Tonbridge Angels 2 Chelmsford City 4

Match 33/25/2375 - Tuesday, 4th November 2025 - National League South

Tonbridge Angels (0) 2 Peart 56,75
Chelmsford City (2) 4 Folarin 12,29 Adigun 54 Remy 84
Attendance: 803
Admission: Season Ticket
Mileage: 38/2,131

Tonbridge Angels rued individual errors as they fell back to earth with a bump after the euphoria of Saturday’s historic afternoon at the Gallagher. Chelmsford City emphasised that National League South can be an unforgiving place as they clinically punished the Angels to win 4-2 despite a spirited fightback from three goals down.

Manager Alan Dunne: “It was a game that was way to open for my liking. I felt, coming into the game, not having been in on Sunday or Monday, I couldn’t really get the weekend out of them, I could feel that in the dressing room. Shape-wise, we tried to do something a little bit different, I wanted to be more positive going forward and create some chances and it didn’t work. But, we were the makers of our own downfall, first one the keeper has spilled; second one is a mistake on our part. Saying that, second half, and throughout the game, we’ve had good clear chances, I don’t think we’ve had so many chances all season but the defending, and the goals we gave away are not us, I want us to be a solid team and against a team like Chelmsford, you cannot play like that.”

Dunney made two changes from Saturday with Jordan Higgs and Marcus Sablier coming into the starting XI for Bailey Akehurst and Scott Wagstaff.

As fireworks lit up the Longmead sky, the Angels started on the front foot, forcing early corners, the second of which brought a header from Arthur Penney that drifted narrowly wide.

But, in the 12th minute, it was the visitors that opened the scoring when a shot from 20 yards by ex-Angels loanee, Jason Adigun, rebounded off the chest of Jacob Adams into the path of Sam Folarin, who poached a finish.

Tonbridge responded well with efforts from Bunmi Babajide; a shot over from Matt Warren after combining well with Babajide and a header from Naz Bakrin.

But, once more an individual error led to Chelmsford doubling their advantage on 29 minutes when a crossfield pass from Higgs was intercepted and when Folarin reached the ball first and touched it past Penney, he was through on goal to bury his shot into the bottom corner.

The Angels manager rattled the changes directly after the break introducing Brody Peart, Bobby Unwin and Akehurst but it was the visitors that got the all-important third goal on 54 minutes when an attempted pass from Adigun rebounded off Bakrin back into his path for a good finish into the bottom corner.

Two minutes later, Peart offered Tonbridge a lifeline when he fastened onto a clearance and, from 25 yards, lashed his shot into the bottom corner.

The Angels ploughed forward in search of reducing the deficit with an Unwin cross that evaded everyone and Chelmsford’s Chris Haigh gratefully grabbed an effort from Peart at the second attempt.

After a couple of efforts from Inih Effiong and a disallowed goal for Chelmsford, Tonbridge were right back in the game as Haigh dropped a cross and with his back to goal, Peart hooked the ball into the net.

As the home side pressed hard for an equaliser they were caught short-handed at the back and Adigun, outpacing his marker, was able to lay the ball across for Shiloh Remy to touch into an empty net.

Dunney concluded: “Sometimes you cannot account for individual errors and a couple of individual mistakes have cost us and that was the difference. We looked tired, perhaps one game too many, but we’ve been on a great run and I want to stay positive, put it behind us and look forward to Saturday.”