Tonbridge Angels are up to 2nd in Ryman Premier tonight, three points behind Leiston but with a game in hand, following a comfortable 2-0 victory over struggling Farnborough.

Luke Blewden put the Angels ahead in the 12th minute, in the right place to deflect Sonny Miles’ header past Joe Tupper. Blewden then doubled the lead on 55, driving an unstoppable shot past the Farnborough keeper, and from this moment on, the game was out of reach of the visitors.

Against an opponent short on confidence, Angels started the game quickly as Lee Carey drew an early save from visiting keeper Joe Tupper. Within moments, Mitchell Pinnock had attempted an acrobatic bicycle kick from a long Luke Blewden throw, and Jerrome Sobers had somehow kneed a Nick Wheeler corner over from inside the 6-yard box.

The early pressure brought the breakthrough on 12. Pinnock’s run down the left wing, and dinked cross, forced CJ Fearn to put the ball behind for a corner. Nick Wheeler’s corner was met by a powerful downward header by Sonny Miles, and Blewdon was on hand to deflect the effort past Tupper for his 9th of the season.

Although a goal behind, Farnborough were happy to wait for opportunities to counter-attack, and when they did, they were very effective. Matt Bevon was released by Bobby Dale to draw a good save from Anthony Di Bernardo. Then from a Tonbridge corner, Dale played Lewis Collins into the inside left channel, where he drove into the box. James Folkes made a good recovery to block Collins’ shot, but the ball rebounded to Dale, whose shot on the turn was well held by Di Bernardo.

Once again, the Angels were caught out from a set-piece with Dale running in on a quick counter. This time Di Bernardo partially blocked the shot, with Lewis Carey making up the ground to eventually clear for a Farnborough corner.

Carey and Nathan Elder both had shots blocked by Tom Broadbent on rare Tonbridge forays forward, before Miles stayed up from a Wheeler corner to set up a chance for Blewden, but the shot was well blocked by Fearn.

Farnborough thought they had an equaliser just before the interval as Di Bernardo made a good block from Harry Williams’ shot, but the flag was raised against Dale to tapped into the empty net.

The second half started in much the same fashion, with the Angels created chances around the edge of the area, but the final ball was missing. Eventually though, on 55, Miles broke up a Farnborough attack in his own half, playing the ball out via Jack Parter and Elder, with the forward releasing Blewden into the left channel. Blewden cut across the face of goal, leaving two defenders trailing, and lashed a shot into the bottom right corner to double the lead.

Elder had a chance to make it three just past the hour, as Tupper palmed a Wheeler cross onto Elder’s head, but the forward had no time to direct an effort back on target.

Farnborough threw on L’heureux Menga to provide a focal point and more physical presence to challenge Miles and Sobers, and Menga did earn a freekick 20 yards out after tangling with Sobers. Perry Ryan curled a delightful shot round the Angels’ wall, but it was simple for Di Bernardo to catch.

From here on, Tonbridge were happy to kill off the game, as Farnborough simply ran out of ideas. The home side rarely ventured forward, and when they did, they also found it hard to find the final ball that may have extended their advantage.

TONBRIDGE ANGELS: Anthony Di Bernardo, James Folkes, Jack Parter, Lee Carey, Jerrome Sobers, Sonny Miles, Mitchell Pinnock, Anthony Riviere, Nathan Elder (Ellis Brown 75), Luke Blewden, Nick Wheeler (Charlie Webster 68).

Subs not used: Laurence Ball, Tom Parkinson.

Goals: Luke Blewden 12 & 55.

FARNBOROUGH: Joe Tupper, Marc Ethelston, Chinua Cole, Perry Ryan, Tom Broadbent, CJ Fearn, Lewis Collins (Jack Burton 68), Matt Bevans, Bobby Dale (L’Heureaux Menga 68), Harry Williams, Tommy Wright.

Subs not used: Martin Dynan, Dean Joseph-Whittingham.

Booking: L’Heureaux Menga 89.

Attendance: 501

Referee: Mr Neil Davies (London NW2)

Assistants: Mr Abiodun Abraham (London N9) and Mr Martin Cannon (London NW9)