MATCH REPORT: AVELEY 2-1 TONBRIGE ANGELS

Aveley 2

Tonbridge Angels 1

Aveley moved themselves back into the National League South playoffs with a 2-1 win over Tonbridge Angels.

The visitors had started the brighter at Parkside with Jonathan North having to make a key save to deny Liam Vincent from a tight angle after 11 minutes, with the Portsmouth loanee again going close 20 minutes later when he sent a free header over from a Sean Shields cross.

The visitors would be left to rue these missed opportunities as four minutes later Aveley broke the deadlock.

Eduino Vaz slid a pass into the feet of Razzaq Coleman De-Graft just inside the Tonbridge penalty area and the winger did well to keep possession despite a swarm of Angels defenders surrounding him before rolling the ball into the far corner to end the Millers' run of three games without a goal. This was the 26-year-old's second goal in Aveley colours having also scored in the Millers' 2-0 win over Maidstone last month.

This was enough to see Aveley go in at the break in front but the second period got off to the worst possible start for Danny Scopes' side.

Less than 50 minute seconds after the restart Ethan Sutcliffe was brought down from a Shields corner and the referee had no hesitation in pointing to the spot.

Ebbsfleet United loanee Nathan Odokonyero stepped up and sent his spot kick straight down the middle for his sixth goals in eleven appearances for Tonbridge.

However the scores weren't to stay level for long and five minutes later Aveley retook the lead.

A Jason Ring cross to the near post found Manny Ogunrinde whose initial effort was kept out by a fine reaction save from Jonathan Henly but the former Grays Athletic winger reacted quickest to fire home the rebound into the far corner.

The rest of the affair was quiet at Parkside, with Kai Brown firing an attempt into the side netting for Aveley and Odokonyero lashing over from the edge of the area for Tonbridge, and despite six minutes of injury time being added on the visitors failed to really threaten Jonathan North and the Millers safely saw the game out to pick up a huge three points.

A second home league win of 2024 sees Aveley move up to 7th and brings to an end their three game winless run. 

A third defeat in five games for Tonbridge means the Kent club are now 11 points off the playoffs - they remain 13th in the division.


ATT: 337 


By Nathan Williams


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