Potters Bar Town (1) 2 Morgan 32 Kyei 52
Tonbridge Angels (0) 1 Miles 67
Attendance: 315
New Ground: 335
Admission: £8 Senior
Programme: £2
Mileage: 130/7,236
A healthy contingent of Tonbridge supporters, making up more than half of the attendance of 315, were in good voice from before the kick off but fell silent as the nightmare unfolded before their eyes with results elsewhere not going their way either.
The pitch was just awful, the run of the ball bobbling along as if it had been bowled on a pebble-laden beach.
But the visitors started brightly and after Craig Stone had released Chinedu McKenzie down the right channel, his cross evaded everybody when it just needed the lightest of touches.
Marvin Morgan, who I remember being courted by Gillingham for a couple of seasons and has enjoyed a decent, journeyman career in the Football League, presented his first threat to the Angels’ defence after 16 minutes when Jonny Henly saved at his feet.
Tonbridge suffered a real setback, not just in terms of this match but the end of season playoffs, when Tom Beere was stretchered from the pitch following onfield treatment that lasted five minutes. The reshuffle brought D’Sean Theobalds into the action who promptly flashed a cross in the direction of Jared Small who could not get a touch.
Tonbridge were made to pay for not capitalising on their possession when, after 32 minutes after the ball had been lost in midfield, Morgan jinked (if that is possible for a big man) into the box to round the oncoming Henly and score.
Tonbridge mounted a response of sorts but goalkeeper Berkley Laurencin was not seriously tested despite a fumble following a Jack Parter cross.
Potters Bar opened the second half suggesting that they were the side with something to play for with Morgan heading wide before Nana Kyei put the home side two goals to the good after good work down the left from Morgan.
The momentum was now firmly with the Hertfordshire side as chances for Morgan and Kyei were saved by Henly and Josh Hutchinson shot narrowly wide.
The visitors gave themselves a lifeline after 66 minutes when a Joe Turner corner was turned in at the far post by Sonny Miles.
An impudent back heel from Morgan needed to be saved by Henly before Tonbridge were denied a grandstand final 10 minutes when a goal from McKenzie, seizing on a parry from Laurencin after a Turner free kick, was ruled out in an extremely tight offside decision.
Tonbridge chased the game until its close with further chances falling to Adem Ramadan and Theobalds but a draw was never going to change the playoff situation.
Tonbridge’s away form this season, overall better than at home, gives them a fighting chance at a stuttering Haringey but home comforts would have been a more desirable outcome.
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