Tonbridge Angels U18 2 Burgess Hill Town U18 4

Match 82/25/2424 - Monday, 4th May 2026 - Isthmian Youth League Champion of Champions SF

Tonbridge Angels U18 (2) 2 Fincham 2 Sulavari 22
Burgess Hill Town (0) 4 Golabzadeh 57,90+2, 90+7 OG 90+5
Headcount: 65
Admission: Season Ticket
Mileage: 38/5,062

ADDED TIME DESPAIR
Tonbridge Angels Under-18’s suffered heartbreak as three goals in added time saw them exit the Champion of Champions playoffs.

Leading 2-0 at half-time, there was a sense that the third goal in the tie was going to be pivotal and when it went to the visitors, Burgess Hill Town, the second half unraveled in dramatic fashion.

Skipper and central defensive lynchpin, Ed Dyer, needed to be substituted due to illness and, in a moment of uncharacteristic madness, Lucas Kernan saw red handing the visitors the initiative to launch their stunning comeback.

Manager Dom Welsh: “Everything went wrong in the second half, losing Ed (Dyer), the sending off, but no excuses, these things happen and we wish Burgess Hill good luck in the final.”

The Angels couldn’t have asked for a better start, going ahead after just two minutes when a cross from River Ballach evaded Robert Penman at the near post but fell invitingly for Callum Fincham to lash home.

Jacob Hunt made a good save from Burgess Hill’s Luca Oliva as the visitors looked for an immediate response but it was the Angels who were comfortably controlling the game and went two-up in the 22nd minute when good movement between Mackenzie Richardson and Ballach saw the ball pulled back for Dani Sulavari to score.

The search for a third goal saw efforts from Fiachra Pritchard and Nathaniel Waul saved whilst a header from Dyer drifted wide.

In the closing minutes of the first half, Burgess Hill served notice that they were far from out of the game with a shot from Eddie Jimenez that rattled the crossbar; Hunt saving from Xander Silverthorne and a miraculous goal line clearance from George Vassilev.

A defensive reshuffle was required as Dyer needed to be replaced, but the chances came again as Fincham, Penman, Richardson and Vassilev peppered the visitors goal.

But on 57 minutes, a goalkeeping error allowed Burgess Hill an open goal gratefully accepted.

Penman was sent clear but denied by good goalkeeping from Jake Rhodes and on 77 minutes, the lively Bardia Golabzadeh struck the post.

Kernan was shown a red card for retaliation with 10 minutes remaining and it became backs to the wall as Burgess Hill threw everything forward in search of an equaliser that seemed inevitable.

But the clock had ticked into seven minutes of added time when the resistance was finally broken with a surging run and cross from Jimenez was headed home by Golabzadeh.

Two minutes later, an own goal saw the ball spin past a wrong footed Hunt and, in the very final act, Golabzadeh cemented a fine performance with a fourth goal.

A quick turnaround to Wednesday’s Kent Intermediate Cup Final doesn’t allow the Angels youngsters time to dwell on what might have been’s but for the fourth time the Champion of Champions has eluded them.