Rebels recover from poor first half to beat Angels

Their first half performance was one of the worst joint manager Jon Underwood can remember, but somehow the Rebels managed to turn things around to claim a very important 2-1 win over Tonbridge Angels at Arbour Park on Saturday.

A sloppy, error-strewn first 45 minutes saw them fall behind to a strike by Jake Embery in the eighth minute, and the performance was reminiscent of their awful FA Cup exit earlier this season to step 4 side Whitehawk.

But, for all their faults, they went in level at the break, Alfonso Tenconi turning the ball home in stoppagetime from a long throw in, and they stepped things up after the interval enabling Aaron Kuhl to slot home the winner in the 77th minute. Few could have begrudged Tonbridge an equaliser, and they had their chances, but the Rebels held on for a result the performance didn't really merit.

Speaking to Ade Gomm for Sloughtown.net afterwards, Underwood admitted the Rebels have struggled to raise their game for matches against sides below them in the table, and added that it's a issue that's been with them for a few seasons now.

“The first half was at Whitehawk levels,” he said. “It was as bad as I can remember us being to be honest.

“We just started really poorly. From the centre of our defence, we didn't take control of any situation.

“We were still very critical of our performance, and we demanded an improvement. I think we got that from them, although it wasn't brilliant, but I feel we were the better side in the second half.”

The Rebels have won five of their last seven league matches and they’ll look to keep that good run going when they travel to Hemel Hempstead Town on Saturday.

“Those wins have kept our season alive and given us a chance,” he said.