Tonbridge Angels 2 : Basingstoke Town 3
It was certainly a case of Angels Delight for the Dragons as Frank Gray’s side extended their unbeaten run to 12 games in Kent on Saturday (October 22), with league leaders Woking being the last side to beat Town at the start of the season.
The class of 2011/12 have now equalled the run set by Ernie Howe’s cup heroes of 1996 and it will not be lost on Gray’s men what an important week they have ahead with a double header against Staines culminating in the FA cup game on Saturday that will put one of the sides into the first round proper draw.
Niggling injuries to Tim Sills and Delano Sam-Yorke saw the former left out of the side and the latter on the bench for the trip to Tonbridge, with Rob Gradwell starting and leading the attack.
Conditions were not ideal for the Dragons, a dry bumpy pitch and a swirling wind made a passing game difficult but the visitors adapted well and took the game to their opponents producing more fine flowing football which has been a trademark of the season so far.
Both sides had early chances, the hosts winning a second minute corner and forward Ade Olurunda forcing a fine save from Ashley Bayes tipping the ball over the bar.
Four minutes later Wes Daly floated in a long free kick, Jay Gasson rose above everyone and flicked the ball bound for the top of the net but Angels ‘keeper Lee Worgan was quick to react and made a save equally impressive as his opposite number at the other end. Both teams had laid down the marker, a point was not going to be enough and an attacking game was in prospect.
Eight minutes in, Daly surprised the home defence when he went for goal with a free kick from distance going just wide with his effort. At the other end Kayne McLaggon got a shot in; a regulation save for Bayes. The benefit of a ‘keeper of the quality of Bayes was not lost on the large contingent of travelling fans when on the quarter hour he made a good low save from Olurunda following a home free kick.
Town upped the tempo and on 21 minutes Gradwell fired badly over following good work on the right set the striker up for a chance. The home side had a slice of luck a couple of minutes later as Town piled on the pressure, a great ball in from Sean McAuley saw Gradwell’s shot saved by Worgan, Daly’s rebound cleared off the line by Ben Andrews and another effort blocked before McAuley blasted over the bar.
It was only a matter of time, though, and on 26 minutes the goal game in an unusual way. Town had forced a number of early corners shared by McAuley and Matt Warner and it was McAuley who took this one, and with Worgan caught underneath it the ball floated into the far corner untouched.
On the half hour Nathan Smart made a good run down the right and crossed but could not find one of his team mates, Worgan pushed the ball away and the home side cleared the danger. Daly floated in another of his dangerous free kicks and Gradwell flicked on but a comfortable save for Worgan.
Just before the half time break Town failed to defend and allowed the League’s leading scorer Frannie Collin to get in behind but under pressure he scuffed his effort wide.
Half Time - Tonbridge Angels 0 : Basingstoke Town 1With Town defending into the sun, the second half was only seven minutes old when Warner was harshly adjudged to have handled the ball on the edge of the area. Bayes took care in assembling the wall but he could do nothing as Collin stepped up and placed the ball just inside the post to his right.
Town’s response was swift and decisive as the Angels lead lasted just two minutes. Smart had a decent game and was strong down the right cutting in and his effort on goal appeared to take a deflection passed Worgan and off of the far post, the home ‘keeper desperately clawing the ball back but the assistant referee signalled that the ball had crossed the line.
The dragons could have extended the lead on the hour when Gradwell headed wide from a Warner corner.
Town made a change on 68 minutes with Sam-Yorke replacing Gradwell and two minutes later the hosts made their first of three changes with former Town player Rob Kember coming on for captain Scott Kinch.
Kember’s intention was revealed immediately, earning a booking for a very poor challenge on Sam-Yorke after only two minutes on the field, prompting the visiting fans calling the referee to show red. Fortunately Sam-Yorke recovered from the challenge and was able to continue. Pratt had an effort blocked at the far post and Stuart Lake turned in the box but could not find the target.
Town’s third goal was sublime, Sam-Yorke won the ball back in his own half and a good run down the right found Pratt who continued moving forward lifting a fine pass over a defender to McAuley on the other side of goal who chested the ball down before calmly finishing the move.
As the home fans streamed out of the ground that should have been that but ‘Stoke made life difficult for themselves as the match entered time added on. A fine cross from substitute Chris Henry found centre-back Sonny Miles at the far post who headed home from close range. In injury time Kember was dismissed for a second yellow card following a foul on McAuley.
Town dug in well to gain another valuable three points and remain in fifth place and Manager Frank Gray praised the quality of his side despite starting the game without two main strikers, stating that in previous seasons this would probably have been a game that his side would not have won.
There is a hard week ahead for the Dragons with (October 24) Staines Town at home in the League which will see one third of the League fixtures completed and the same opposition at home in the FA cup on Saturday 3.00 p.m. kick-off.
The pressure is on both sides as Staines languish in the bottom three and urgently need to kick-start their season if they are not to be drawn into a relegation threatened season, and the FA cup will be a 90 minute shoot out with not only a £12,000 prize on the game but possibly a lucrative first round tie for the winners. It does not get much better than this.
Town: Bayes, Smart, Little, Parmenter, Gasson, Lake, Daly, McAuley, Gradwell (Sub Sam-Yorke 68 min), Pratt, Warner. Subs: (not used) Ogunbote. Dunn, Rice, Morris
