Tonbridge Angels and Sevenoaks Town both started their season in fine form on Saturday afternoon in front of packed crowds enjoying the sunshine.
Tonbridge Angels enjoyed an opening day success over visitors Weymouth in the Vanarama South with a performance that should have been more comfortable than the 3-2 scoreline suggests.
First half goals from Liam Vincent and Trevan Robinson were enough to take a slender 2-1 lead into the break and Man of the Match Sean Shields secured all three points with a goal in the 72nd minute.
Weymouth managed to squeeze in a late goal, but the damage had already been done and Angels were on their way with three points from their opening game of the season.
Sevenoaks Town were also at home and entertained Burgess Hill Town for their first Isthmian South East league match after beating Whitstable Town last week in the FA Cup.
Warren-Hughes Mfula got Town off to the perfect start with a piece of individual genius slotting the ball past the keep for a one nil lead at the half. Burgess Hill then just fter the break and it wasn’t until the 85th minute that Sevenoaks were back in the lead. Mfula again with the goal.
Gael Kileba then jumped on a defensive error and secured all three points for the club.
Over in the Southern Counties East League Premier Division Larkfield & New Hythe were two wins from two as their beat Glebe 2-0 at home. Alvin Turyatemba opened the scoring just before the break and Matt Day secured the win from the penalty spot in the 73rd minute.
Corinthian kept a clean sheet versus Bearsted and got their first league win of the year with Shawn Jewett-Ricketts (68′) and Mefose Esumobi (89′) both getting on the scoresheet.
Whilst Snodland Town decimated Stansfeld with two braces either side of the break. Stanley Oldfield in the first half and Ryan Thompson in the second enough for a 4-1 win.
Rusthall were also in scoring mode on Saturday as they travelled to the coast to play Whitstable Town.
Tarik Ibrahim opened the scoring in the 17th minute before Daniel Blunn put them 2-0 up at the break. Charlie Clover then secured the club’s first three points of the season before Whitstable got a consolation goal in injury time. 3-1 final score.
Tunbridge Wells were unlucky to lose their match with Punjab United, losing 2-1 in the 91st minute after Jacob Feasey had put them into a well deserved lead in the 38th minute.
The Kent County Premier Division also launched their 2024/25 campaign on Saturday with Ide Hill and Snodland Town Reserves both in action.
Ide Hill, under new manager Marc Gilbert, did not get the result they wanted though, going down 3-1 away at Bexley, Alfie Dennis with the goal. Whilst Snodland were also on the road away at Tenterden Town, losing just 2-1 although they finished the match with just 10-men. Joshua Gibson scored for Snodland.
