Angels slumped to a disappointing 3-1 defeat at Eastbourne Borough, a performance that was in sharp contrast to the heroics they showed at Dorking Wanderers the previous Saturday.

It had all stared so well for the visitors when after just 4 minutes following great work by Ibrahim Olutade on the left channel his pass to striker Adam Coombes produced a rasping shot past ex Angel Lee Worgan in the Eastbourne Borough goal.  Tonbridge joy was short lived however when just five minutes later the hosts drew level with something of a strange goal.  An attack down the left wing appeared to have fizzled out with the ball running out for a corner and everyone seemed to stop for a moment.  The ball was suddenly moved into the danger area from an Angels perspective, drifted over Jonny Henly and into the back of the net. The goal was awarded to Dom Hutchinson. 

The game then proceeded to be something of a midfield battle with neither side able to stamp genuine authority on to the game.   There was an opportunity for Olutade when well placed but he failed to connect properly with the ball and Sports' James Hammond three minutes later carried the ball a long way from inside his own half, made space and shot but the effort went wide. 

Aaron Smith-Joseph for the Angels was causing problems on the left wing and typically in the 24th minute he got a cross in but it was well dealt with by an Eastbourne defender. On 37 minutes Tom Beere fed Adam Coombes but the striker couldn't quite get the ball under control.  There was a good chance for Eastbourne Borough in the 41st minute which they weren't able to take and it looked as if the teams would turn round all square.

However right on the stroke of half time Angels contrived to lose the ball in midfield and with players out of position Borough were on the break and it was Charley Kendall who finished well to put the hosts in front at the break.    

In the second half Angels enjoyed the majority of possession and played at times some neat football in the final third, but Borough defended very well and restricted the visitors to very few genuine chances.  On 47 minutes Sonny Miles had a free header at the back post but the effort sailed over Worgan's crossbar and then on 57 minutes Olutade hit the side netting.  In the 75th minute following yet another Tonbridge corner the ball came out to James Taylor on the edge of the box but the shot once again failed to hit the target.

Borough created relatively few chances of their own but on 48 minutes Harry Hudson was required to clear off his own line with Henly stranded some way from his goal.

As the game reached its final stages, Angels were pushing forward to claim an equaliser when a sudden break by the home side saw Joel Rollinson in acres of space on the right wing and place the ball past Henly to conclude a pretty miserable evening for the team in blue. 

Afterwards, Angels Boss Steve McKimm said: "At times we overplayed and you risk losing the ball in dangerous areas which has cost us goals this evening.  To their credit Eastbourne have defended very well, they are well organised and play to their strengths and it showed this evening."                       |