Tonbridge crashed out of the F.A.Cup at Kiln Brow with probably their most inept first half performance of the season & with the loss of the prize money which does help every team.

Redhill had their best gate for at least 10 years & they saw their team produce a performance probably well above their league form but that is what the cup does to you.

The game started with Tonbridge looking the better side with a few half chances when Alex Teniola shot over the bar & Dee Okojie did the same.

Tommy Whitnell had a great chance to score in the 12^th minute when a cross from Okojie found him six yards out but he mistimed his leap & the header was weak & Michael Hunter saved easily.

Redhill looked like they were paying their higher league opposition too much respect but in the 20^th minute it all changed when first Jerome Sobers on the edge of the area lost control & in trying to get the ball back fouled Joe Bingham & from the resulting free kick Sam Butler curled his effort into the back of the net leaving Kyle Merson groping at thin air.

Redhill suddenly believed in themselves & started closing the Tonbridge players down & in the 24^th minute the ball was played out wide to Bingham whose first time pass found Butler in the area but his shot went wide.

It took until the 42^nd minute for Redhill to increase their lead when Tyrone Pink in the area threaded the ball forward for Fiachra McArdle who got to the by-line & his cross to the back post was met by Bingham who from 8 yards smashed the ball home.

The half time whistle went & it had to be said that a neutral watching this game would have said that Redhill were the higher league side as Tonbridge seemed to be a team of strangers but what would the half time team talk be like & would Redhill be able to continue to press & keep up the pressure or would they get tired.

The second half started with Tonbridge on the front foot probably due to the team talk by Steve McKimm when in the 47^th minute a corner into the area caused confusion & when the ball came out to Okojie whose chip went just past the post.

Tonbridge had most of the possession in this half with Redhill relying on breakaways. The next chance came in the 54^th minute when James Folkes on the right cut inside & his shot hit Billy Medlock enabling Hunter to save easily.

On the hour Tonbridge scored when a ball into the area saw Tom Parkinson’s shot from 10 yards superbly palmed away by Hunter but unfortunately his defenders didn’t react quick enough but Medlock did & from 1 yard he headed into the net.

Seven minutes later Parkinson slotted the ball into the area for Medlock & his shot was deflected for a corner. Another chance came in the 68^th min when Whitnell passed to Teniola who flicked it forward for Medlock & his shot from 15 yards was superbly palmed away by Hunter.

In the 77^th minute a corner half cleared was crossed back into the area for Nathan Campbell & his header beat Hunter but not the post as it came out & was cleared.

As time was running out Redhill were struggling as their fitness levels were being tested & then in the third minute of added on time Harrison Tweddell latched onto a long ball in the area & went round Hunter & from an acute angle saw his shot cleared of the line by Rob King.

The final whistle went & so did Tonbridge’s dream of a cup run.

 

REDHILL:

1. HUNTER 2.  B.DUKE  3. R.HILL  4. S HARRIS  5.  J.DIFFORD  6.  J.ANDERSON  7.  T.PINK  8.  T.BOLD
2. S.BUTLER (24) 10.  F.McARDLE (63)  11.  J.BINGHAM (89)

SUBS USED:  12. J.CAMPBELL (24)  17. S.KELLY (63)  15. G.COUSINS (89)

SUBS NOT USED:  14. L.REGEN  16. C.O’FLAHERTY  18. M.ROBINSON  19. A.FAITH

BOOKINGS:  8.T.BOLD (84)

 

TONBRIDGE ANGELS:

1. MERSON 2. J.FOLKES  3. B.KING  4. L.CAREY  5. J.SOBERS (50)  6. J.PARTER  7. A.TENIOLA  8. T.PARKINSON
2. B.MEDLOCK 10. T.WHITNELL 11. D.OKOJIE (86)

SUBS USED:  15. N.CAMPBELL (50)  12. H.TWEDDELL (86)

SUB NOT USED: 14. C.SLOCOMBE

BOOKINGS:  5. J.SOBERS (20)  8. T.PARKINSON (83)

 

REFEREE: Mr M.GOLDSMITH

ASSISTANTS: Mr J.GILHAM  Mr J.COLLUMBELL

ATTENDANCE: 321