The Old Tonbridgians nearly all turned up on time this week. Again the match was played on Knotts. For the first time this season they started positively, the first move of the game very nearly resulted in the best goal of the season, the ball was passed across the defence, and then Spurling got on the end of a ball over the top from Atkinson, he took one exquisite touch to bring the ball down before crossing to Dye, who had timed his gamble into the box perfectly but agonisingly could not get enough on it. Haileybury got themselves back into the tie and for a period of time managed to win headers and 50/50 balls. Our midfield worked tirelessly, consisting of Lockwood, Dye, Hill and Moxon. Brandt and Porritt dealt with Haileybury’s tall, quick striker well and looked strong at the back. The full backs battled hard from their own half, with Taylorson making some excellent tackling and short passing, in contrast Atkinson was putting balls over the top for the forward to get onto. Ball had a good chance and struck the ball sweetly with his left from just inside the area but was denied but a good one-handed save down to the keeper’s left. Haileybury scored their first goal after 35 minutes, they won the ball in midfield and carved open the defence with a first time through ball between Brandt and Porritt and Bugge had no chance with the composed finish low to his left.
The OTs enjoyed some momentum before half time and at the break made some changes, Spurling came back into left midfield while Hill moved inside to centre midfield. Moxon went to right midfield, and Dye slotted into full back. Bleakley came on to replace Taylorson. The change of ends meant that the Old Tonbridgians were to play into the wind. They started well passing the ball across the pitch, and created chances. Hill had a good chance, almost a carbon copy of Ball’s opportunity in the first half. Bleakley worked tirelessly up front, working hard to come and collect the ball from midfield and received a bang on the head for his efforts. A couple of cynical tackles from Haileybury outside their own 18 yard box provided the OTs with several free kicks, Lockwood took the first and blasted it high and wide. Then Spurling had a go and lofted his curling effort just over the bar. The ball went down the other end and Tonbridge conceded another goal from a dead ball – this time a throw-in after 55 minutes, ball came in, the tall defender got a flick-on, and the other striker was on hand to stab it into the net. This deflated the OTs, and they were under serious pressure from Haileybury. Moxon worked hard on the right and looked comfortable on the ball and combined well with Dye before he was replaced by Keevis. Dye moved to right midfield and Keevis to full back, they combined well down the right. On 75 minutes, the visiting team broke through and the right the right winger took the ball around Bugge, and from the byline lifted the ball over Atkinson, but Dye was on the line to managed the head the ball back onto the right upright, the rebound landed at the feet of the striker and he thumped it into Brandt on the line, the second rebound then fell to the other striker on the penalty spot who lifted it into the bar. It was a superb exhibition of guts and bravery from the defence. This lifted the whole team and the OTs kept on competing and managed a couple more chances, Ball had a one-on-one with the keeper are being threaded through by Hill, but a good save denied the forward.