Tonbridge Angels (1) 1 Trialist 1
Chatham Town (1) 3 Nelson 3 Attendance: 362
Admission: £8
Mileage: 38/82
Tonbridge Angels slid to a second pre-season defeat against a fiercely competitive Chatham Town, who looked particularly capable of going one better than their play-off final defeat of last season.
Jay Saunders once more selected from a squad with a mix of senior players, Academy/Under-18’s and half-a-dozen trialists.
Extra minutes were added to the legs of Sean Shields, Scott Wagstaff, Jamie Fielding and Taylor Maloney who played more than an hour whilst Liam Vincent got through 90 minutes in three different positions.
The game got off to the most bizarre of starts with quite possibly the quickest goal ever seen at Longmead with the Angels taking the lead after about 10 seconds. A back pass to Chatham goalkeeper, Ben Bridle-Card saw the clearance rebound off an Angels trialist striker and into the net to the bemusement of everyone assembled.
The lead was to last barely two minutes as a Chatham cross from the right was met with a strong header from Sid Nelson which Toby Edwards could only help into the roof of the net.
A header from Angels’ Ronny Nelson almost added to the frenetic beginning to the game before a sense of order prevailed.
The visitors continued to create the better of the chances with an audacious lob from 40 yards over a stranded Edwards just clearing the bar whilst Edwards did well to save low to his left to deny ex-Angels loanee Bayley Akehurst.
The second half introduction of Jeremy Santos added craft and energy to the midfield but a well marshalled Chatham defence gave up very little to trouble Bridle-Card.
After 65 minutes, the Chats took the lead when a well struck free kick was well saved by Edwards but his parry fell to the feet of Simon Cooper who powered his shot into the net from the right side of the six yard box.
The lead was doubled six minutes later when Kofi Anokye-Boadi was afforded time and space to convert a cross from close range.
Edwards made two further saves of note before an exquisite chip from Trevan Robinson over the advancing goalkeeper deserved more than hitting the right hand upright.
As the black clouds that had gathered over Longmead emptied their contents over the departing attendance of 362 it is as well to remember that this is mid-summer.
Reflecting on when he will be seeking to hone his squad, Jay told Ellis Piddock: “Probably from Margate (next Saturday), we will mix it up on Tuesday night against Bromley. We have to be a little bit careful at the moment, we’ve got lots of injuries, nothing major, but niggles that we don’t want to turn into something worse.”
Picture: Kathryn Bell
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