The DFDS Kent Women’s Plate Third Round draw pitched Tonbridge Angels Women against their most local of rivals, Tunbridge Wells Foresters.

The two sides had met in the semi-final of the same competition last season with Foresters ending the Angels’ 21-game unbeaten run and going on to lift the Plate at the Gallagher Stadium in April.

For this rematch Tonbridge had won three in a row scoring 15 with the team beginning to rediscover the form which had helped them lift the SECWFL League Cup in the Spring while the visitors had endured a patchy Autumn with a few big scoring wins but unable to put together a winning run of more than two games.

Joe Rowe’s side were almost at full-strength for this one and were able to recall Ashleigh Rhodes, Freya Jones and Aimee Churchill to the starting line-up with Jade Folkard and Mandy Beeput also returning to the squad. Tunbridge Wells were grateful to have top goalscorer Annabel Stokes back in the squad and the striker went straight back into their starting eleven.

Foresters matched Angels’ 3-4-2-1 formation in the first half and edged possession and territory, but it was a cagey 45 minutes with few clear chances and both defences on top. It looked like we’d be heading for a half-time stalemate but the deadlock was broken in spectacular style in the 41st minute. Hope Mumford’s measured pass found Grace Mayhead on the right side of her marker and the striker produced an outrageous chip to leave goalkeeper Emily Bowen stranded.

If the first half was too close to call the second couldn’t have been more different. Within three minutes the lead had been doubled, and once again it was a chipped effort from Mayhead from a Mumford pass, this time eluding the substitute goalkeeper. Tonbridge’s passing style was clearly beginning to tire their opponents and it was quickly 3-0. Alice Grandpierre intercepted near the half-way line, released Charlotte Cresswell who in turn found Holly Maclaurin, who fired in off the post.

Churchill made it four on 78 minutes, a corner only being cleared to the edge of the box where the Angels’ captain drove a shot into the bottom corner. The tally increased to five on 85 minutes, JJ Sullivan bundling the ball over the line after fellow substitute Beeput’s attempted lob was parried into her path.