Tonbridge Angels 1 Chelmsford City 2

Match 38/19/1760 - Saturday, 20th October 2019 - National South

Tonbridge Angels (1) 1 Da Costa 16
Chelmsford City (0) 2 Whelpdale 90+2 Jeffers 90+4
Attendance: 590

Admission: Pass
Programme: £2.50
Mileage: 38/2,618

Football is such a cruel game. Arguments can be made that Tonbridge were the architects of their own downfall with defensive mistakes that led to two goals being scored in time-added, but the manner in which Tonbridge were left pointless was cruel in the extreme.

At the beginning of this month, a single point from the three games looked unlikely but the confidence building demolition of Braintree, and Chelmsford’s own indifferent form, had left room for a modicum of optimism. Despite this, the visitors still had the look of an expensively assembled squad with Sam Higgins, the spearhead of our play-off defeat at East Thurrock in 2016, ex-Gillingham favourites in Chris Whelpdale and Billy Knott and, in the centre of defence, the formidable Dave Winfield.

After a quiet opening in which a double save from Henly was the only item of note, Tonbridge went ahead after 16 minutes when a crossfield pass from Jack Rudoni was collected by Khale Da Costa who cut in from the right to fire a shot from 20 yards into the bottom corner for his first goal for the club.

Chelmsford responded immediately and Henly was needed to touch over an effort from Jonny Giles.

The visitors enjoyed the best of the possession throughout the rest of the first half, but for that Henly was only tested in the time-added when he saved from a Knott free kick.

The second half continued in much the same vein with Chelmsford enjoying the majority of the possession and Tonbridge relying on the breaks but neither goalkeeper having much too do until the 70th minute when a Da Costa free kick into the area ending with the ball hitting the bar and, three minutes later, the Chelmsford goalkeeper, Carl Pentney turned away an effort from Tommie Hession-Harris for a corner.

As the game entered its final throes of regular time, there was nothing to lose for the visitors and Henly saved as the game entered its added time of six minutes.

A long punt forward from Pentney saw a misplaced header from Sonny Miles find Shaun Jeffers whose cross from the right gave Whelpdale an easy opportunity to convert and retrieve a point, or so it seemed for the Essex side.

But, in a final cruel twist, another long punt into the Tonbridge box this time from the goalkeeper that was initially headed on and another misjudged header from Miles allowed Jeffers to win a challenge from James Folkes and place a shot under the advancing Henly for the winner.

It was a savage blow but of a type that has become a irritating habit this season with Chelmsford’s goals being the eighth and ninth that have been conceded in the last five minutes of either half, in turn costing five points which could have steered them into the relatively calm waters of lower mid-table.