Tonbridge Angels 2 Salisbury City 3

Two first half strikes from Adam Wallace helped sink Tonbridge and make it seven league games without a win for the Angels.

Perversely, it was the home side's best performance of the season at Longmead and though the crowd of just 274 was disppointingly low, they got value for money.

Player-manager Tony Dolby said after the game: "I've got mixed feelings at the moment because we've played well and got nothing to show for it. I'm sure I'll analyse it and take the positives but right now I'm gutted."

Effort and quality were both on show from Tonbridge, who kept the ball well but were lacking a clinical finish.

Brendon Cass was the main culprit, missing a clear one-on-one chance and then sending a free header over from six yards. An optimist would say he was at least getting in the right areas to score. A realist would counter he ought to have scored on both occasions.

Tonbridge tried to keep the tempo high and look to move the ball forward quickly when possible. Had either, or both, of Cass' chances been taken Tonbridge would surely have gone on to dominate.

Instead, on 23 minutes a long ball caused a scramble in the Angels area and Wallace lashed a volley which Turner did superbly to turn onto the underside of the bar but, unfortunately for the Tonbridge keeper, the ball bounced down over the line.

Eight minutes later Wallace beat the Angels offside trap to race away and score from an identical chance to Cass' earlier miss.

The number nine was a constant threat for Salisbury, his distinctive bald head making him easy to locate for the spectators, although apparently not for the Tonbridge defence. Nicky Humphrey in particular was too often beaten to the ball by his opponent.

When Angels goal finally came, good linking play by Dolby and Beales resulted in Luke Piscina bundling the ball home eight minutes before the break.

Tonbridge started the second half with as much commitment and confidence as they had mustered in the opening quarter hour, and they were nearly rewarded when Anthony Hogg's mis-directed cross hit the bar.

The equaliser came via an own goal by Aaron Cook, diverting Jon Heath's cross past the stranded Kevin Sawyer on the hour mark.

Within four minutes, however, Salisbury scored the match-winner when Craig Davis curled a free kick around the wall past the unsighted Jamie Turner.

Angels continue to hammer away at the visitors' goal, but Sawyer made some fine saves to deny Dolby's men.

The only consolation came in the form of Tom Reeves who, at just 16-years-old, made his second sub appearance of the week, showing some neat touches in a 25-minute cameo up front.

"Tonight was a massive game for us," admitted Angels' disconsolate player-boss. "If we win we leapfrog Salisbury and we're in a different group of teams.

"We asked the players for a performance tonight because we felt they owed it to us, the fans and themselves after Saturday."

* Tonbridge's next match is a trip to leaders Hampton and Richmond, without the suspended Piscina and Humphrey.