By Calum Preston Kelly
It was stoppage time heartbreak for Hampton & Richmond again on Saturday, as a controversial late penalty rescued a 2-2 draw for Tonbridge Angels.
James Roberts and Mauro Vilhete found the net for The Beavers with two magnificent strikes, but this ultimately wasn’t enough to pick up all three points in Kent.
Manager Alan Julian said at the final whistle: “I can’t fault the boys; the decision has been taken out of their hands after some really good defending.
We had a huddle at the end, and I told the boys to get in there and celebrate it as a win.”
The home side came into the game with confidence after an unbeaten start to the season, and they took an early lead as Jason Adigun tapped home at the far post from a low Liam Vincent cross.
But Hampton & Richmond responded well and equalised just nine minutes later, James Roberts with a looping volley over Toby Steward after an Alfie Williams switch. Roberts’s second league goal of the season was well deserved.
The away side dominated much of the latter stages of the first half, with Bunmi Babajide, Josh Keeya and Mike Atkinson having chances on goal.
Then shortly before the hour mark, Alan Julian’s side got the second goal their play merited. Vilhete picked up the ball centrally 25 yards from goal, driving forward to unleash an unstoppable strike into the top right corner.
Vilhete’s 56th-minute goal was his first for the club since joining last month and sent the vociferous Beavers away support into delirium.
Substitute Jake Gray had a great chance to double the lead, before Ted Curd kept out Sean Shields at the other end.
It looked as if Hampton & Richmond had done enough to see out a big three points, before Vincent went down under a Roberts challenge in the third minute of stoppage time. The referee pointed to the spot, to the dismay of the away side.
Vincent has had a great goalscoring record since signing for The Angels in the summer and beat Curd to find the net.
Plenty of positives to take from this afternoon, as Hampton & Richmond continue to compete with and arguably dominate some of the early pace-setting sides of the division.
Enfield come to Beveree Stadium in a rearranged fixture next Saturday, before the anticipated visit of Torquay on October 5th.