Best Moments of the Twenty-First Century: Tonbridge Angels

A flying start to the 2018-19 season, a winter wobble, and a stumble to the line, but in May 2019 Tonbridge Angels reached the playoffs. You know how it works - win a semi and a final, and it's promotion to the National League South.

Wait? What do you mean there’s TWO playoff finals this year??

Yes, for one season only, league restructuring meant Tonbridge Angels had to not only beat two other Isthmian Premier teams, but also the Southern League playoff winners to bag the big prize. As usual they had to do it the hard way.

The semi final, away at Haringey, saw Angels go 2-0 up after a textbook first half, and follow that with an almost rock-solid defensive performance which saw us lock out a tense 2-1 win. Next came the final, a relatively straightforward win against Merstham, but it came at a price. Team captain and defensive lynchpin Sonny Miles was sent off, ruling him out of the rest of the competition.

Tonbridge Angels: 2019 Isthmian League playoff champions. Which counted for absolutely nothing if they couldn’t crank it up more time, away to Metropolitan Police.

Imber Court- the Met Police “country club” -provided good facilities, a decent pitch, and plenty of room for the big crowd of predominantly travelling fans from Tonbridge. They were treated to a rollercoaster ride reminiscent of their last play off final against Lowestoft in 2011.

Met Police scored first on 18 minutes and bossed the first half. The Angels fought back to level, but Met Police pushed on again to lead 2-1 on 57 minutes.

The clock ticked down, and in the 85th minute Tonbridge midfielder D’Sean Theobalds picked up the ball and decided to go for it. Nothing else would do. A jinking run, space opened up on the edge of the box, and Theobalds let fly. The perfect strike to end the perfect run.

2-2, Extra Time, 2011 all over again.

Such a late goal often takes the wind out of a team’s sails, but Met Police still had belief and piled on the pressure.

However, in the 7th minute of extra time Jared Small ran his defender deep on the right wing, and swung a perfect looping cross to the back post, which Tom Derry met with the perfect header. 3-2.

23 more nerve shredding minutes were slugged out, the Met had the customary one last chance, but it didn’t go in, and it was all over.

Cue pitch invasion, cue pandemonium, cue Tonbridge Angels - Super Play Off Final Winners.

Why is this extra special?

Tonbridge is a fan owned community club; no big businessman bankrolling the wages, with a young manager learning his trade, a team playing for the love of it rather than big bucks, and just reward for dozens of volunteers and hundreds of fans having their day in the sun.

"We've won it one time, we've won it one time, Super Play Off Final, we've won it one time".