Tonbridge Angels 4 Lowestoft Town 3
17:15, 07 May 2011
Tonbridge players celebrate after their victory in the Ryman League Premier Division play-off final Picture: David Couldridge
Tonbridge Angels will be playing Blue Square Bet South football next season after winning a classic Ryman League Premier Division play-off final at Longmead on Saturday.
The Angels led 2-0 and 3-1, before the visitors got back on terms only for Lewis Taylor to hit an 81st minute winner for Tommy Warrilow’s side.
Tonbridge took the lead after 11 minutes when the impressive Ade Olorunda capitalised on a rebound and scored from six yards past Lowestoft keeper Andrew Reynolds.
They added a second when Danny Walder’s free-kick deflected off a defender, wrong-footed Reynolds and ended up in the back of the net.
Lowestoft hit the bar before Scott Mitchell pulled a goal back on the half hour mark with a diving header at the far post from Matt Nolan’s cross.
But Tonbridge restored their two-goal lead when Olorunda was brought down by Curtis Hayes-Brown and Walder scored from the penalty spot after 41 minutes.
Lowestoft were still looking dangerous on the break in the lead up to half-time and scored three minutes after the restart when Andrew Cave-Brown lobbed Angels keeper Lee Worgan.
The visitors started piling the pressure on as they went in search of an equaliser and eventually got themselves level when Lubomir Guentchev let fly with a powerful 25-yard drive that went into of the top of net past Worgan
But the Angels hit back when Taylor beat two men before scoring with a right-footed shot that went in off the post.
Substitute Frannie Collin hit the post for the home side and they were able to survive five minutes of stoppage time to clinch promotion.
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