Tonbridge 4
(Hinds 22′, Odokonyero 71′, 76′, Shields 73′)
United 1
(Ash 79′)
United were well beaten on Saturday, as Tonbridge ran out 4-1 winners at Longmead.
After Tariq Hinds gave the hosts the lead, United battled to restore parity, however Tonbridge extended their lead after the break, through a Nathan Odokonyero brace and Sam Shields. Brad Ash pulled one back but the damage had already been done, as the hosts confirmed a handsome victory at Longmead.
Following the 0-3 reverse against Taunton in midweek, Interim Manager Aaron Downes made two changes to the starting eleven, with Austen Booth and Lewis Collins replaced by Ross Marshall and Tom Lapslie.
The first chances of a competitive opening to proceedings both came in the 12th minute.
First, a home corner picked out Ryan Hanson six yards out, however the former Gull was foiled by a superb save by his former teammate Mark Halstead.
The men in yellow responded by going straight up the other end and creating an opening of their own, with Brad ash’s ball from the right finding Aaron Jarvis unmarked eight yards from goal, before Jonathan Henly’s brave save at The Gulls striker’s feet denied the game its opening goal.
That opening goal came at the opposite end on 22 minutes.
A low cross from Liam Vincent zipped across the six-yard box, and with no United defender able to intercept it, Hinds was on hand to calmly prod the ball into the net to give his side the lead.
Torquay nearly responded with a Jarvis header from a Ross Marshall cross soon after, however on this occasion, the United number nine’s looping header was just off-target.
United went on to enjoy a decent spells of possession in the lead up to the break, and they nearly drew level six minutes before the change of ends.
Jack Stobbs’ flick into the box found Lapslie in space eight yards from goal, and after improvising with a back-header, his effort very nearly caught the Tonbridge backline out, before the ball bounced onto the top of the net.
Behind at the break.
Once action got back unmderway, it was Angels who threatened first, as Odokonyero cut in from the right of the area before forcing a low parry from Halstead, as his left-footed drive looked destined for the bottom corner.
Just before the hour mark, the hosts went close again, as another attack from the right threatened to undo The Gulls’ backline.
At one point a second goal looked imminent, however after taking the ball away from the grounded Halstead, Shields saw his attempt at firing into an empty net taken from him thanks to a superb last-gasp sliding challenge from opposite number Ollie Tomlinson.
They wouldn’t be denied for much longer though.
Three goals in five minutes took the game away from United, with two goals from Nathan Odokonyero from inside the box, either side of a speculative but profitable Sean Shields chip from the edge of the box made it 4-0.
A close-range effort from Ash reduced the arrears with eleven minutes left, but there result was no longer in doubt at this stage, with United left to lick their wounds before a return home on Saturday.
TONBRIDGE ANGELS: 1. Jonathan Henly, 2. Jamie Fielding, 3. Kodi Lyon-Foster (c) (19. Jernade Meade, 82′), 8. Jordan Higgs, 9. Nathan Odokonyero (7. Matthew MacArthur, 90′), 12. Tariq Hinds, 14. Mo Dabre (22. Scott Wagstaff 77′), 17. Ethan Sutcliffe, 23. Sean Shields, 27. Liam Vincent, 30. Ryan Hanson.
SUBS NOT USED: 11. Joshua Popoola, 20. Hayden Velvick.
Yellow Card: Odokonyero 45′, Fielding 61′
UNITED: 1. Mark Halstead, 2. Arkell Jude-Boyd, 4. Tom Lapslie (18. Will Jenkins Davies, 66′), 6. Ross Marshall, 9. Aaron Jarvis (19. Duane Ofori-Acheampong, 66′), 11. Brad Ash, 14. Brett McGavin (30. Ethon Archer, 85′), 21. Dean Moxey (c), 23. Olli Tomlinson, 27. Jack Stobbs, 28. Kevin Dawson.
SUBS NOT USED: 8. Asa Hall, 22. Rhys Lovett.
Yellow Card: Jarvis 55′, Jude-Boyd 56′, Dawson 90′
Attendance: 1,308