Tonbridge Invicta Under 16's v Orpington Colts

CRUCIAL WIN

TONBRIDGE INVICTA 4 ORPINGTON COLTS 1

16.03.03

A glorious Spring morning at Swanmead in Tonbridge was the back-drop for a vital Top of the Table clash in the Tandridge League. As the season approaches its climax both of these teams are in the hunt for the Title. Tonbridge Invicta, however, knew they had to get a good result in this game to stay in the chase.

In the opening exchanges the home side looked the sharper and it wasn't long before they had snatched the lead. Daniel Powell capitalised on some sloppy defending by Colts defenders, pinched the ball and drove in towards goal. As the keeper advanced Powell slotted the ball neatly into the bottom right hand corner of the net.

At this point, though, Tonbridge clearly relaxed and Colts came more and more into the game. As the first half wore on Orpington were the hungrier and with 25 minutes gone they equalised. Scott Middlewood was given a lot of space on the edge of the Invicta box and he set himself and struck an excellent shot that gave the Tonbridge keeper no chance. 1-1. That's the way it stayed until half time.

Colts continued to press the ball better in the first 10 minutes or so of the second period. Then in the space of just a few minutes Invicta took the game by the throat. A well flighted free kick by Daniel Howse found Luke Saunders in the away six yard box and he finished well to make it 2-1. Very shortly afterwards Invicta striker Daniel Powell picked the ball up just inside the Colts half. He took a quick look up and spotted the goalkeeper off his line. He hit a fearsome lob that the keeper could only parry into his own net as he desperately back-peddled.

This understandably took the wind out of Colts sails and from here on Invicta became increasingly dominant. They created a number of other chances, adding to the scoreline when Tonbridge Man Of The Match Aaron Medgett took an enormous long throw level with the Colts penalty area. Luke Saunders rose to head the ball home and wrap the points up for Tonbridge at 4-1.

These two sides will no doubt produce another fiercely competitive encounter when they meet one more time before the campaign is done.