Tony Dolby's recent prediction that someone would soon be on the end of a good tonking came true in magnificent fashion, the unfortunate Islanders finding themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time. The Angels scored seven cracking goals and left the visitors dispirited and bewildered by the end. Dobla had the rare luxury of being able to select an unchanged side, and kept faith with the XI which beat Cheshunt in the FA Trophy. Richard Ponsford was named as a sub on his return to Longmead.

Despite a bright opening from the Angels with some neat passing, there was little hint of what was to come. Indeed, it was Newport who had the first real chance, Fraser Quirke lifing Simon Pilcher's cross over the bar from ten yards in their first real attack. Dobla himself opened the Angels account on 12 minutes, a sweetly-struck free-kick from all of 30 yards swinging in off the inside of the far post. Richie Way nearly levelled for the Islanders midway through the half when his free-kick crashed against JJ's crossbar and was scrambled clear - Justice was done in a way though, as the kick was awarded for what looked a perfectly clean challenge by Lew Watts on Quirke.

Tonbridge went ahead with a fine second goal. Jon Heath threaded a nice ball into Leroy Huggins, who turned sharply and set up Ray Powell to fire home from close range. Another superb move a minute later saw Danny Lye and "Razor" combine to pick out Luke Piscina, who finished with a flourish from 15 yards. The Angels were really clicking now and Huggins clipped a fourth past Joe McCormack in the Newport goal after winning a tackle in midfield and exchanging passes with Dolby. Nick Barnes wasted a great chance to make it five before the break following more good work from Huggins and Powell.

Newport rallied briefly at the start of the second half, but Tonbridge soon got their passing game going with a vengeance and it became a matter of when, not if, the Angels would add to their tally. It took until midway through the half for the next goal to come, a tremendous 30-yard drive from Barnes clipping the underside of the bar on it's way into the net.

With the job well and truly done, Dobla replaced himself with Darren Smith. The sixth was a great team goal, some 12 to 15 passes ending with Barnes rifling a 20-yard grasscutter just inside the post. Ponsford and Adam O'Neil were give their chance to join in the fun, and Ponsford soon supplied a fine cross for Powell to make it seven with 16 minutes still left. A right-wing cross from John Beales somehow eluded both Powell and Huggins, and the Angels couldn't quite find number eight.

Having beaten Premier division high-flyers Hampton & Richmond away from home in the FA Trophy last week, Newport must have come into the game with high hopes - but their misery was completed when David Greening put a last-minute penalty wide.

To the Angels - Thanks for a great show lads, We'll remember it for a long time !!

Report by: Tony Browne

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