Maidstone United (1) 1 Shakpoke 24
Tonbridge Angels (1) 1 Sutcliffe 65
Attendance: 3,670
Admission: £13
Mileage: 20/6,613
Sometimes a point carries a lit bit more emotion than that of one won from a position of mid-table.
The Angels supporters, corralled into a corner of the Gallagher, had been truly magnificent in their support celebrated wildly at the final whistle having dented, if only for a couple of hours, Maidstone United’s play-off push.
Scott Wagstaff can rightly look back on his first experience as a manager in the A26 derby with a great deal of pride as the Angels recovered from a first half deficit to earn a richly deserved point with an Ethan Sutcliffe goal on 65 minutes.
Wagstaff commented in his post-match interview: “I am so proud of the boys, the reaction we got from Friday’s game, and to be honest, I think we could have won it. After the first 30 minutes when Maidstone were strong, we looked really strong, driving forward and it was 100% a penalty, I don’t care what anyone says, it was a penalty, if it was in the other box, they get a penalty.”
A threatening weather forecast that didn’t materialise left a lot of supporters with coats they didn’t need as the Gallagher basked in warm sunshine as Scott was able to recall Liam Vincent and Harry Ottaway for Bailey Akehurst and Brody Peart from the side that were beaten by Hornchurch on Good Friday.
Backed by all but the 320 Angels faithful in an attendance of 3,670, Maidstone made the early running and might, perhaps should have, gone in front on nine minutes when George Fowler steered a Ben Brookes corner wide of the post.
The early pressure finally told on 24 minutes when a long throw into the box was headed on by Temi Eweka. It looked a fairly easy take for Matt Rowley but a nudge, not deemed enough by referee Sandoe, allowed the ball to find its way to the far post from where Ruben Shakpoke was able to touch home.
On 27 minutes came the moment when the Angels thought the referee might point to the spot when Nazrin Bakrin was brought down but a foul was given right on the line of the 18 yard box.
As the clock ticked into seven minutes of added time, after the game had been brought to a halt early in the half for a medical emergency in the Genco End, Christie Ward’s driving run ended with a shot that drifted just wide of the right hand angle of the woodwork and, in the final act of the half, Harry Ottaway directed his header straight at Alexis Andre Jr.
The latter part of the first half had given the Angels confidence to take the game to their hosts in the early part of the second period with Sutcliffe seeing an effort blocked within four minutes of the restart and, on 54 minutes, his header only found the gloves of Andre Jr.
After surviving three successive corners, Tonbridge found a well-deserved equaliser on 65 minutes when a long throw from Vincent was superbly headed on by Ottaway to Sutcliffe at the far post to tuck home. Cue delirium in the `away end!
With so much riding on the result, it was only to be expected that the home side would throw everything, and the kitchen sink, at the Angels back line and, on 82 minutes hearts were in mouths as a Fowler header was sent wide and, two minutes later as Aaron Blair rounded Rowley, the net rippled, but thankfully it was the side netting.
Five nervous minutes of added time were endured before the celebrations could begin.
Waggy added: “Our fans were excellent, even when we were 1-0 down they were a lot noisier than the Maidstone fans, so that’s a credit to them. We appreciate that and it was our message at half-time, play for the fans, you can be heroes if you win this game, that’s in the history books. Hopefully we gave them something to be proud of today.”
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