Omar Rowe’s excellent goal eight minutes from time extended Tonbridge Angels’ winless home record as Hemel Hempstead Town claimed all three points.

After an eventful first half in which both teams were reduced to ten men, half time substitutions meant that both teams went for one up front and clear cut chances were at a premium.

Coming into the game the Tudors had a similar record to the Angels with all their successes coming on the road so the game followed the form guide.

Loanee Nathan Cooper headed wide from a free kick for Hemel early on before Jonathan Henly struggled with a corner but the Angles defence cleared the danger at the cost of a corner. Khale Da Costa had the Angels’ first effort but shot wide from twenty yards.

Seventeen minutes had passed when Tonbridge went ahead. Rian Bray knocked down a free kick for Tom Parkinson to fire inside the far post. Unfortunately for the Angels, their lead only lasted for four minutes. Parkinson was adjudged to have brought down Bernard Christie in the penalty area and Jonathan Lacey sent Henly the wrong way from the spot.

Sonny Miles didn’t connect properly with a shot and it went wide after Da Costa’s free kick was half cleared before a wild and uncontrolled lunge by Tom Beere resulted in him being sent off and the Angels reduced to ten five minutes before the break.

Tommy Wood headed wide for Tonbridge before Lacey’s shot for the Tudors looked destined for the net but Henly made a great save. Christie then fired over before it became ten a-side. Having already been cautioned, Luke Pennell brought down Da Costa in first half stoppage time. The referee consulted his assistant before raising a second yellow card, and a red.

Early in the second half, a Da Costa free kick was turned around the post unconvincingly by Dean Snedker then an angled cross by Ben Greenhalgh was just too high for Parkinson and he was unable  to guide his header goalwards. D’Sean Theobalds went on a good run but shot wide.

Da Costa continued to look a threat but although his shot took a deflection, it was not enough to bother Snedker.

It was then Hemel’s turn to enjoy some possession and Reggie Young let fly from twenty-five yards  only to see it come out off the far post. Having just come on as a substitute, Rowe went on a run but fired just beyond the post.

Kyle Ajayi had a low shot saved then Liam McDevitt headed across the face of goal before Rowe scored the winner. He was allowed a run at goal and a shot unchallenged and he made no mistake from the edge of the box.

Looking for an immediate response Da Costa cut in from the right and shot. Snedker made an excellent save but it came out to Javaun Splatt. As he shaped to shoot, McDevitt and Snedker combined to keep him out and both the Tonbridge striker and the Hemel goalkeeper we re left in a heap. Eventually, Splatt recovered and was able to continue however, Snedker could not. Although the Tudors had a goalkeeper, Danny Boness, on the bench they had already used their three substitutes so Luke Howells donned the goalkeeper shirt.

Although seven additional minutes were played, Tonbridge were unable to make their numerical advantage count and test Howells and only James Folkes managed to get a shot away but Chris Paul  was on hand to block in front of the makeshift keeper.

Steve McKimm’s team are again at home on Tuesday, against Concord Rangers, and will be looking for a quick bounce back.

Tonbridge Angels: Henly, Folkes, Campbell, Parkinson, Miles, Bray, Da Costa, Beere, Wood (Theobalds 46), Splatt, Greenhalgh (Turner 61) Subs not used: Ratti, Kaiser, Shaw.

Goalscorers: Parkinson (17)

Yellow cards: Wood

Red cards: Beere

Hemel Hempstead Town: Snedker, Scott-Morris, Pennell, Howells, McDevitt, Cooper, Evans (Mantom 46), Paul, Christie, Lacey (Rowe 71), Young (Ajayi 74). Subs not used: Kinnane, Boness. 

Goalscorers: Lacey pen (21), Rowe (82)

Yellow cards: Pennell, Scott-Morris

Red cards: Pennell

Referee: Aji Ajibola

Assistants: Alex Matheson and Tom Powell