Tonbridge Angels won at a canter in their relegation battle as play off hopefuls Chippenham Town put in a disappointing performance.

Tonbridge did not need to be at their best but with all the other teams down the bottom winning this was an important victory.

The game started with Tonbridge on the front foot & in the 2^nd minute Joe turner was put through & from 18 yards his shot went just past the post. In the 11^th minute Tonbridge took the lead in bizarre circumstances, Tom Beere floated his free kick into the area where Tom Wood found himself on his own beating Chippenham’s attempt at offside & from 10 yards steadied himself & shot past Will Henry.

In the 16^th minute Chippenham’s Callum Gunner went down under a fair challenge & eventually was carried off the pitch on a stretcher, this did not help Chippenham’s plan as they had to make a substitution early. 

Tonbridge were now enjoying a lot of possession & in the 32^nd minute Adrian Coombes on the left received the ball & laid it back into the path of Turner & from 20 yards his shot went just wide. As the half time whistle went it was Tonbridge who did not want it while it was a chance for the Chippenham manager to get his team up for it.

The second half started with Chippenham in charge & in the 48^th minute Joe Hanks 6 yards out received the ball & his shot was saved by Jon Henly then two minutes later Oluwasegun Lawal found himself on his own 15 yards out & his chipped shot went agonisingly close to the post.

Tonbridge finally got going in the 57^th minute when Coombes, Tom Wood & turner combined leaving Turner in the area & his shot was saved by the onrushing Henry’s legs.

In the 60^th minute Tonbridge doubled their lead when a Beere free kick taken near the corner was floated in & unfortunately for Chippenham Hanks headed into his own net under pressure from Coombes.

Tonbridge continued to be the better side & in the 75^th minute it could have been three when a corner into the area was cleared but knocked back into the area where James Taylor was & from 8 yards out his shot was superbly saved by Henry on the goal line.

The rest of the game petered out & when the final whistle went Longmead erupted as they knew how important this victory was for their team’s safety.

        TONBRIDGE ANGELS:

1. J.HENLY  18. J.FIELDING  3. C.BRAHAM-BARRETT  4. T.BEERE (82)   5. S.MILES  6. T.PARKINSON 7. J.TAYLOR  8. T.PERKINS  9. T.WOOD (89)   10. A.COOMBES (74)

SUBS USED: 19. I.OLUTADE (74)  14. D.LOFT  16. J.EMBERY (89)

SUBS NOT USED: 12. J.O’SULLIVAN  17. H.HUDSON

BOOKINGS: 5. S.MILES (6)  10. A.COOMBES (55)

       CHIPPENHAM TOWN:

1.    W.HENRY    3. D.GREENSLADE  4. S.HAMILTON  5. K.PARSLLE  7. A.D’ABADIA (69)  8. C.GUNNER (19) 9. J.YOUNG     11. A.BRAY (75)  13. J.HANKS  17. M.DABRE  19. L.RUSSE

SUBS USED: 18. O.LAWAL (19)  14. N.COPPIN (69)  12. H.LEA (75)

SUBS NOT USED: 

BOOKINGS:  3. D.GREENSLADE (10)  19. L.RUSSE (59)  18. O.LAWAL (81)

REFEREE: Mr A.FARMER

ASSISTANTS: Mr D’URSO & Mr S.HAWKES

ATTENDANCE: 700