Leatherhead (1) 2 Akinnibi 11 Hedley 79
Tonbridge Angels (2) 2 Peart 2 Simon 5
Attendance: 254
Admission: £3
Mileage: 104/328
The Angels surrendered their 100% pre-season record at Leatherhead despite going two goals ahead within the first five minutes.
Brody Peart and Eddie Simon got the visitors off to a flying start before the home side got a 80th minute goal to earn a deserved draw as Tonbridge became disjointed following wholesale second half substitutes.
Craig Nelson on the second half performance: “The boys were not up to speed with the game to execute anything of note, saying that we had one blocked on the line and another from which we should have scored, so we could have been 4-1 up before they scored. But, it is damning from the way we conceded, we don’t get first, second or third contact from the throw. Preventable, but happy with the first half but the boys will tell you they needed to be better in the second.”
It seems crazy that in July, after the intense heat that the south-east has had, that a pitch inspection might be needed but after a night of thunderstorms and heavy rain, one was made before the game was given the go-ahead.
Craig picked a strong first half team with just a couple of trialists and, on what appeared a lush, green grass pitch, they opened up the Leatherhead defence with only two minutes on the clock when a through ball from Marcus Sablier sent Peart clear to slot past the advancing goalkeeper, Sonny Wheeler.
When Peart turned provider, supplying a right wing cross for Simon to turn home, the Angels looked to be already in cruise control, but, following a defensive mistake that allowed Kareem Akinnibi a run on goal and finish into the bottom corner, the game was once more a contest.
Tonbridge continued to play positive, attractive football and chances came for Bradley Williams, who shot narrowly over and, after 18 minutes, Peart brought a very good save out of Wheeler from a 20-yard free kick.
At the end of a half that had been completely dominated by the Angels, having seen further opportunities for Brandon Pierrick, Jordan Higgs, Peart and Williams, they would have been disappointed to go into the break just a goal to the good.
Although the fluidity of the first half performance had been lost due to the multitude of substitutions, it was still the visitors that were dominating the game and, on 70 minutes, it was a case of “how did that not go in” as the Tanners’ defenders threw bodies in front of the ball to eventually clear from the line.
Ten minutes from time, as Leatherhead has seized the momentum, a long throw into the box was poorly dealt with and the ball eventually fell to George Hedley who drove the ball home following a good, parrying save from substitute goalkeeper, Alexander Dubov.
A late, instinctive header following a free kick from Mackenzie Richardson saw the goalkeeper turn the ball over the bar, but the Angels had to settle for a share of the spoils.
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