Clapton went ahead after just 20 seconds, but Tonbridge recovered to win an entertaining Westview Ryman League Cup tie with late goals from Darren Smith and sub Tony Dolby.

Dobla adopted the now customary selection policy for the League Cup, with the majority of the available first choice squad either rested or starting on the bench. Matt Hollyoak, Phil Cramp, Ollie Miles and Ian Parkes all got starts, with Mike Cramp and Darren Smith returning from injury lay-offs.

Our Division 2 opponents from East London were a largely unknown quantity, but quickly proved they would be no pushovers - Gray latching smartly onto a flick-on in their first attack, and giving Czannar no chance with a left foot drive from 15 yards which went in off the inside of the post. The Angels regrouped and began to play some attractive, probing, pass-and-move football which penned the visitors back for extended periods. Luke Piscina hit the bar from 20 yards on 8 minutes but the 'Tons showed they could still be dangerous themselves, Johnson's volley flashing just wide of Czannar's goal.

Clapton lost arguably their best player with just 15 minutes gone. Baron Charlery lunged late at Craig Roser, injured his right knee in the process and had to be stretchered off - sent on his way with a yellow card for the challenge. Tonbridge maintained the pressure. Clapton worked hard and defended well, but the leveller came on 42 minutes when Phil Cramp alertly nicked a back-header away from 'keeper Ashley Harris and brought the ball under control before tucking his shot home from a narrow angle.

The second half saw a heavy mist descend on Longmead. Danny Lye and Warren Haughton were introduced early on, and Lye's curled free-kick on 59 minutes was just about kept out by Harris, who seemed to see it late. Clapton persisted with their main tactic of trying to hit the speedy Gray with long balls down the middle, and it nearly paid off again when Shaw's wayward back pass nearly let Gray in, Czannar having to block at full stretch.

Tonbridge took the lead with 11 minutes left, and a fine goal it was too. Hollyoak got away down the right after a nice interchange of passes with Haughton and swung over a perfect cross, man-of-the-match Smith making no mistake with the header from six yards. The Angels began to dominate a tiring Clapton side, with Haughton causing all sorts of problems, and the visitors goal led a charmed life in the final ten minutes. The tie was finally sealed in stoppage time when Dolby skipped through a couple of challenges on the edge of the box and calmly shot beyond Harris from 15 yards.

Report by: Tony Browne

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