Tonbridge Angels 0 Hemel Hempstead Town 2

Match 23/19/1747 - Saturday, 14th September 2019 - National League South

Tonbridge Angels (0) 0
Hemel Hempstead Town (0) 2 Nash 48,51
Attendance: 576

Admission: Pass
Programme: £2.50
Mileage: 38/1,788

The witching hour unfortunately was not removed, just positioned 10 minutes further on.

Tonbridge enjoyed the best of the first half against their high-flying visitors, Hemel Hempstead Town, but came across a goalkeeper in Danny Boness at the top of his game and when they conceded two early second half goals they were left chasing the game.

Hemel Hempstead arrived with no less than four ex-Gillingham players in their side and it was one of these, Liam Nash, that executed the coup-de-grace that delivered the points back to Hertfordshire.

Tonbridge got their first warning that they had picked a bad day to come up against Boness when, after 11 minutes, he made a fine save to deny Joe Turner.

After 16 minutes, Tonbridge survived a scare when ex-Gill Connor Essam planted a header against the crossbar following a corner.

A minute later, Boness turned away an effort from Ade Yusuff as the Angels started to to dominate the game and rack up the chances. Khale Da Costa fired narrowly wide a free kick; Yusuff fired at the keeper and Boness produced a top class save, clawing the ball out of the top corner to foil the unlucky striker, all in the space of little more than five minutes.

But those infuriating lapses of concentration (or whatever it is) struck soon after half-time when a corner was helped on to the far post where Nash was waiting to nod home.

Three minutes later, a free kick conceded 20 yards from goal was beautifully curled beyond Jonny Henly and into the top corner by Nash, a great strike from a player who never got a real chance at Gillingham.

Tonbridge were offered a lifeline when they were awarded a penalty after D’Sean Theobalds was brought down. Unfortunately, Turner’s recent record from the spot was not improved as his penalty sailed over the bar.

Tonbridge huffed and puffed their way to the final whistle but despite throwing on substitutes Chinedu McKenzie and Tom Derry to go three-up top, the chances dried up and the visitors comfortably saw out the game.