Phoenix Sports kept their unbeaten record in the Trophy going & nearly snatched a great victory against higher league opposition.

They can commiserate with themselves after playing well & making their supporters proud of their effort as in the programme it was stated that 5 years ago they were in the Kent County League whilst Tonbridge were in the Conference South, now only 1 league separates them.

The game started on a positive slant for Tonbridge as in the 4^th minute Lee Carey’s cross was flicked on by Nathan Elder for Luke Blewden who went into the area & saw his shot from 12 yards smothered by Steve Phillips.

Two minutes later Nick Wheeler got to the by-line before crossing to the edge of the area where fellow winger Charlie Webster was but his shot went over the bar. Phoenix Sports were probably guilty of giving Tonbridge too much respect & it took then until the 15^th minute to cause a problem when Adem Ramadan latched onto a through ball on the left & saw Anthony Di Bernado come flying out of which he twisted & turned beating him eventually but his shot went over the bar.

Elder was winning most balls in the air & in the 23^rd minute Nick Wheeler on the left crossed into the area for him but he headed over the bar. Two minutes later Di Bernardo saved Tonbridge when a quick free was taken to Harrison Carnegie who beat Jack Parter went into the area & saw his shot pushed around the post by him.

Another chance came Tonbridge’s way in the very next minute when Parter’s cross found Wheeler but his shot was deflected past the post & from the resulting corner Elder 8 yards out on his own headed over the bar.

Phoenix suddenly took the lead in the 30^th minute when Helge Orome running forward & from halfway a beautiful through ball found Ramadan who ran into the area unopposed & slid the ball past De Bernardo. Phoenix were now gaining confidence & in the 35^th Ricky Freeman on the left cut inside & passed to Alistair Gordon whose shot from 15 yards was deflected for a corner.

In the 42^nd minute Tonbridge could have equalised when good play between Wheeler, Parter & Webster saw Webster 20 yards out & his shot went over the bar. In added on time Phoenix could have increased their lead when a free kick to the back post saw Captain Chris Hill appear & his header went just over the bar.

The half time whistle went & all around the ground the thought was could there be a giant killing.

The second half started with Tonbridge going forward & in the 47^th minute a Carey free kick 25 yards out flew just past the post. This seemed to galvanise Phoenix into action as in the 53^rd minute they nearly went two up when Freeman passed to Ramadan who cut inside & saw his shot pushed around the post for a corner.

In the 55^th minute Tonbridge equalised when a Luke Blewden long throw into the area saw Phillips go for it but just get a nick on it & Sonny Miles 8 yards out acrobatically clipped it into the empty net.

Everyone thought that Tonbridge would now go on & win but Phoenix had other ideas as in the 57^th minute Ramadan running from halfway on a counter attack passed out wide to fellow winger to Carnegie whose first time shot forced Di Bernardo to parry away.

Two minutes later another chance came when Freeman on the left beat James Folkes & then passed into the path of Gordon but his shot went over the bar.

The game was now getting open with both teams having chances & a minute later a Wheeler cross found Elder but his header was easily saved by Di Bernardo.

In the 68^th minute Phoenix should have scored when Parter’s header back to Di Bernardo went over him & Freeman latched onto it & ran towards the empty net & he was just about to walk it in when Folkes appeared & got back & blocked it & conceded a corner.

Freeman nearly made up for his miss when his free kick from 30 yards centrally went just past the post. Tonbridge then had Miles stretched off in the 87^th minute when he went into a tackle with Jason Goodchild & came out worse with a leg injury.

The last chance of the game came in the 90^th+3 minutes of added on time when a long ball forward caught the Tonbridge defence out & Christie Pattison latched onto it in the area but his touch let him down & it was cleared.

The replay will be Tuesday night at Longmead.

 

PHOENIX SPORTS:

1. PHILLIPS 2. H.OROME  3. R.HAMILL  4. A.GORDON (80)  5. L.MINGLE  6. C.HILL  7. H.CARNEGIE 8. J.GOODCHILD 9. R.FREEMAN  10. G.FAKINOS  11. A.RAMADAN

SUBS USED: 12. C.PATTISON (80)

SUBS NOT USED: 14. S.SPRINGETT  15. S.WHIBLY  16. R.ANDREWS  17. J.MINGLE

BOOKINGS: 8. J.GOODCHILD

 

TONBRIDGE ANGELS:

1. DI BERNARDO 2. J.FOLKES  3. J.PARTER  4. L.CAREY  5. L.BALL  6. S.MILES (87)  7. C.WEBSTER 8. A.RIVIERE 9. N.ELDER  10. L.BLEWDEN (61)  11. N.WHEELER

SUBS USED: 12. E.BROWN (61)  14. J.SOBERS (87)

SUBS NOT USED: 15. T.PARKINSON  16. S.McKIMM

BOOKINGS; 7. C.WEBSTER (73)

 

REFEREE: Mr N.DUNN

ASSISTANTS:  Mr O.BUTCHER  &  Mr M.MARSH

ATTENDANCE: 244