Brentwood Town could not maintain their recent home form, with a 1-0 defeat at home to the in-form Tonbridge Angels at the Brentwood Arena.
Laurence Ball’s first half header was the only difference between the two sides despite Brentwood’s second half surge for an equaliser.
Tonbridge had a glorious chance within the first four minutes, as a whipped in cross was met by Luke Blewden whose touch was poor inside the six-yard box.
Brentwood’s first attack came through Mitch Hahn, as he cut the ball back to Shad Ngandu who used his turn of pace across the box – to got a shot off which was well-held by the Canadian keeper Anthony Di Bernardo.
Tonbridge took the lead 18 minutes in as a corner from Nick Wheeler was not dealt with at the far post and was knocked back into the six-yard box for Ball to nod into the top corner.
‘The Blues’ almost responded as a ball into the area was half cleared to the edge of the box for Captain Martyn Stokes to hit a fierce volley, which came back off the inside of the crossbar.
The visitors nearly doubled their lead just before the break as a Lee Carey’s cross was glanced goalwards by Ball but was parried away for a corner.
Brentwood could have equalised four minutes into the second half as Liam Hope chased down a loose ball, won it off the defender and squared the ball to the oncoming Shad Ngandu who scuffed his shot wide.
Hahn won a 50/50 ball in the ‘Angels’ half and laid the ball off to Jamie Guy to strike which was sliced wide.
Tonbridge could have sealed the three points, after a great individual run by Wheeler was cut back to Tom Parkinson. His shot was heading in but for Nicky Symons’ desperate flicked was turned onto the post – the follow-up was blocked and scrambled away by the Brentwood defence.
Brentwood nearly levelled with three minutes remaining, as Hahn’s corner floated to the far post fell to substitute and new signing Philip Anderson, to blast straight into the Tonbridge defender.
The home side could not muster another chance in injury time as Tonbridge took all three points, as Brentwood slip to 18th.
Brentwood Town Lineup: 1 Martyn Guest, 2 Ritchie Jones, 3 Andrew Freeman (79), 4 Nicky Symons, 6 Martyn Stokes ©, 5 Ryan O’ Rawe, 7 Shad Ngandu, 8 Mitch Hahn, 9 Liam Hope (88), 10 Jamie Guy, 11 Leon Fisher (72)
Substitutes: 12 Tom Richardson (79), 14 Jordan Holdworth (88), 15 Joshua Banton, 16 Phillip Anderson (72), 17 Leon Gordon
Tonbridge Angels Lineup: 1 Anthony Di Bernardo, 2 James Folkes, 3 Jack Parter, 4 Tom Parkinson, 5 Laurence Ball, 6 Sonny Miles, 7 Charlie Webster (57), 8 Lee Carey (70), 9 Luke Blewden, 10 Tommy Whitnell (75), 11 Nick Wheeler
Substitutes: 12 Ellis Brown (75), 14 Saquille Hippolyte-Patrick (57), 15 Tom Phipp (70), 16 Jerome Sobers
Attendance: 171
Interview with Dean Holdsworth:
