Farnborough (1) 1 Lawrence 2
Tonbridge Angels (3) 6 Sutcliffe 31 Baker 36 Babajide 40 Leahy 71 Bakrin 81 Sablier 87
Attendnance: 1,358
Admission: £11
Mileage: 160/4,855
ANGELS HAVE SIX APPEAL
On a bright, sunny day, two teams met in relaxed moods. Farnborough’s season-long struggle against relegation had been won at Dover Athletic the previous Saturday and Tonbridge Angels, who have sat comfortably in the middle of National League South for over a month. What better way to end the season where two teams could release the hand brake and produce an open game. One team took openness to the extreme allowing the other to entertain their travelling support to the full.
There was a heavy air of celebration at Farnborough with yellow and blue balloons escaping the clutches as a brisk wind blew; sweets being handed out to excited children as a very respectable 1,300+ filed into Cherrywood Road for their last home fixture.
Despite being nothing on this match, there was plenty going on elsewhere in National League South that was occupying the conversation pre-match. Worthing visiting Maidstone with the opportunity to win the championship, but could Maidstone win thereby keeping their play-off hopes alive and, just perhaps, diverting their attention away from Wednesday’s Kent Senior Cup Final where they meet the Angels.
As said, a nice warm day usually brings the consequence of a standstill on the M25, but apart from one minor hold-up it was plain sailing and when you think of travelling into Hampshire it seems a longer journey than it actually is from Kent.
The travelling support bantered that Farnborough’s ground was too big for them and, despite the healthy attendance, at this moment in time it probably is. With a 6,500 capacity and an all-seated Prospect Road stand behind one goal that can accommodate 1,350 that would not look out of place in the EFL. These days Cherrywood Road stands monument to past glories from their previous incarnation as Farnborough Town and their time at the pinnacle of non-league football in the early 2000’s.
Tonbridge manager Alan Dunne was able to recall Jordan Higgs for a first start since November in a side that showed two changes from last Saturday’s home win over Salisbury.
Farnborough, high on confidence with a run of seven wins in 10, were ahead within the first two minutes when a corner was met by a towering header from Nico Lawrence and, for a good 15-20minutes, the Angels could not get a foothold in the game.
Successive free kicks indicated a vulnerability in the Farnborough defence, one of which brought a good save from goalkeeper, Bristol City loanee Joe Duncan, to deny Alfie Pavey.
Tonbridge drew level on 31 minutes, when Ethan Sutcliffe got on the end of a Bailey Akehurst free kick to sweep the ball home and, very quickly the home side caved in.
Five minutes later an excellent team goal involving Bradley Williams and Ricky Korboa set up a tap-in for Frankie Baker and, in the 40th minute, a superb assist from Tobi Omole gave Bunmi Babajide a close range opportunity which he tucked home.
Farnborough manager, Spencer Day, sent out his beleaguered troops early for the second half, no doubt with a flea in their ear and for 20 minutes they, whilst being overrun, were at least competitive. But once they conceded on 71 minutes when Babajide crossed from the right, substitute Tom Leahy met it with a deft touch to add a fourth and, just like the first half, the home side capitulated to the point of giving up.
Naz Bakrin came off the bench to follow-up his initial header with a smart finish and when Marcus Sablier curled in a shot from the edge of the box to make it six the rout was complete, but by that time, it is no exaggeration that the scoreline could have amounted to double figures.
Alan Dunne continues to collect “first since’s”, this was the first league game for 11 years since the Angels have scored six goals, that was against the recently demised VCD Athletic and the first time for 18 years since six or more was scored on an away ground when the passing Heathrow traffic in the sky were able to witness Angels’ seven goals at Ashford Town (Middlesex).
This was a nice little confidence builder ahead of the Kent Senior Cup Final, a game that really, really does matter.
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