AFTER their glory-strewn season in which they won the cup and came second in the league, Tonbridge Angels Ladies won the inaugural Bexhill United Ladies Tournament.
Seventeen teams took part and the Angels won a highly competitive group with 10 points from their five games – which lasted 12 minutes each.
Sara Walker scored the only goal in both the first two games to get her side off to a flying start.
The third match looked to be heading for stalemate until Becky Janes let fly from distance to score off the post in injury time.
A goalless draw was enough to secure top spot and qualification for the latter stages.
A tough quarter-final followed against Ashford and Tonbridge went behind early on. They looked to be facing elimination but Becky Mackley’s injury-time header produced the equaliser.
A penalty shoot-out ensued, and Mackley, Rosie Hague, Janes and Helena Fothergill were all on target. Keeper Kelly Moran saved twice to win 4-2.
The semi-final against Wandsworth ended 0-0 so penalties loomed again. In a repeat of the previous round, Moran saved twice with Mackley, Hague, Janes and Fothergill converting to win 4-2.
In the final against Eastbourne Town, Tonbridge took an early lead through a well-worked team goal finished calmly by Walker.
Eastbourne levelled fortuitously when Moran’s clearance was closed down by a forward and rebounded pinball-fashion into the net.
However it was to be the Angels’ day with Janes backheeling a short corner by Mackley past the goalkeeper to win the match 2-1.
The team were expertly marshalled in defence by Poppy Gilden, who has finally returned to action following an 18-month lay-off after she underwent a double knee operation.
PICTURE: SPOT ON: (L-R) Becky Janes, Becky Mackley, Poppy Gilden, Kelly Moran, Helena Fothergill, Rosie Hague, Sara Walker celebrate their first success in a tournament at Bexhill. PHOTO: Katie Wilde
