Tonbridge Angels will meet Maidstone United at MEMS Priestfield in this year’s final of the Go-cardless Kent Senior Cup after edging past Chatham Town on a wet and windy night at the Bauvill. 

The weather conditions made football very difficult and with the wind at their backs the Angels had the best first half conditions but only opened the scoring early in the second half as substitute Frankie Baker took advantage of huge defensive hesitation to fire past a really exposed Nathan Harvey. 

The home side created chances without really testing Matt Rowley until that is twelve minutes from time when Simon Cooper latched on a free ball inside the Tonbridge half and despatched a magnificent drive into the bottom corner – the joy on Cooper’s face and the despair on Rowley’s so different and contrast! 

Rowley was to get his own back in the shootout however making the crucial brilliant save to dent Tope Fadahunsi’s spot kick and send the Angels to their first Final since 2013 and a chance to win the Cup for just the third time. 

In horrible squally rain, the visitors slowly started to create chances – the first of which saw Nathan Harvey having to fist a Bailey Akehurst corner over his own bar.

Ethan Sutcliffe then poked a shot through a crowd of players wide before Bradley Williams lobbed the keeper but was too high.

And apart from a few corners that the home side just about dealt with there was little to enthuse the decent crowd as Chatham couldn’t get to grips with the swirling conditions. 

At the start of the second period, Tonbridge continued to have the momentum as Bailey’s deep cross ricocheted off Cooper and flew behind for a corner.  

Tonbridge continued to create chances and scored from their next as Baker raced onto a through ball and as Harvey and his defence both stopped, the Tonbridge striker rolled the ball home. 

Tobi Omole shot wide for the Angels, Akehurst drilled a free kick into the keeper’s midriff and Sean Shields stung Harvey’s palms as Tonbridge looked comfortable moving into their first Final in twenty-two years. 

But then Cooper made the National League side pay – and how! The defender picked the ball up in the centre circle, advanced ten yards and then hit the perfect shot which flew in the bottom corner sparking wild scenes of celebration from Cooper as he was buried by his teammates.

Suddenly the Chats were alive, and Alex Giles nearly won it for the home side with a late drive that drifted wide. 

And so, to the shoot out and when Rowley saved well from Bernie Tanner, the Angels had a 3-2 lead which became 4-3 as Alfie Pavey stepped up to try and win the tie only for Harvey to perform heroics in keeping the ball out. 

Kian Moynes held his composure to send the tie to sudden death – both sides scoring their next and after Bunmi Babajibe put Tonbridge 6-5 ahead it was left to Fadahunsi to try and level the scores again. 

Rowley though had other ideas making the save of the shootout and the Angels are heading to Priestfield. 

CHATHAM TOWN – Harvey, Aidoo, Robins (Tanner), Nelson, Moynes, Garlinge (Sene-Richardson), Cooper, Giles, MacArthur (Fadahunsi), Dixon (Anokye-Boadi), Ranger (Oldfield).

TONBRIDGE ANGELS – Rowley, Williams, Warren, Sutcliffe, Korboa (Shields), Sablier (Babajibe), Leahy (Baker), Omole (Smith), Thompson, Akehurst, Pavey.

Sub not used – Bakrin.

REFEREE – Mr. Phillips 

MENS SENIOR TROPHY – The Gallagher – Sunday April 19 – Punjab United v Whitstable Town

MENS SENIOR CUP FINAL – MEMS Priestfield – Wednesday April 22 – Maidstone United v Tonbridge Angels

WOMENS SENIOR CUP FINAL – The Gallagher – Thursday April 23 – Chatham Town v Dartford

Going to be a busy week…