Tonbridge Angels visit to Salisbury brought exactly the same result as their last one, 12 years ago, with the hosts securing three vital points in their quest to avoid relegation.

Bright spring sunshine belied a chilly breeze in Wiltshire as Jay Saunders made one change, as he looked to build on last week’s home win against Chelmsford City, with Mikey Berry coming in for Jack Wood, who dropped to the bench.

A second half flurry of chances that saw a Jamie Fielding header hit the bar after 67 minutes and, moments later, a Ronny Nelson header that was narrowly wide might have changed the direction of the game, but overall, there can be little complaint at the result.

Jay Saunders said after the game: “It wasn’t the greatest of games. It was a game where Salisbury are fighting for everything to stay in the league. The game lacked quality, but to be fair to them, they did what they had to do.”

Salisbury took the lead after nine minutes in which neither side created any chance of note when Dan Fitchett collected a pass into the box and found the time and space to turn and bury his shot into the bottom corner.

The few chances on goal in the remainder of the half fell to the hosts as the Angels struggled to make any impression in the final third of the pitch but, in truth, Matt Rowley was also largely untroubled in that period.

A half-time substitution brought the introduction of Bailey Akehurst for Nazir Bakrin as Tonbridge sought to get a little more joy from the wide areas and this was quickly followed by another swop as Taylor Maloney made way for Wood and Harry Ottaway on for Brody Peart on the hour.

The changes brought a change in the momentum of the game as the visitors began to gain their fair share of the possession that culminated in the chances for Fielding and Nelson.

The game was put out of reach of the Angels with four minutes remaining when a chip forward from Callum Watts saw Ronan Silva finish with the visiting defenders perhaps expecting an offside flag.

Another defeat on the road left Jay reflecting: “I want to apologise to the fans, away from home we’ve not picked up enough wins and I apologise for that because the travelling they do and the cost, I feel for them because if the away form had been better we would have been right in the mix but the fans have been fantastic all the way through and I’m sure they will continue to be so.”