Without a permanent manager, Bishop’s Stortford turned the form book upside down by inflicting Tonbridge Angels’ first league defeat of the season.

The visitors were certainly not overawed by the league leaders and opened the scoring in the 6th minute. Although a corner was cleared by Angels ‘keeper Jonny Henly with a decisive punch Bishop’s Stortford recycled the ball and a cross from the right was met with accuracy by Ryan Charles.

It continued to be the visitors creating the chances with centre forward Jake Cass harrying the Angels defence at every opportunity. Gradually the Angels remembered their lofty position and started to move the ball around with more purpose with Tommy Whitnell in particular getting into good positions in the hole.

On 23 minutes a glorious lay off by Alex Read for Tonbridge was picked up by Whitnell in space but the shot was over the bar. That probably represented home side best chance of the half and they were to regret that miss as Bishop’s Stortford were to double their advantage on the stroke of half time. A mistake in the home defence provided Cass with an opportunity which he gratefully accepted with a glorious strike past Henly.

Having struck early in the first half, Bishop’s Stortford repeated the feat early in the second. A defensive error saw the ball run loose to Cass who needed no second asking by firing a shot that put them three up.

It wasn’t until the 54th minute when Johnville Renee for the visitors saw red for a second bookable offence that the home side really got going.

The arrears were reduced in the 72nd minute when Adem Ramadan converted a Tom Parkinson cross and in the 88th minute Arthur Lee converted a corner, but in truth it was too little too late though Calum Kitscha in the visitors goal performed heroics in stoppage time.

Steve McKimm, Angels manager said: “Too many of the players were off the pace today and they know that, even if we had managed to find an equaliser it would have been hard lines on Bishop’s Stortford."

A delighted Steve Smith, Director of Football for the visitors said: “The work rate and desire was terrific this afternoon and I thought we deserved the win. We started well and had a game plan which worked. The sending off did change the game but we defended magnificently.”