Nazir Bakrim’s late goal finally saw off a valiant and brave young Gillingham side to earn Tonbridge a place in the semi-finals of the Kent Senior Cup following a 4-3 win at the Longmead Stadium.
A young Gills XI came back from a goal down on three occasions to tie the fixture at 3-3, but Bakrin’s late effort proved just enough to give Angels a spot in the final four of the competition.
Mark Patterson took the team and named Harry Webster as Captain for the night. He was joined in the XI by Louie Dayal who made his first-team debut earlier in the season, and Sullivan Booth who scored in the previous round at Sevenoaks.
Gills had the first chance of the game, and it fell to Dayal, who drove into the box and from a tight angle, under pressure, he got a shot away but Laurence Shala made a strong save.
Hegarty made a block low to his left side from Matthew Warren before Dayal went close again, this time sending an effort across the goalkeeper wide of the target.
Booth, who had looked lively in the early stages, went on a solo run from just inside the Tonbridge half and worked his way to the edge of the box as the home defence stood off him. His shot however went wide of the left post.
Just beyond the half hour and Tonbridge went close when a ball into the Gills box took a touch off a defender and Bakrin was best placed to take advantage of the rebound. He toe poked an effort towards goal but put his effort wide of Hegarty’s right post.
Moments later the Gills keeper was forced off due to injury, with Benji Spencer coming on as his replacement.
And the sub keeper was called upon less than a minute after coming on. Sean Shields had the ball on the edge of the box and worked his way across the 18-yard line before firing an effort towards goal. Spencer watched it all the way and made a solid save to his right.
However he was beaten moments later when Tonbridge spread play to the left and Babajide received possession with space to utilise. He cut inside and fired an effort across Spencer and into the bottom corner.
The lead would last a matter of minutes though when Theodore skipped past a challenge on the left touchline, drove towards the box and spotted Dayal in space. The pass to the forward was a perfect one and Louie applied the finish from close range.
H/T: Tonbridge 1-1 Gillingham
The hosts took less than 40 seconds in the second-half to take the lead. Gills were unable to clear their lines, a cross was fizzed into the box and the finish was applied by Frankie Baker who had just come on as a half-time substitute.
Gills again responded brilliantly and were level within just a few minutes. Play was spread to the left and Theodore had space to drive into; he cut onto his right foot and produced a brilliant finish into the top corner.
Dayal nearly put Gills ahead on the hour, but his effort following an excellent low pass from Adams was saved by Shala.
Tonbridge took the lead for the third time on 66 minutes. A shot inside the box was well saved by Spencer, but Baker was well placed to tuck home the rebound from close range.
Michael Luxton cleared a shot off the line as Tonbridge looked for a potentially decisive fourth goal, but Gills refused to let up and levelled matters again when a through pass for Sulli Booth was controlled by the forward, and he cooly slotted it past the oncoming Shala.
The scoring wasn’t done though as Tonbridge came again. A ball into a crammed penalty area saw an initial shot blocked, but Nazir Bakrim was first to react and found the back of the net from close range with a powerful strike.
F/T: Tonbridge Angels 4-3 Gillingham
Tonbridge: Shala, Warren, Sablier, Badajide, Omole, Bakrin, Taylor-Crossdale (Baker 46), Thompson (Sutcliffe 69), Shields (Korboa 46), Akehurst (McCann 90), Pavey (Leahy 69)
Unused subs: None
Gillingham: Hegarty (Spencer 33), Webster, James, Kot, Adams, Cross (Mhlanga 74), Augustus, Dayal, Luxton, Booth, Theodore
Unused subs: Jones, Surrey, Carruthers
Attendance: 407
Referee: Mr Ben McDonald