Tonbridge Angels held their nerves and won this proverbial six pointer against fellow relegation strugglers AFC Hornchurch and produced their biggest League win of the season.

The game was very open considering the situation both sides found themselves in & it was Tonbridge who had the first chances. In the 8^th minute a Mitchell Pinnock corner into the area saw Tom Parkinson rise but head just wide of the post, then in the 13^th minute another Pinnock corner went to the back post & was retrieved by Tom Parkinson who passed back to Marvin Williams who chipped into the area & was headed sideways by a defender & fell to Jerome Sobers who volleyed home from 8 yards.

Confidence started to grow with the Tonbridge players & three minutes later Billy Medlock received the ball 25 yards out & his first time shot was saved by Sam Mott.

In the 19^th minute Tonbridge & all their supporters thought that they had gone two up when a Pinnock cross into the area was half cleared to Tommy Whitnell just on the edge of the area & his bullet shot beat Mott but cannoned back into play of the crossbar.

In the 21^st minute Hornchurch had their first half chance when a long throw was flicked on & leading goal scorer for them George Purcell latched onto it but his cross shot evaded everyone & went out for a throw.

In the 27^th minute another glorious chance went a begging when Tom Parkinson on halfway threaded the ball through for Medlock but Mott came rushing out of the goal & just beat him to it. Two minutes later & Hornchurch nearly scored when a cross into the area saw Sobers miss it & Tobi Joseph stretching for it just could not make contact & a relieved Billy Bishop ( Tonbridge’s sixth goalkeeper used this year ) held on to it.

In the 33^rd minute another chance came when Whitnell passed out wide for Williams who cut inside & from 15 yards saw his shot ripple the side netting.

Two minutes later it the Urchins turn as a ball into the area found Chris Bourne but from 15 yards he shot wide, in the very next minute Junior Luke saw his shot from 20 yards pushed away by Bishop. Two minutes later it was Tonbridge’s turn as a long ball out found Williams on the right wing & passed to Medlock whose shot from 25 yards was saved by Mott.

The very next minute Frankie Curley in the area beat two defenders & saw his shot saved by Bishop by the near post.

In the 42^nd minute Tonbridge nearly got their second when Whitnell running forward from the edge of his area passed forward to Nathan Elder on the left wing & he cut in & his shot from 18 yards took a wicked deflection which looped towards the back of the net but Mott acrobatically tipped it wide of the post.

Tonbridge got their second goal right on half time when a long throw into the area by Pinnock was headed clear but only to Tom Parkinson who stabbed it into the net from 6 yards.  Psychologically this really lifted Tonbridge while the opposite could be said of Hornchurch.

The second half started with Hornchurch having a right go to try & get back into this game as in the 50^th minute a long throw into the area found Danny Woodards 6 yards out & his shot was superbly saved by Bishop & the loose ball was saw the shot blocked for a corner.

In the 57^th minute Purcell on the right wing saw his low cross into the 6 yard box cleared before Martin Tuohy could get to it.

This woke Tonbridge up & in the 62^nd minute they had a glorious chance when a Pinnock cross to the back post saw Williams head back into the area for Elder who headed just past the post.

In the 69^th minute it was game over as Tonbridge got their third goal when a Pinnock cross into the area saw Elder’s header come back of the post where Medlock controlled it & slammed the ball home.

In the 73^rd minute the Urchins had their best chance of a consolation goal when Kieran Bishop was put through & he saw Bishop race of his line so he chipped it over him & goal wards but Jack Parter got back & cleared.

In the 90^th +2 Tonbridge got their fourth when Elder on the left wing saw his low cross find Royce Greenidge who shot home from 8 yards. The final whistle went & supporters, team & management were overjoyed with the three points which hopefully will help them survive the drop.

 

Tonbridge Angels:

1. BISHOP 2. J.FOWKES  3. J.PARTER  4. M.WILLIAMS (80)  5. J.SOBERS  6. S.COX  7. N.ELDER  8. T.PARKINSON 9. B.MEDLOCK (85) 10. T.WHITNELL (72)  11.  M.PINNOCK

SUBS USED: 16. L.CAREY (72)  14. C.WEBSTER (80)  17. R.GREENIDGE  (85)

SUBS NOT USED:  12. D.OKOJIE  15. D. PARKINSON

BOOKINGS:  10. T.WHITNELL (51)  3. J.PARTER (55)

 

A.F.C.HORNCHURCH:

1. S.MOTT 2. D.WOODARDS   3. B.COYNE  4. D.JOHNSON  5. B.ROAST  6. F.CURLEY  7. J.LUKE (82)  8. T.JOSEPH 9. K.BISHOP 10. G.PURCELL 11. C.BOURNE (45)

SUBS USED:  12. M.TUOHY (45)  15. T.GOGO (82)

SUBS NOT USED: 14. J.MAY  16. E.STYLES  17. C.CHAFER

BOOKINGS:  10. G.PURCELL (55)  7. J.LUKE (66)

 

REFEREE:  Mr S.BUTLER

ASSISTANTS:   Mr R.ALBERT   & Mr S.IDRIS

ATTENDANCE: 464