Tonbridge Angels 2 Blues 1

Leiston suffered their first league defeat of the season against Tonbridge Angels at the Longmead Stadium on Tuesday night. Glenn Driver selected the same starting eleven after Saturday’s 2-0 win at Dorking Wanderers but Armani Schaar and Toby Groom replaced Adam Blades and Harry Knights on the bench. 

Leiston began superbly and opened the scoring in just the third minute. Patrick Brothers was put in by Matt Blake down the left and saw his cross deflected out for a corner. Joe Marsden’s delivery was met by Jack Ainsley at the near post who deftly touched it in past home goalkeeper Jonathon Henly. Although Leiston took the lead, Tonbridge were the team who mainly dictated play until half time. Marcus Garnham gathered a cross easily, while Jack Ainsley blocked a shot before Craig Stone had the first real shot for the hosts but his shot was well over Marcus Garnham’s crossbar. Tom Bullard was booked for a foul on Nathan Elder and Marcus Garnham did well to punch away a cross from Liam Smith and from Joe Turner’s resultant delivery he came and claimed it. Patrick Brothers threaded a ball through to Dominic Docherty but he was beaten to it from the on-rushing Jonathan Henly. Tonbridge equalised when a free kick from the left hand side was headed on to the post, but Alexander Akrofi was on hand to net from close range. Xavier Vidal tried to take advantage of Marcus Garnham’s poor kick but Garnham recovered well. Another Tonbridge corner saw Marcus Garnham punch away again when he looked as though he was fouled and Joe Jefford did excellently to block the rebound. The lively Joe Turner cut in from the left with the home side’s next chance to curl just wide of Marcus Garnham’s left hand post. Sonny Miles, who had recently made his 300th appearance for Tonbridge Angels, then headed straight at Marcus Garnham. With the half nearing its end, Leiston worked a move where Patrick Brothers saw his effort well saved by Henly and Matt Blake was flagged offside from the rebound. The last chance in the first half saw Byron Lawrence shoot from outside the area but his strike went over Henly’s crossbar. 

Alexander Afrofi tried his luck soon after the restart but it flew over Marcus Garnham’s bar, but the hosts took the lead two minutes later. A good move down the left saw Tonbridge manuoevre a ball into the Leiston penalty area and Nathan Elder was on hand to head into Marcus Garnham’s bottom right hand corner. Leiston had a good chance a few moments later when Patrick Brothers cross couldn’t be converted by Matt Blake. Marcus Garnham claimed a corner well and then had to thwart Liam Smith by palming away his effort to his left. Both teams started to make substitutions and Regan Pelling nearly made an impact when his run down the left saw him cross across goal but Tonbridge cleared. Byron Lawrence floated a ball in which Jonathon Henly punched to safety and Matt Blake had a pot shot but he saw the ball go wide of the target. Akrofi’s free kick was once again well handled by Marcus Garnham as time was running out for the visitors. Tom Bullard couldn’t get a good connection with Rob Eagle’s free kick and Tonbridge went straight up the other end only for sub Andre McCollin to fluff his lines and shoot over. Joe Jefford headed wide of the goal from Regan Pelling’s cross and Matt Blake shot straight at home custodian Jonathon Henly. With the game into the first minute of six additional minute’s of stoppages, Chris Henderson fired at Jonathan Henly in Leiston’s best chance of the evening. Tonbridge had a couple of more efforts, as Leiston tried to push for a levelled. In the final minute Chris Henderson looked to have been fouled on the edge of the area, but protests for a free kick were waved away.

FT - Tonbridge Angels 2 Blues 1 

Tonbridge Angels - Henly, Stone, Parter, Smith, Miles, Adonis-Taylor, Vidal, Kinnear (Blewden 58 mins), Elder (McCollin 78 mins), Akrofi (Tasha-Jay Kwayie 90 mins), Turner. Subs not used - Whitnell and Copeland.

Blues - Garnham, Marsden (Pelling 64 mins), Dunbar, Ainsley, Jefford, Bullard, Lawrence, Henderson, Blake, Brothers (Schaar 64 mins), Docherty (Eagle 59 mins). Subs not used - Groom and Beckwith. 

Man of the Match - Jack Ainsley

Attendance - 279