Leatherhead 2 Tonbridge Angels 2
Leatherhead came back from a poor start to salvage a draw against National League South visitors Tonbridge Angels in this pre-season friendly at Fetcham Grove on Saturday.
Tonbridge stormed into a two goal lead in the opening five minutes before Tanners hit back with goals from Kareem Akinnibi and George Hedley
The visitors took the lead with less than two minutes played. A ball was delivered low through the middle of Leatherhead’s defence and whipped into the net past goalkeeper Sonny Wheeler.
Tonbridge doubled their advantage three minutes later. A powerful run down the right saw the ball played into the box and calmly stroked home by Eddie Simon with a textbook strikers’ finish past Wheeler.
Tanners pulled a goal back on ten minutes. A fine build up initiated by Alfie Huckle resulted in Akinnibi bravely stabbing the ball into the corner of the net, with the former Badshot Lea player getting injured in the process.
Akinnibi received treatment on the pitch but was unable to continue playing for much longer and was replaced by Ty Butler.
Tonbridge continued to press forward, keeping Wheeler and the Tanners defence busy for much of the opening half with Leatherhead creating few chances at the other end.
Tanners made two changes for the second half with Louie Paget and Ross Stepney replacing Cameron Black and Isaac Olaniyan.
Tonbridge went close to scoring a third goal on 64 minutes with a long range effort just clearing the top of the bar. Paget did well to block a further advance from the visitors as Tonbridge continued to press forward.
The visitors missed out on another chance to restore their two goal advantage on 78 minutes when a player advanced towards goal before firing wide with only Wheeler to beat.
Tanners snatched an equaliser on 80 minutes. The Tonbridge defence failed to clear the ball away from their six yard box and Hedley scrambled it over the line from close range.
Tonbridge finished strongly. On 87 minutes a long range free kick just cleared the top of the bar before Wheeler was called upon to make another fine save in the closing minutes, turning a rasping shot over the bar for a corner.
Leatherhead continue their pre-season build up on Tuesday when they host Merstham at Fetcham Grove. Kick-off is at 7.45pm.
Leatherhead: Sonny Wheeler, Kelvin Massango, Rodney Dos Santos, Cameron Black, James Richmond, Niran Butler, Alfie Huckle, Kane Fitzgerald, Isaac Olaniyan, Lukas Franzen-Jones, Kareem Akinnibi, (Subs: Ty Butler, Ross Stepney, Louie Paget, George Hedley)
