A nailbiting finish was the fitting end to this entertaining Cup tie at the Pilot Field. Tonbridge had twice been pegged back from one-goal leads by their Sussex hosts before an equaliser and then a defensive error put them 3-2 behind in the last minute of normal time. Ray Powell proved to be the Angels hero capping an excellent individual performance with a 95th minute equaliser, bringing Hastings back to Longmead for Tuesday night's replay.

The home side had the better of the early play but the Angels gradually began to stamp their authority on the match. Ray Powell made a perfect tackle on the right to spark Tonbridge's first worthwhile attack of the game. Leroy Huggins gained possession outside the area and laid off to Dolby who screwed his effort wide. Huggins then crossed in from the left, at the far post Lee Carey attempted a volley and Danny Lye tried to flick it in with his head only to see the ball float wide.

Tonbridge's perseverance paid off and they gained the lead on 35 minutes. The quick thinking Powell took a speedy throw-on from the right finding Warren Haughton who immediately headed for goal. Reaching the byline Haughton sent a low cross over to Lye who fired a side-footed shot into the bottom corner. The joy was short-lived as within two minutes Hastings were level, Ben White scoring the goal latching on to a cross from the right that stand-in goalkeeper Mikhel Czanner had hesitated to deal with. Now it was the home side with a renewed sense of purpose and Tonbridge survived a scare when White's shot from Ade Olorunda's cross was saved well by Czanner, and then from another chance Powell had to be alert to head away off the line from a set-piece. The energetic end to the half was completed when Dolby shot wide when faced with just goalkeeper Sean Thomas to beat after rounding a defender on the edge of the box.

The pace at the start of the second half was much slower but soon picked up after the first Tonbridge subsitution. Darren Smith replaced Haughton and took Powell's position at right-back, and the utility player took up a position in attack. This led to a sequence of chances for the Angels, one of which regained the lead for the visitors. On 63 minutes Tony Dolby had a shot from the edge of the area tipped over the bar, from the corner a Luke Piscina shot was blocked and in the meleé the ball fell to the feet of Huggins who made no mistake. Tony Dolby nearly put the game out of doubt hitting the post from 20 yards out, the player-manager could only direct the rebound inches over the bar.

Tonbridge appeared to sit back after this spell of pressure and Hastings managed to sneak back into the game. On 83 minutes a counter-attack down the right had the Angels on the defensive, but Wes Lopez was unmarked on the left and shot past Czanner on the edge of the area to make it 2-2. With a replay looking ever more likely disaster struck for Tonbridge on 89 minutes. A dreadful free-kick decision at the Hastings end went against Ray Powell, who appeared to be forced out of possession by Stuart Playford. Darren Smith was booked for dissent after his incredulous reaction to the decision, and from the free-kick Tonbridge were caught napping as possession was given away in midfield and Sam Adams made a run towards goal. Firing from 20 yards his shot slithered under the body of the diving Czanner, who could only lay in despair.

The Angels are not a side for giving up easily, however, and in the fifth of eight injury-time minutes Powell, and Czanner, were to have the last laugh. An enormous drop-kick from the goalkeeper covered nearly the length of the pitch, and as ex-Angel Peter Mortley misjudged the bounce Powell took full advantage to steal possession and flick the ball over Thomas. The replay will take place this Tuesday, 13 September at Longmead.

Report by: Dan Couldridge

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