsea Regent (1) 2 Hood 25 Hunt 47
Attendance: 358
Admission: Season Ticket
Programme: £2.50
Mileage: 38/4,614
It’s been a funny old week. The Christmas/New Year period was staggering to its close but there was still that confused state of not really knowing what day of the week it was, I needed the bin men to turn up on the right day to put me back on the straight and narrow. And so it was with the football. Tonbridge's defeat at Carshalton had left everyone quite devastated and really not knowing where we might be as a club in the coming days. The forum literally went pop for a couple of days, Steve McKimm went quiet on Twitter and uncertainty hung in the air like a black cloud. But the storm subsided, the forum bounced back to life and posters were largely supportive and on Friday a new signing, Chinedu McKenzie from Haringey, was announced lifting the mood prior to the game against Brightlingsea Regent.
McKenzie went straight into a starting eleven that also saw the return of Jack Parter and James Folkes to the back line.
A bitingly cold afternoon probably restricted the attendance to a below average attendance of 358 with a hardy, vocal bunch of visiting supporters from the Essex east coast.
Brightlingsea, on a good run of form with three straight wins, started the game with a confidence borne of that run. After just two minutes, Morisi Gelashvili opened up an opportunity for Harry Morgan and, although McKenzie had a shot cleared from the line at the far post, Brightlingsea forced Jonny Henly into saves from Billy Hunt and Aaron Condon. After 20 minutes, Henly advanced beyond his area to head clear with the ball falling to Ricky Griggs whose lob from 40 yards towards the unguarded goal smacked against a post.
It therefore came as no surprise that Brightlingsea took the lead after 25 minutes when a heavy touch from Folkes allowed Harvey Hood to race clear and clinically finish past Henly.
The goal at least awoke Tonbridge from their slumbers with Regent’s goalkeeper James Bradbrook collecting a Tom Parkinson header and saving from McKenzie after some good work by Tom Beere.
But no momentum was created and it needed another Henly save to deny Hunt before the break.
If the first period had been a little deflating, a second goal within two minutes for the visitors was a crashing blow as Hunt was allowed to cut in from the left and power a shot past Henly. The only optimism that could be taken was that there was plenty of time to retrieve the situation if the Tonbridge players could find the necessary spirit.
Adem Ramadan entered the fray as a 57th minute substitute for Beere and his direct running immediately lifted the atmosphere. Parkinson once more tested Bradbrook with a header and the impressive D’Sean Theobalds also employed the goalkeeper.
McKimm swapped one of his strikers, Tom Murphy, for Alex Read after 66 minutes.
Parkinson directed a third header at the goalkeeper before, after 76 minutes, a Ramadan corner was successfully converted courtesy of the skipper’s head.
A minute later exasperation rang round Longmead as Sonny Miles’ header was saved by Bradbrook with the follow-up from Read being blocked and scrambled to safety.
Seven minutes remained when Theobalds sent Read clear to powerfully shoot past Bradbrook for the equalising goal.
There was still time for a winner to be found and half chances were made for Joe Turner and Miles but a share of the points had to be settled for.
Certainly, the reception the Tonbridge side received at the end suggested that the spirit shown had resonated with the supporters and a hope that this mere register in the D column signalled that a turning point had possibly been reached.
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