Kempton Heads Home Valuable Winner
Tonbridge manager Steve McKimm made an unhappy return to Kingsmeadow, seeing his charges beaten by a single Jake Kempton header in the second half. The lack of marking will have frustrated the former Sutton assistant but gave Tommy Williams' side a vital home win.
The game began in a farcical manner, with a minute's applause for Graham Richards, Cyril Wood and Mick Allen taking having to take place spontaneously after the referee forgot to do it officially.
When it did kick off it was Ks who had the better of proceedings, with Dan Sweeney at the heart of the action. First though his effort was saved by Kyle Merson and then he fired over the bar after linking up with Josh Casey.
Rob Tolfrey kept Ks ahead with a fine save from Tommy Whitnell before Sweeney failed to bundle the ball over the line from a corner. Whitnell again tested Tolfrey before the break with a powerful shot but the sides went in level.
Joe Taylor headed over for the Angels before Steve Butterworth came close to scoring what would have been a goal of the season contender, beating two before chipping narrowly over Merson's bar from distance.
The breakthrough eventually came on 68 minutes, Kempton losing his man to meet a Steve Laidler corner, floating a header into the far corner.
Ks had a late setback when Alan Inns went off with a pulled hamstring, forcing Sweeney to centre-back as Williams reorganised. The defence held firm though, a deflected Taylor effort proving the closest the visitors came, while Pico Gomez returned from injury off the bench to menace at the other end. A vital win for Ks ahead of a trio of upcoming away games.
Match report by Simon Grier.
