Tonbridge Angels lost their unbeaten record but still stay top of the table, this was not one of their best performances but credit must go to Stortford especially as they played with 10 men for the last 25 minutes & could have been worse as a few people thought the referee had booked another of their players twice but the player concerned stayed on.

Bishops Stortford came out of the traps the quickest as in the 6^th minute Jack Thomas crossed into the area where Alfie Mason flicked on for Ryan Charles who 8 yards out on the angle fired home.

In the 17^th minute a mix up in the Tonbridge defence allowed Jake Cass in but his shot from 10 yards went wide a minute later Tonbridge woke up & had their first half chance when Callum Adonis-Taylor crossed into the area where Tommy Whitnell met it but headed just over the bar.

Another half chance came six minutes later when Alex Reid chased a through ball & his low cross found Whitnell who turned & shot across the area. Stortford came back & in the 30^th minute Cass beat three defenders before unleashing a curling shot from 20 yards which went just past the post.

In the 39^th minute Tonbridge had a glorious chance to equalise when in a breakaway Alex Read & Joe Turner combined with each other & then Turner on his own 20 yards out shot well over the bar.

Half time was getting close & right on it Stortford increased their lead when another mix up in the Tonbridge defence allowed Cass to capitalise on it & from 20 yards shot past Jonathan Henly. This would have changed the team talks in both camps.

The second half was only 5 minutes old when Stortford nearly increased their lead when Charles running forward put Cass in the clear but his shot from the angle went across the area.

In the 54^th minute Tonbridge nearly equalised when a corner by Joe Turner to the back post hit Tom Parkinson’s leg forcing Calum Kitscha to save. In the 60^th minute Stortford went further ahead when Ruel Sotiriou on the right wing passed inside for Cass & from an acute angle his shot rebounded back to him & then from 3 yards he smashed it into the net.

In the 65^th minute Johnville Renner was sent off for his second booking. In the 72^nd minute Tonbridge pulled a goal back when Parkinson’s cross to the back post found Adem Ramadan who from 8 yards shot home. In the 76^th minute Tonbridge thought they had scored another when a long ball forward found Jarod Small in space on his own & from 15 yards his shot hit the cross bar & went over.

In the 87^th minute a cross to the back post found Turner but his header was saved by Kitscha . A minute later they did score when a corner was half cleared to Arthur Lee who smacked it in from 20 yards, game on could Tonbridge get a third & keep their impressive record going & in the 90^th+2 Ramadan saw his shot saved by Kitscha.

The final whistle went & Tonbridge’s impressive start to the season came to an end & their lead cut to three points.

 

TONBRIDGE ANGELS:

1. HENLY 2. C.ADONIS-TAYLOR (52)  3. L.SMITH   4. C.STONE  5. S.MILES  6. A.LEE  7. A.RAMADAN 8. T.PARKINSON 9. A.READ (61) 10. T.WHITNELL (61)  11. J.TURNER

SUBS USED:  12. J.SMALL (52)  14. L.KING (61)  15. J.RICHARDS (61)

SUBS NOT USED: 16. S.COPELAND

BOOKINGS:  6. A.LEE (89)

 

BISHOPS STORTFORD:

1. KITSCHA 2. J.WESCOTT   3. C.GREGAN  4. J.THOMAS  5. S.ROBBINS (45)  6. I.NKOSI   7. R.CHARLES (67) 8. J.RENEE 9. J.CASS 10. R.SOTIRIOU   11. A.MASON (45)

SUBS USED:  12. T.ADEYEMI (45)   17. J.CURETON (45)  15. L.DARK (69)

SUBS NOT USED:  14. D.HUMPHREYS   16. L.BYRNE-HEWITT

BOOKINGS:  8. J.RENEE (52 & 65)   12. T.ADEYEMI (64)

 

REFEREE:  Mr J.STOKES

ASSISTANTS:  Mr. G.LOWE  &  Mr R.JOSS

ATTENDANCE: 517