Tonbridge Angels huffed & puffed & showed some good effort but eventually lost to a Met Police side that moved up to sixth in the table with an efficient performance.
The game started with Tonbridge on the attack & in the 5th minute a Tommy Whitnell corner was flicked on by Jerome Sobers & landed at Dee Okojie feet & his curling effort from 15 yards went just over the bar.
Met Police then had a glorious chance to take the lead when in the 8th minute Elliott Taylor on the right crossed into the area where Tom Hadler punched it out but only to Nick Ahamed but from 15 yards with no one near him dragged his shot wide.
Tonbridge had another half chance in the 14th minute when a corner was half cleared to Chris Piper who volleyed goal wards but Stuart Searle saved it. Met Police had the next chance in this end to end game when in the 17th minute Taylor’s cross to the back post found Ryan James 15 yards out & his shot went just past the post.
Four minutes later James had another chance when Taylor’s cross was flicked & his header went past the post.
Chances were now coming quickly for the Police as in the 24th minute Ahamed’s free kick into the area found Bradley Hudson-Odoi but header went wide, then two minutes later James saw his free kick from 20 yards go over the bar.
In the 31st minute Tonbridge had a half chance when Okojie won the ball 30 yards out ran forward & then passed into the path of Marvin Williams but from 18 yards his shot hit the stand this would be their last chance of the half.
Four minutes later and Met Police took the lead when Will Salmon on the right swung the ball into the area & it came out to Hudson-Odoi 15 yards out & he cut inside & saw his shot beat Hadler & nestle in the back of the net.
It was nearly two in the 39th minute when Taylor running forward saw his shot from 25 yards tipped around the post by Hadler for a corner. The half time whistle went & again Tonbridge would need to be better if they were going to get anything out of this game.
The second half was only a minute old when disaster struck as a Salmon cross into the area was met by a powerful header from James that beat Hadler.
Tonbridge were stunned by this but instead of feeling sorry for themselves tried valiantly to get back into the game, in the 49th minute James Folkes running down the right wing got his cross into the back post where Tom Parkinson was but his shot from 15 yards under pressure was easily saved by Searle.
A minute later a Chris Piper free kick into the area was met by Sobers forcing Searle to tip over the bar.
Another half chance came 5 minutes later when Williams outpaced Salmon went into the area but his shot was deflected for a corner.
As the game wore on Police were relying on breakaways & defending deep, in the 73rd minute Folkes running forward place a slide rule pass into the path of Alex Teniola in the area but his shot under pressure went wide & two minutes later a Piper free kick into the area found Lawrence Ball but his header was easily save by Searle.
The rest of the game was pretty non-descript as both sides in different guises did not cause either keepers to make a save.
TONBRIDGE ANGELS:
- HADLER 2. J.FOLKES 3. J.PARTER 4. C.PIPER 5. J.SOBERS (60) 6. L.BALL 7. F.TAVARES (60) 8. T.PARKINSON 9. M.WILLIAMS 10. T.WHITNELL 11. D.OKOJIE (77)
SUBS USED: 12. A.TENIOLA (60) 16. J.BIVIO (60) 15. R.GRENIDGE (77)
SUBS NOT USED: 14. C.SLOCOMBE 17. L.CAREY
BOOKINGS: 8. T.PARKINSON (18) 7. F.TAVARES (25) 16. J.BRIVIO (62) 9.M.WILLIAMS (71)
MET POLICE:
- SEARLE 2. W.SALMON 3. J.LOVETT 4. B.CROOK 5. S.SUMERLAND 6. R.BARTLEY 7. E.TAYLOR 8. R.JAMES 9. D.BOWN (60) 10. N.AHAMED (60) 11. HUDSON –ODOI (83)
SUBS USED: 14. C.COLLINS (60) 15. M.PATTISON (60) 12. R.JOHNSON (83)
SUBS NOT USED: 16. N.EITA 17. S.TARR
BOOKINGS: 6.R.BARTLEY (50)
REFEREE: Mr A. MOODY
ASSISTANTS: Mr M. MARSH & Mr N. JAMES
ATTENDANCE: 407