Witham have to settle for a point after being pegged back twice

Ryman League premier division

Despite twice leading this Ryman League premier division clash, Witham Town were unable to stay ahead of Tonbridge Angels and had to settle for a point.

There was frustration that it wasn’t a greater reward for Witham as they looked to get clear of the relegation scrap, but their 2-2 draw extended their unbeaten run to four games.

Tom Wraight was back in the starting line-up after his trial at Ipswich Town ended as the only change from the side that began the 3-1 win against Harrow Borough in their previous game.

It was Jack Paxman who stepped out of the side and on to the bench as Witham looked to use the consistency in their selection to continue their good recent form.

And the players responded as they made the running in the opening minutes and pressed the visitors back, however, they couldn’t turn that into an early goal as they had done seven days before.

Instead the early incident came at the other end as a crude challenge in the Witham area saw Tonbridge’s Tom Parkinson bundled over.

The referee had no hesitation in pointing to the spot and Lee Carey stepped forward to take the spot-kick but Witham keeper Martyn Guest guessed well and made a save low to his left to keep it goalless.

The game became scrappy after that and neither side was really able to get on top, but there were chances.

From a corner won after good work by Ryan Charles in the 20th minute, Lewis Godbold got a shot away that looked to be heading goalwards but was blocked away.

Play broke straight down the other end and Guest had to be alert again as Mitchell Pinnock tried his luck from distance with an effort that was well held by the Town keeper.

The deadlock was finally broken in the 32nd minute, though, when good play down the Witham right between Conor Mead and Danny Emmanuel opened an opportunity.

Lewis Godbold’s initial effort was scooped clear by Angels keeper Tom Hadler, but a scramble ensued that ended with Ryan Charles prodding the ball over the line.

Having gone ahead, Witham looked to take that advantage into half-time, but just as they had seven days before against Harrow Borough they conceded before the break.

A soft free-kick was conceded by the corner flag and was played in to Marvin William, who fired through a scrum of bodies and into the goal to make it level at the interval.

That parity didn’t last long into the second half, though.

Having survived a shout for a penalty in the seconds after the restart, a long ball over the top of the Tonbridge defence was latched on to by Ryan Blackman, who had just come on as a substitute.

Blackman raced clear and deftly lobbed the advancing Hadler to give his team the perfect start to the second 45 minutes.

However, their lead lasted less than 60 seconds as Tonbridge replied with another equaliser in the 49th minute when a ball in from the right was turned in by Joe Taylor.

Witham had to build again but the game became scrappy and it was the visitors who looked more likely to get a third goal.

They didn’t, though, and Witham began to press once more as the game headed into the final ten minutes.

Wraight went on a mazey run but curled his end shot over the bar, a fierce shot by Luke Callander flashed just wide, Paul King’s late header was just off target from a free-kick and Charles was just unable to steer a header towards goal from a break by John Watson.

However, the winning goal just wouldn’t come and Witham had to settle for a point.