Jack Wood showed why Jay Saunders was so keen to extend his loan by firing depleted Tonbridge to victory at Eastbourne on Tuesday night.

Wood, who’s on board from Southend for the rest of the season, scored both goals in a 2-1 win that moved Angels to within two points of the National South play-off places.

They face champions-elect Ebbsfleet at Longmead on Saturday (3pm).

Tonbridge travelled to Eastbourne with only three substitutes and had players out of position, including striker Tommy Wood in central midfield, midfielder Scott Wagstaff at right-back and right-back Tariq Hinds at left-back.

But two lovely strikes from Wood inside half an hour put Tonbridge in charge and they were comfortable winners despite a late penalty from Shiloh Remy.

It was the perfect way to bounce from Saturday’s 3-2 home defeat by Taunton, with on-loan winger Wood to the fore.

“I’m really pleased for Jack,” said boss Saunders.

“I’m delighted we were able to keep him and he’s showed why we wanted to keep him. They were two great goals.

“Southend wanted him to stay and he’s a lad who just wants to play football.

“I told him he’d get opportunities here and from the first session he had with us, you could see his quality.

“His work rate is good, he goes past people - he’s got everything to be a very good footballer.

“It was really important we won that game after losing to Taunton because I didn’t want to be going into the Ebbsfleet game on the back of two defeats.

“We’ve gone there with a lot of players missing, players playing out of position and three subs - one being a goalkeeper - and got a good result.

“We took the game away from them in the first half an hour - it was a good away performance.

“It would have been easy for the boys to sulk and feel sorry for themselves after losing to Taunton but they didn’t. They went out there and put in a performance.”

Tonbridge have a chance to complete the double over Ebbsfleet this weekend, having ended their unbeaten start to the season with a 2-1 victory in November.

Fleet are 17 points clear at the top and cruising to the title, thrashing Worthing 7-2 on Tuesday night.

“Ebbsfleet are the best team in the league,” said Saunders.

“I said when we played them earlier this season they would go on and win the league and it looks like that’s going to happen, bar a complete car crash at the end of the season.”

Tonbridge visit Isthmian South East leaders Ramsgate in the Kent Senior Cup Quarter-Finals on Tuesday night.