Angels remain unbeaten
It was a first Angels start for Manny Maja back from suspension and Louis Collins. Tushaun Walters was also handed his first start while TQ Addy and Femi Akinwande both dropped to the bench.
There was some early attacking intent in the first five minutes from both sides but no real threat to either goalkeeper.
That was all to change in the 7th minute when following some strong attacking from the hosts the ball fell to Dover’s Higgs just outside the 18 yard box, he proceeded to execute a fantastic shot straight into the net giving Jonny Henly no chance.
There were to be further problems for Tonbridge in the 15th minute when James Taylor went down unopposed and was unable to carry on. This meant that Lewis Card had to drop back into a more midfield defensive role while Mason Saunders-Henry took his place behind striker Collins.
On 17 minutes Fielding, Turner and Maja combined to set up an Angels chance but the final effort drifted wide. The disappointment for the team in blue didn’t last long however. Two minutes later a foul on Fielding saw Walters take the free kick wide on the right with the ball ending up in the Dover net to make the game all square at that point.
It could so easily have been a second for Tonbridge straight after when an errant back pass to Stanford but Dover manage to escape at the expense of a corner. It was all Tonbridge at this point with Turner getting in on the action but his effort was wide.
Just before half time Saunders-Henry really should have scored when he appeared unmarked in the box but his header from Braham-Barrett’s cross was weak and sailed over the bar.
Dover started the second period strongly with the Angels bar rattled in the 52nd minute and then another decent chance just a minute later.
But on 56 minutes and perhaps somewhat against the run of play, Tonbridge took the lead. A through ball found Louis Collins who with his pace outran a couple of Dover defenders, then rounded keeper Sandford but was brought down in the area by the aforementioned. A penalty award was the outcome and duly dispatched by Joe Turner putting Angels 2– 1 up.
From then on it was a series of Dover attacks interspersed with dangerous Angels breakaways which resulted in the visitors having the clearer chances. Turner, and substitute Akinwande could have made the game safe for the Angejs, but it was a fantastic save from Henly in the 83rd minute, his only one of the game, that probably made Dover think it wasn’t going to their night.
And so it proved with Tonbridge managing the game out with Dover showing their frustration with a nasty foul on Collins deep in stoppage time.
Afterwards Angels Boss Jay Saunders said :
“We knew it was going to be tough, we’re quite patched up. We knew we had to dig deep for another away game on a Tuesday night but I’m delighted with the three points.”
Picture : Dave Couldridge: Joe Turner receives congratulations from supporters after scoring the penalty that gave Angels a 2-1 win at Dover Athletic