Tonbridge Angels 3 Farnborough 3

Match 18/25/2361 - Saturday, 30th August 2025 - National League South

Tonbridge Angels (1) 3 Simon 35,73 Pierrick 80
Farnborough (0) 3 Bingham 50 Poleon 65,80
Attendance: 839
Admission: Season Ticket
Mileage: 38/1,169

Disappointment was etched on the faces of Tonbridge Angels players leaving the pitch after a rollercoaster game against Farnborough that ended three apiece but left them still searching their first victory of the season.

Opinion will undoubtedly be divided, as it usually is at the end of such a match, whether it was a point won or two lost, but the character shown indicated a never-say-die spirit.

Craig Nelson said in his post-match interview: “The performance tells me that we have the right characters in the building for sure, but I knew that anyway and it is testament to them that after Monday’s performance and result they could have come in flat but they were bubbly on Thursday and worked really hard to ensure they were well prepared for today’s game and, for large parts, we were really good.”

Craig made four changes from the comprehensive defeat at Dorking Wanderers on Bank Holiday Monday with Matthew Warren, Scott Wagstaff, Marcus Sablier and Bobby Unwin starting for Bradley Williams, Jordan Higgs, Bunmi Babajide and Brody Peart. Williams time on the bench was just seven minutes as Warren rolled an ankle to be substituted.

Farnborough’s much vaunted strike force of Dominic Poleon and Rakish Bingham brought the opening opportunity with the Angels goalkeeper, Jacob Adams thwarting the latter after five minutes.

After 10 minutes, a 25 yard shot from Bailey Akehurst brought a good save from Jack Turner, who pushed the ball to safety.

Unwin pulled a ball back from the byline that was smothered at the near post by Turner before Wagstaff shot narrowly wide as the Angels were taking control of the game.

The visitors had two great chances to open the scoring with Poleon missing a header at the far post and spurning another opportunity having been set up by Renny Smith

The breakthrough came on 35 minutes as a lofted ball forward from Wagstaff released Eddie Simon, who still had plenty to do from the left hand corner of the box, but as Turner advanced, Simon lifted the ball over his head and into the far corner, for not only the first goal at Longmead this season, but also Simon’s first competitive goal for the club.

Simon might have doubled his tally on 42 minutes when he shot narrowly wide, assisted by Wagstaff’s pass.

The visitors showed great intent from the outset of the second half and were level on 51 minutes when the ball was crossed into the box for Bingham to steal in, unchallenged, to sweep home from around six yards.

On 64 minutes Farnborough were in front after a free kick was turned back across the face of goal by Lachlan Byrd for Poleon to pouch a finish at the left hand post.

Nelson rang the changes introducing Higgs, Babajide and Peart on 70 minutes and, three minutes later, a poor back pass from Ali Omar was seized upon by Simon who rounded Turner before slotting the ball into the unguarded net as his angle narrowed.

Ten minutes remained when Farnborough regained the lead as Smith released Poleon to crash a shot past Adams.

But the Angels spirit was alive and kicking and when Peart turned his defender with a clever dummy, drove forward and laid a pass into Pierrick, who from 20 yards, picked out the top corner with a superb strike.

Final opportunity of the game fell to Farnborough’s Teddy Collis, who pulled his shot wide in the last of eight added minutes but a draw was a fair reflection following a frantic second period.