Tonbridge Angels 1 Chatham Town 3 match report: Chats come from a goal down at higher-league Angels to reach FA Cup first round

Chatham came from a goal down to beat higher-league Tonbridge and reach the FA Cup first round for the first time in their modern history.

National League South Angels led at the break through Marcus Sablier’s early deflected strike.

But Isthmian Premier Chats stormed back with Tope Fadahunsi’s equaliser at the start of the second half, a penalty from teenager Stanley Oldfield and an added-time clincher from Adam Leathers.

It goes down as an upset in terms of league status but as the full-time side out of the two, Chats were always good enough to go to Longmead and win.

Victory sends them through to the first round for the first time in a century while Angels miss out on successive appearances in the main draw.

Chatham enjoyed early possession but all in front of the back four as Tonbridge defended well.

Angels went on to take a seventh-minute lead with their first meaningful attack after a lovely move sparked by Brody Peart’s burst down the right.

Eddie Simon took up play from Peart’s cross before skipper Scott Wagstaff teed up Sablier, whose deflected strike looped over goalkeeper Henry Molyneux.

Alan Dunne’s side created a series of chances to extend their lead, with Chatham on the ropes for a spell.

Simon collected Wagstaff’s pass and spread play to Peart before getting himself into the box to meet the cross with a header that was blocked on the line by Reece Butler.

Good possession soon after saw Wagstaff, Simon, Bailey Akehurst, Arthur Penney, Naz Bakrin and Bradley Williams all involved before Simon ran into the box and forced a good save by Molyneux.

Moments later, Chats left-back Kasim Aidoo pulled off a vital block from Sablier after Molyneux failed to deal with a left-wing cross.

Chatham cleared their heads