A couple of changes for the side saw Billy French come into the side for the Angels, pushing Jordan Higgs back into midfield. Ansu Janneh dropped to the bench. Youngster Hayden Velvick also joined the matchday squad.

Tonbridge were the sturdier side throughout the first half. Early on, Mampolo was released in behind by a neat ball from Higgs which found the winger running through, frustratingly he was caught by retreating defenders before he could shoot.

Sean Shields, as usual, was delivering perfectly placed crosses from his position on the left side. Ethan Sutcliffe was close to finishing on the end of one of the deliveries, Lewis Gard also shot after receiving from possession from Shields but placed his effort wide. 

Jonathan North in the opposition net proved his worth in the first period. With 18 minutes played, Tonbridge tested him through Jordan Greenidge who drove into the box with power, beat his man and fired into the near side forcing a strong save from the keeper at his front post. A couple of minutes later, Shields also called the opposition stopper to action with a powerful effort which the keeper had two goes at securing.

Angels proved the dominant side and created more chances towards the close of the half; Greenidge with a close-range effort was denied by a fantastic reaction save and Sean Shields had another crack at goal after a good counter attacking switch from Lewis Gard but the winger didn’t do enough to put the angels ahead.

Against the run of play and on one of their rare ventures into the Angels box, Aveley won a penalty on the stroke of half time. Odelusi stepped up and scored, breaking the deadlock.

At half time it was Angels 0, Aveley 1. 

In the second half, Tonbridge didn’t create as many chances or look as positive as they were in the first 45. However, after a free header for Greenidge at the back post wasn’t directed in, Ben Swift made no mistake from a Shields cross, heading home at the near post after the opposition defenders were dragged out by the threat of a short corner. Angles now level again.

Not long later, a ball from the Angels right wing came across the so called ‘corridor of uncertainty’ and was conatcted only by an Aveley defender at the back post who met it with a touch that could well have accidentally gone in his own net. Unfortunately for the Angels fans, it didn’t, instead ending up amongst the faithful who were, as ever, in excellent voice all game.

Jonny Henly had a bit more work in the second period, he gathered a teasing ball that came across his territory and shortly after denied a long shot from reaching the net with 14 minutes left to play.

Nearing the 90, Greenidge was played in behind but couldn’t latch onto the ball before North came from his line and beat Greenidge to it. The striker blasted another shot in the final minute, but it was deflected out for a corner which, once taken, didn’t come to fruition. The game ended level and Tonbridge preserved their roughly two year record of being unbeaten on Tuesday nights at Longmead. 

Angels 1, Aveley 1.

Jay Saunders commented after the game “Having been one nil down, you kind of have to be happy with a point but I think we could’ve got more. We were strong in the first half, I’ll have to watch the penalty back, but it felt harsh to go in one down. Credit to Shields for delivering a good cross in the second half which Ben Swift headed well to get us back level.”