Tonbridge Angels moved up to third place after this draw against second place Havant & Waterlooville.

They defended for their lives & had a bit of luck on the way but in the end deserved the point which could have been three.

The game started with Tonbridge on top & in the 12^th minute they nearly scored when Luke Allen’s cross from the left was headed goal wards by Nathan Elder only for Ryan Young push it on to the post but a minute later to the delight of the home crowd they went in front when Alex Akrofi was put through & from 15 yards he stroked the ball past Young.

Ten minutes later Bradley Tarbuck received the ball on the right side on his own & from 20 yards his shot went just past the post.

In the 38^th minute came the luck for Tonbridge when a free kick into their area saw the ball bounce about the area two yards from goal before a fortunate decision by the referee who gave a free kick even though it looked to be the other way & a penalty but Tonbridge will say that they deserve a bit of luck.

The second half started with Tonbridge on the attack & in the 48^th minute Nick Wheeler saw his snapshot go just past the post.  Havant were throwing everything at Tonbridge & in the 57th minute Alfie Rutherford received the ball in the area & his shot was pushed away for a corner by Tony Di-Bernardo.

As the minutes ticked down Tonbridge were defending for their lives & relying on breakaways whilst Havant kept plugging away & in the 82^nd minute they equalised when Ben Swallow’s free kick taken wide on the right wing curled in evading everyone but Di-Bernardo in his infinite wisdom decided to go for it but he only palmed it into the path of prolific striker Jason Prior who from 2 yards knocked in.

The final whistle went & both sides can come off the pitch delighted they haven’t lost.

 

TONBRIDGE ANGELS:

1. DI-BERNARDO 2. J.FOLKES  3. J.PARTER  4. T.PARKINSON  5. U.UDOGI  6. T.PHIPP   7. A.AKROFI (71)  8. L.ALLEN 9. N.ELDER 10. L.BLEWDEN  11. N.WHEELER

SUBS USED:  12. A.McCOLLIN

SUBS NOT USED:  15. D.THOMPSON  16. T.WHITNELL  19. S.COPELAND

BOOKINGS: NONE

 

HAVANT & WATERLOOVILLE:

1. YOUNG 2. D.STRUGNELL (9)  3. R.WILLIAMS  4. M.CARTER (81)  5. R.WOODFORD  6. E.HARRIS  7. W.FOGDEN 8. T.LEWIS 9.J.PRIOR  10. A.RUTHERFORD (61)  11. B.TARBUCK

SUBS USED: 15. M.PATERSON (9) 12. L.MOLYNEAUX (61)   17. B.SWALLOW (81)

SUBS NOT USED: 14. J.HAYTER  16. G.BAKER

BOOKINGS: 8. T.LEWIS (38)  6. E.HARRIS (68)  9. J.PRIOR (78)

 

REFEREE: Mr D.BANDARA

ASSISTANTS:  Mr O.BENTLEY & Mr P.GREENFIELD

ATTENDANCE: 408