Bailey Akehurst's Free-Kick Not Enough as Salisbury Edge Past Tonbridge Angels

Tonbridge Angels: Bailey Akehurst (12')

Salisbury: Jordan Alonge (16'), Malachi Ogunleye (28')

Bailey Akehurst's spectacular free-kick put Tonbridge Angels ahead inside twelve minutes, but the lead lasted barely four of them. Salisbury - unbeaten in 12 coming into the game - scrambled level through Jordan Alonge, then went in front when Malachi Ogunleye controlled a loose ball 25 yards out and fizzed it past Nathan Harness. Angels spent the rest of the afternoon knocking on the door: Jephte Tanga's first-time effort cannoned off the crossbar just before half-time, and seconds later Bunmi Babajide's thunderbolt crashed against post and bar together. Salisbury's defence held.

Alan Dunne sent on Hayden Bullas and Harvey Lintott at the break in search of an equaliser. Bullas was booked for simulation after going down in the box just before the hour - referee Jack Bloxham waved away Angels' penalty appeals - and Lintott's header from a well-worked free-kick routine was somehow kept out by Salisbury keeper Will Henry with 20 minutes left. It was as close as Angels came. Salisbury held on for their fifth win in six to move above Angels in National League South.

Dunne put the defeat down to an anticlimactic feeling after Tuesday's derby win over Folkestone Invicta: "I felt we weren't quite ourselves today and everything that was good about Tuesday wasn't there today," he said. "That said I still think we did enough to win and the woodwork has saved them on a couple of occasions - we've had a good return of points this month."

Angels (4-3-3): Harness; Sutcliffe (Lintott), Thompson (McDonald), Beeden, Akehurst; Corne, Brown (Bullas), Tanga; Pavey (Gardner), Baker, Babajide (Reynolds). Subs not used: McGuire, Martin.

Form (last 5 league games, oldest to newest): ✓✓−✓✗

Next match: Saturday 7th November 2026 | Mead Lane | Farnham Town - Tonbridge Angels Source and photograph: tonbridgeangels.co.uk. Image: Dave Couldridge. League table: footballwebpages.co.uk.