Tonbridge Angels bowed out of the FA Trophy after losing to Southern League Cirencester Town but most people will say that the weather was the winner as the wind & rain made it difficult for both teams.

The game started with Cirencester starting the quicker & within seconds of the start Matt Liddiard saw his 20 yard strike pushed away by Anthony De Bernardo & then cleared, but three minutes later they did take the lead when Ben Hooper just in Tonbridge’s half played a defence splitting pass that sent Zak Kotwica through on goal & his shot beat the onrushing DeBernardo.

In the 11^th minute Kotwica’s corner into the area was headed backwards by Jerome Sobers forcing De Bernado to tip over the bar. In the 17^th minute it was level as Jack Parter got down the right & his cross into the six yard box was met by Nathan Elder who headed into the bottom left hand corner.

The game up to half time became very static as both sides did not create any worthwhile chances as the weather seemed to get the better of them & then with two minutes before the break the referee Mr Greg Reed stopped the game & spoke to both managers saying that he might abandon the game due to the worsening conditions but in the end common sense prevailed & he played on.

Right on half time Elder passed inside the full back for Anthony Riviere but his shot from an acute angle was saved by Glyn Evans legs.

Half time arrived & within minutes the referee & his assistants came out onto the pitch to see if the pitch was playable, at this junction everyone in the ground thought he would abandon it but this time he proved us wrong & let the game carry on.

The second half took a while to get going & then in the 59^th minute Ollie Knight on the left cut inside & passed into the path of Hooper who’s shot from 20 yards was tipped over the bar by DeBernardo.

Three minutes later James Folkes running forward passed to Elder who then laid it into the path of Nick Wheeler on the left wing & his cross shot was pushed away by Garner.

In the 72^nd minute The Centurions took the lead in the most fortuitous manor, when Kotwica saw his free kick from 30 yards curl into the area & then into the top right hand corner surprising everyone in the ground especially Kotwica.

Tonbridge for the rest of the game had numerous chances to take the game back to Gloucestershire, in the 76^th minute Parter saw his cross into the area miscued over the bar by Leigh Henry, in the 84^th minute Wheeler’s cross was punched clear by Garner but only to Dave Fitzpatrick who then crossed back into the area for Tom Parkinson but his header went over the bar.

With time running out another chance came in the 90^th minute when Wheeler got to the by-line & his cross was half cleared to Elder whose shot from 20 yards was deflected for a corner. In the first minute off added on time Wheeler’s corner was met by Sobers head but Hooper cleared of the line.

The last chance of the game came in the 3^rd minute off added time when another Wheeler corner was met by Luke Blewden but he could not direct his header & it went wide of the post. The final whistle finally went & it is Cirencester who keep the dream alive of Wembley.

 

TONBRIDGE ANGELS:

1. DeBERNARDO 2. J.FOWKES   3. J.PARTER   4, T.PARKINSON  5. J.SOBERS 6. L.BALL (79) 7. D.FITZPATRICK 8. A.RIVIERE 9. N.ELDER  10. L.BLEWDEN  11. N.WHEELER

SUBS USED: 12. E.BROWN (79)

SUBS NOT USED: 14. L.CAREY  15. B.MILHAM  16. C.WEBSTER  17. A.McGUIGAN

BOOKINGS:  4. T.PARKINSON (34)  7.D.FITZPATRICK (72)

 

CIRENCESTER TOWN:

1. GARNER 2. S.ANSON  3. E.DUNTON  4. M.PRITCHETT  5. B.HOPER  6. L.HENRY  7. M.LIDDIARD 8. J.MORTIMER-JONES 9. C.GFIFFEN (65)  10. O.KNIGHT (65)  11. Z.KOTWICA (79)

SUBS USED: 14. A.BENNETT (65)  15. C.THOMPSON (65)  12. R.LONGWORTHY (79)

SUBS NOT USED:  16. I.HERRING

BOOKINGS: 4. M.PRITCHETT (30)  7. M.LIDDIARD (38)  3. E.DUNTON (51)

 

REFEREE: Mr G.REED

ASSISTANTS: Mr L.NUNES   &  Mr T.DOWDSWELL

ATTENDANCE: 372