Manager Jay Saunders issued an apology to Tonbridge’s fans after their FA Cup run ended in emphatic fashion at home to lower-division Harborough Town on Saturday. National League South Angels were slight favourites for the first-round tie - a match which attracted a record attendance of 3,132 at Longmead - but Harborough ran out comfortable 4-1 victors. Asked if he had a message for the club’s supporters, Saunders replied: “I’d like to give an apology because we knew how much it meant to everyone.
“I had a chat at the end with a supporter, who was disappointed and sort of let his feelings be known. I said to him that no one will hurt more than us as a management team and players. “It was a big day for us, a big day for the players, and we have come up short.
But just stick by us. “Things like that can happen in the cup and, unfortunately, today, it has happened to us.” Experienced defender Paul Malone gave the visitors a half-time lead and 10-goal top scorer Ben Stephens netted twice to effectively seal Harborough’s progress.
Report: Tonbridge 1-4 Harborough Substitute Dan Forbes appeared to wrap it up late on with a fourth and, although below-par Angels did score from skipper Sean Shields’ stoppage-time deflected shot, the day belonged to the Southern League Premier Division Central side. “I’d said to the boys they were better without the ball,” revealed Saunders. “I don’t mean that disrespectfully in any way.
“They’re dangerous from set-pie.
