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| Saturday, 16 August, 2003: Dr Martens League Eastern Division. Fleet Town 1-2 Tonbridge Angels Tonbridge secured three points on the opening day of the season despite a nervy last few minutes spent clinging on to a narrow 2-1 lead. This was in stark contrast to a first half dominated by an Angels side full of energy and commitment, attacking at a frantic pace but finding it difficult to finish their chances. Fleet goalkeeper Steve May was the main thorn in the side of Tonbridge, making the first of several important saves early in the first half. Hamid Barr ran the defence ragged with his trickery and his deep cross was cleared only as far as Peter Overton, who chested the ball down and saw his volley tipped wide by May. The pressure continued to build and Barr and Overton linked up again with a neat one-two, this time it was Barr who had his shot parried wide by the impressive May. The resultant corner was cleared to Barnes, who saw May tip over his fierce volley. Tonbridge continued to camp in the Fleet half with Barr seeing a shot deflected out of play and Luke Piscina heading a cross straight at the keeper. Finally the dominance told on 29 minutes as Nick Barnes, in a rare wing-back role, made a charging run into the box and was pulled down by a Fleet defender. Barr duly converted from the spot. The home side finally made their mark on the game in the closing minutes of the first half when a counter-attack resulted in Jamie Turner having to turn wide a powerful left-footed shot. However there was still time for the Angels to have another attempt on goal, in one of the best moves of the game Luke Piscina won the ball on the right-wing, evaded a tackle and found Sam Tydeman who curled his shot onto the outside of the post. The lack of a cutting edge up front showed most when another pacey attack saw Hamid Barr receive the ball in the area, but instead of shooting Barr tried to round the keeper and roll the ball in the net, Barr lost his footing and the ball rolled out of play. On 56 minutes Fleet won a free kick 30 yards out from goal and the Angels' defence failed to clear it, Shaun Hale ghosting in at the back post to head home. This seemed to panic Tonbridge, the flowing attacking moves of the first half were being rushed and passes being misplaced far more often. Alan Walker brought on Brendon Cass in place of Piscina on 64 minutes, for Cass' first taste of competitive football since his leg injury ten months ago. Within a minute Cass had made an impact, winning a free kick on the left-wing after being fouled from behind. This was Tonbridge's best set-piece of the day as Ray Powell flicked on Barr's kick, yet somehow goalkeeper May got a hand to it to tip wide. Cass scored the winner after only being on the pitch three minutes. Hamid Barr rounded two defenders and shot on goal, the ball was deflected and May could only get a hand to it, Cass in typical goal-poaching mood pounced to put the Angels back in front. Andy Larkin, who had an excellent game at the back, almost doubled the lead straight away but his header from a Tydeman corner bounced off the post and Fleet somehow scrambled the ball away once again. The home side grew in confidence and now began looking to snatch an equaliser, but despite the final nervy minutes of pressure on the Tonbridge goal we held on for the first points of the season. Report by: Dan Couldridge |
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